• Website Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Recent
    • Archives
  • Shop
    • Catalog
    • Order

ASK Design Blog

Designer | Artist | Teacher

  •  
    • Blog Home
    • Web Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Art
      • Licensed Art
    • Links
    • Calendar
    • Contact
      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy

    Inspiration

    Igniting a Creative Flow

    November 9, 2023 by ProfK 3 Comments

    Mt. Auburn Cemetery - Willow Pond painting on easel

    It's been a busy year and I've had very little time for my artwork. When weeks turned into months, I began to really miss that creative energy. Towards the end of August, I finally got myself outside to paint at Mount Auburn Cemetery. I went to Willow Pond and immediately felt a spark of inspiration return. My connection to the natural world ignites my creative flow! The Scene I love Willow Pond. There are lots of birds and wildlife. Reflections in the water intrigue me with their colors and … [Read more...] about Igniting a Creative Flow

    Filed Under: Art, Inspiration Tagged With: creative flow, en plein air, inspiration, Mt. Auburn Cemetery, pastel painting, Willow Pond

    Favorite Books of 2022

    March 16, 2023 by ProfK 4 Comments

    Our bookshelf

    I read 43 books this past year. It was a great mixture, too. Some I loved, some I disliked. I am a member of two book clubs, which provides me with ample variety: UMass-Boston and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Then, there are the recommendations from friends and family. Keep them coming! Here are my favorite books of 2022.   Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane THE BACKDROP is two NYPD cops working together briefly as partners. They have very little in common, and aren't … [Read more...] about Favorite Books of 2022

    Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Ask Again Yes, Black is the Body, Cloud Cuckoo Land, In the Sea There are Crocodiles, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, The Book of Soul, The Flight Portfolio, The Magician's Assistant, The Music of Bees, The Night Watchman, These Precious Days, This Tender Land

    Painting Azaleas at Auburn Lake

    June 5, 2022 by ProfK 2 Comments

    portil2104 - Azaleas on Blue

    I've always admired a pair of azalea bushes at Mount Auburn Cemetery's Auburn Lake. Their remarkable magenta and rose colors astound me. A Dawn Redwood tree provides a sheltering border. I love to paint in this quiet, magical area, especially in springtime. It's a very relaxing spot, very meditative. The only sounds I hear are birds singing. In fact, catbirds often watch me, probably because they build their nests there. Be sure to watch the video I made, posted at the end of this … [Read more...] about Painting Azaleas at Auburn Lake

    Filed Under: Art, Inspiration Tagged With: Auburn Lake, Dawn Redwood, Mt. Auburn Cemetery, painting azaleas, Spectacle Pond

    Favorite Books of 2021

    April 5, 2022 by ProfK 11 Comments

    I've loved books my whole life. When I was growing up, my mother took us to the library each week during the summer. As an adult, a lot of my reads for many years were books related to design, art and teaching. Once in a while, I go on a mystery binge. Fiction, non-fiction, historical novels, I love them all. Recently, when COVID-19 entered our lives, I started reading even more. Travel was restricted, but books allowed me to go to other places and brought other worlds into my own. My reading … [Read more...] about Favorite Books of 2021

    Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: American Dirt, Americanah, BookList, Pachinko, The Kitchen House, The Leavers, The Light of Days, The Nightingale, The Secret Life of Bees

    Welcome to Florida: Acclimating

    June 28, 2018 by ProfK 10 Comments

    Clouds at Vanderbilt Beach

    Snippets of life since moving to Florida... June 29 - Hello Florida! We arrived safe and sound in Naples late this afternoon! As I write this, I am feeling exhausted but happy. It was a long journey (4 days), taking us through areas of the eastern seaboard neither of us had ever seen. Much of the landscape was quite beautiful. The Shenandoah Valley was really lovely. Food (made by many of you), good music, and good conversation was the standard for each day. The clouds … [Read more...] about Welcome to Florida: Acclimating

    Filed Under: Inspiration, Process Tagged With: acclimating to new home, florida, move-in day, new digs, painting, painting en plein air, painting inspirations

    Journey to South Africa – Week 2

    December 5, 2016 by ProfK 3 Comments

    Sunset on Olifants River

    The first part of our 2-week journey to South Africa was spent doing volunteer work at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Daktari Bush School. We then entered "safari mode" and went to Kruger National Park. These pictures are accompanied by brief narratives that describe what we experienced. Day 9 - Oct. 21, 2016 Daktari Bush School to Olifants River, South Africa Our final morning at Daktari was quite moving. Each student had written a list of "promises" and, one by one, stood on a … [Read more...] about Journey to South Africa – Week 2

    Filed Under: Environment-Green-Sustainability, Inspiration, Teaching Tagged With: Daktari, Drakensberg Enscarpment, Kruger Park, Letaba River, Moholohol, Nan Hua Temple, Olifants River, Satara Rest Camp

    Journey to South Africa – Week 1

    November 27, 2016 by ProfK 2 Comments

    Students with their new sunshades, posing with style, at #Daktari Bush School!

    In Oct. 2016, I went on an incredible 2-week journey to South Africa!! The words to fully describe the experience spill out in pictures. It was a trip of a lifetime, organized and facilitated by Shayne Traviss (of VividLife) and Dawid De Wet (of Toerboer). Day 1 - Oct. 13, 2016 Johannesburg, South Africa Our flight out of Boston was the morning of Oct. 12. We flew to Atlanta, had an 8 hour layover there, then caught our flight to Johannesburg. There was an unexpected delay with the "Joburg" … [Read more...] about Journey to South Africa – Week 1

    Filed Under: Environment-Green-Sustainability, Inspiration, Teaching Tagged With: Daktari, Drakensberg Enscarpment, Kruger Park, Letaba River, Moholoholo, Nan Hua Temple, Olifants River, Satara Rest Camp, wildlife rehab

    Surrounded by Art in Asheville

    June 29, 2015 by ProfK 4 Comments

    okrend-landscape14

    My partner and I just returned from a week's vacation in Asheville, North Carolina. This small city has long intrigued us, because of its art community and its location on a plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We love to hike and we love art. So, we spent most of our days hiking, and the rest of the time looking at art and eating excellent vegetarian food! Part of the larger Appalachian Mountains that stretch all the way from Canada to Florida, the Blue Ridge range has some of the oldest … [Read more...] about Surrounded by Art in Asheville

    Filed Under: Art, Inspiration Tagged With: Appalachian Mountains, arts and crafts movement, Blue Ridge Mountains, River Arts District, Woolworth Walk

    Next Page »

    Primary Sidebar

    Affiliate Disclosure

    This website contains affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission (at no cost to you) if you use these links to make a purchase.

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Looking for Something on this Site?

    Search the Web

    New Book Published!

    Kornegger book: Inside the Rainbow

    Art and design for book cover and interior

    Inside the Rainbow: Soul Connection in Nature, by Peggy Kornegger

    BUY THE BOOK!

    Peggy and I have completed our 3rd book together! This one is about soul connection in nature. Peggy is the writer, I'm the designer and artist. I think it's pretty darn special and hope you agree 🙂. Printed book and eBook are both available on Amazon.

     
    kornegger loseyourmind front cover
    Several of my paintings are in this book (including the cover)
    BUY THE BOOK!
     
    Check out my blog post about designing books: Self-Publishing Adventures

    Amazon Affiliate

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Photo, Video & Design Software

    Affiliate Partners

    We receive compensation when you purchase a service or product via the links on this blog.

    Web Hosting

    WP Engine
     
    Bluehost Website Hosting

    Testimonials

    I received the notecards on Friday and it was on my to do list today to email you my deep appreciation for them. They are amazing and I am so glad to have them to share. I am sure I will order more in the future. You are such a gifted artist and I thank you for sharing in a way others can use the art.

    — Shari Spokes

    Your new pastel "Lettuce Lake” is really beautiful. Very, very nice.

    — Tony from Belmont, MA

    My dear sweet sister. I can’t tell you how much I love your pictures. I so much wanted something and was so sorry that I couldn’t pick something out at your sale. On the other hand, I so much wanted something that you had chosen for me. Its been on my mind and suddenly, your beautiful pictures arrived. They are beyond beautiful and I cried when I saw them. Sending you love and my bestness.

    — Marti from Reno, NV

    Copyright

    © 2000-2023 Anne S. Katzeff. All rights reserved. Unless noted, all artwork and text are copyrighted by the artist. Images may not be reproduced, manipulated, or used in any way without Anne’s written permission.

    Categories

    Graphic Design

    • AIGA
    • Design Is History
    • Janice Moore
    • Mass. Contractors

    Web Design

    • A List Apart
    • Adobe Color Tools (formerly Kuler)
    • AWWWards
    • Smashing Magazine
    • underthesite
    • www schools

    Tech-Computer

    • Adobe TV
    • Orramac
    • Teknoziz

    Comments

    In an effort to reduce spam, comments are restricted. Please email Anne if you have a comment or question that you are unable to post. Thanks for understanding.


    Archives

    Typography

    • 1001fonts
    • Adobe Type
    • Adobe Web Type
    • Bitstream
    • Dafont.com
    • Emigre
    • Font converter (free)
    • Font Spring
    • Font Squirrel
    • Google Fonts
    • I Love Typography
    • identifont
    • Typeinspire
    • Typewolf
    • Typoretum

    Photography

    • Creative Commons

    Footer

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Contact

    Website
    Email

    Subscribe to RSS Feed

  •  ASK Design Blog
  • Connect and Share

  •  
  • Legal

    Privacy Policy
    Cookie Policy

    Copyright © 2023 · Built on the WordPress Genesis Framework · Customization and design by ASK Design