Good bye 2015!

My favorite series to come out of this year has been my adventure partner series.

My husband and I grew up in the same neck of the woods geographically but wouldn’t meet each other until high school. But we’re convinced that had we known each other back in those days, we would’ve been inseparable. The first illustration I did in the adventure series imagines us exploring together in a slightly Wes Anderson style. I’m still in love with that illustration, and from what I’ve heard, so are many of you. So I was inspired to keep imagining our adventures and illustrating them. If you follow my work closely you’ve already seen some of this work. But I’m proud to wrap up this series as we wrap up this year.

In 2016 I look forward to creating more whimsical bodies of work that echo themes, characters, colors, or style. Creating sets of illustrations that are harmonious together is a goal I’m already striving for as we enter into the new year. But you know me, illustration is my passion. I’m always striving to push myself and my work.

And so we’ll close out the year with a set of meaningful quotes from 2015 that I hand painted in bubble-gum (or what I like to call) power pink.

Hiatus Kaiyote

We had a chance to go see Hiatus Kaiyote perform in person on May 12th at Fineline in Minneapolis. Everything about the show was great, the music is so full of life and it always leaves me feeling empowered. Nai Palm poured herself out for the show with killer vocals and genuine smiles. And she’s got great style as well, I couldn’t resist drawing a portrait. Check out the music for yourself, it’s been swingin’ in my speakers and my soul.

Larz Randa Illustration by Bree Reetz

 

New Zealand rap artist, Larz Randa (Mainard Larken) is totally “hot like tiger balm.” I’ve got mad respect for Randa’s androgynous style, endless smile, funk, quirk, and sense of humor. Check out the song Rangers and prepare to be hooked.

Girl Scout

Adventure Partners

 

My first crush was on a boy who took me on an adventure in the woods. We roamed over his parent’s seemingly endless plot of rural land in awe. We hunted for and found treasures in the leaves, we built a fantastic fort out of sticks, and we spent the golden-hour together with flushed cheeks and fresh air blowing through our hair. When my Mom came to pick me up I told her I would marry him. I was really young and didn’t know what I was talking about. My Mom just raised her eye-brows and smiled.

But I knew there was something special there. I really liked the idea of having a life-long adventure partner. That idea stuck with me as I got older. And I consider myself extremely lucky to actually have found that adventure partner. My husband is the best adventure partner I could imagine. We enjoy walks through the woods, reading next to the river, exploring abandoned ghost towns, and traveling together. We’re always talking about big ideas, making each other laugh, and we know how to have fun like two overgrown kids. In fact we’ve talked about our childhoods and determined that we would have made great adventure partners back then if only we had known each other. And that my friends, is the spirit of this illustration.

Reindeer Winter

 

This illustration was heavily inspired by this *photo* of tame Reindeer taken in Alaska in the early 1900’s.

 

 

This is for all my “Home Bodies”

Sphynx Illustration by Bree Reetz

Unicorn

These Days

As a professional artist, I often draw with a specific intention. Whether the intention is client driven or inspired by an image or a whim, I find that I am more productive if I set out with the idea that I’d like to complete something specific. However, once upon a time, I drew just for the sake of it. Sometimes it was cathartic, sometimes it was just for the fun. These days it’s a treat to let a drawing run away with me. This piece is a great example of the sort of playful and moody drawing that might happen when I let my pencil take me where it will.

This drawing is loosely inspired by “These Days” a pensive song by the lovely Nico. Her endearingly deep voice is paired with honest lyrics that leave you lost in thought. Similarly to the character you see here, who is seemingly surrounded by a solar system of thoughts revolving around her head, swimming in vivid colors.

Bree Reetz Featured In The HPR

 

A big thanks to Diane Miller, the editor at the HPR for writing a very flattering article about me and my work as an illustrator. It was great to pick up this week’s issue and find my poster design for the Fargo Film Festival on the front cover along with elements of my illustration throughout! If you’d like to read the article about me and don’t have access to the physical copy, you can read it online here! 

Theodore Twombly – From the movie Her

My hubby and I recently went to see the movie Her. I really enjoyed it. It was really beautifully done. And it touched on aspects of relationships that most movies gloss over or leave out entirely. The character Theodore Twombly was absolutely love-able. And so I decided to illustrate him and share it with you.

New Video!

My darling husband Shane made a lovely new video featuring my illustration!
Take a look and you’ll discover more about my process of creating digital fine art.

LOOKS LIKE RAIN: an illustration by Bree Reetz from Shane Reetz on Vimeo.

Spring Nights

quiet strength

Postcards coming soon!

Sam

high on life

we take our dreams seriously

Rowan

It was my pleasure to capture the glint in Rowan’s friendly eyes. His parents commissioned a personal illustration of him to commemorate his first birthday. He seemed to be always on the verge of smiling, what a charmer!