I first wrote about Elizabeth Traynor in a post in 2006, in which I expressed my admiration in particular for her scratchboard illustrations (and gave a brief description of the scratchboard process).
In addition to her scratchboard work (images above, 1 & 4), her online portfolio also showcases her work in pen and ink, often used with watercolor (images above, 2 & 5), as well as her straightforward watercolor pieces (3 & 6, with detail, 7).
Traynor says that her clients appreciate her ability to work in all three mediums and that much of her work recently is in the latter two.
She was kind enough to pass on to me three recent illustrations, that are not yet on her site, to share in this post (4, 5 & 6, above, plus detail at bottom).
I initially encountered Traynor from her previous association with the Delaware College of Art and Design, where she was at one time the head of the Illustration Department, and where I taught (and continue to teach) a class in Adobe Flash.
Since then Traynor has been based in Massachusetts, but she was born in Alabama, and still has family and friends there who live in an area that was in the path of the extremely destructive storms that recently ripped through the U.S. south.
In a letter which I have quoted below with her permission, she offers a way for those who would like to help to contribute to a local, all volunteer, non-profit group; assuring that your help will go directly to communities in need and not be compromised by the overhead and administrative costs inherent in established relief agencies.
Dear Friends and Family,
I don’t have to tell any of you about the devastation from the tornados last week in Alabama. If you want to help, though, I can tell you a direct way to do so — without red tape.
You may not know that I am a native of Alabama (even though I grew up in Delaware too). My mother, son, five brothers, and ten nieces and nephews live there. Thankfully, no one in my family was injured, although they all have suffered damage in varying degrees. It has been a terrible week for all of us, even those of us far away trying to get word about our loved ones.
My mother is the President of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. William’s Conference) in Guntersville, Alabama (in the northeast section of the state).
The Society is providing aid for all residents of Marshall County who are in need, especially in the towns of Guntersville, Arab, Albertville, and Boaz. Each of these towns, as well as other areas of this rural county, suffered direct hits by multiple tornados.
(One tornado ripped up 1,000 trees from a long scenic stretch on the shore of Lake Guntersville, less than 1/2 mile from my mother’s house.)
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is running out of money. If you would like to make a donation to help, the Society would be extremely thankful. 100% of donations are used directly for feeding, sheltering, and repairs. There are no administrative costs, since this is an all-volunteer group with headquarters in St. William’s Catholic Church.
Donations can be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. William’s Conference) and are fully tax deductible. The address is:
St. Vincent de Paul Society
c/o St. Williams Church
929 Gunter Avenue
Guntersville, AL 35976
You are under no obligation to make a donation. If you do so, any amount is welcome, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
