Happy Birthday, Vincent

"In a picture, I want to say something comforting"
—Vincent Van Gogh

Miss Sinex, my 6th grade teacher, introduced me to Van Gogh. She brought in this painting- Room in Arles- for us to study. I loved the turquoise floor and the wicker-bottomed chairs. The real one (at least one version) hangs at the Art Institute in Chicago. I give it my regards with every visit. And tip my hat to it's former occupant, who indeed brought forth so much comfort to the whole world through his work.

Happy Spring!

We have blossoms all over the place, and to think, it's still March! The recent trip to DC was the first time I'd seen the famous cherry blossoms (well, they were nearly out!). Did you know the DC trees were given by the people of Japan in 1912?

I've also been thinking about the anniversary of Japan's earthquake. One year has now gone by. This illustration is inspired by the thought of nature as healer, after that humbling event. A little girl enjoys the spring cherry blossoms, and a native song bird (called the Japanese White-eye) enjoys the little girl. I'm experimenting with some mixed media/ paper collage, thus the origami paper border. Not sure if my style is too busy for the extra elements, but it is certainly a brighter palette for me.

Strutting some color

Never scratched out a peacock before. This one is bound for over-the-seas to help advertise a client's musical performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this coming summer. I think it will be a catalog that will print the image at about one inch squared. Pretty, tiny peacock!

With Liberty and cherry blossoms for all...

Spent a few days in and around our capital recently. Washington DC is a beautiful, elegant city. We just missed the cherry blossoms but it was a warm and lovely spring week regardless. Here are a few images.

Red Fox sited!

If you come to our house (and I hope you will sometime!), a brass fox door-knocker will greet you. Even though there is a door bell, many people (but not all) use the knocker instead. I find my writer and artist friends use it the most-rap rap, rap, they go- I think they like to feel and move and hear things!

I love foxes almost as much as birds. And...

this morning, after only a few days of day-dreaming about my arctic fox, a real red fox was seen in our "neck of the woods" by my neighbor and her daughter! Look close in the photo above. He's a little scrawny guy. Plenty of food for him around this year- he better not pick on our kitties!

Arctic Day Dreaming

We woke up to sunshine, a new blanket of snow and a promise of warm days to follow. I better get the cross country skis out before this melts away!

I'm going to pretend I'm in the Arctic, shooshing by the blue ice mountains, keeping my eye out for a shy arctic fox. Maybe I will see one today...