Illustration Friday – Skinny

In a skinny little forest, on a skinny little hill, sat a skinny little house...

Illustration Friday - Fast

Here's my take on this week's them of "fast" - which is how it always seems to be in our lives! I have to give thanks for the lettering inspiration to Aimee! Just love her work - it's simply wonderful.

Illustration Friday – Frozen

Oh, it feels good to be back on Illustration Friday. And so wonderful to crank out a quick little piece for this week's theme...

"She was nowhere close to frozen in her colorful, warm scarf and hat."

I must subconciously want a really wild winter hat...they keep showing up in drawings from time to time!

Letting Go

I'm feeling the need to unload and let go. It's been a very rough couple weeks with work and getting ready for my final outdoor art fair in Chicago this weekend. I've been in a very bad place and really need to let some of that go. So, I'm looking on the positive side and am reminding myself of things I feel grateful for...

1. My wonderful family and friends
2. A lovely home that provides shelter and food each day
3. The ability to create freely every day
4. Books which provide an amazing escape
5. Laughter

I did this piece called Eternal Dance a few years ago, but I was reminded of the saying in it as I was writing this. It seemed oh so perfect for where I need to be. Sometimes it helps to step back and just breathe!

Illustration Friday – Strong

Trees - so strong…stalwart…always beautiful whether budding, full blown or bare. My grandmother, who I adored (and was one of the strongest women I've ever known), absolutely loved bare winter trees. I never understood it as a child, but as an artist now I totally get it. So, here's my piece, called Slumber, in honor of trees and my grandmother Edith.

Illustration Friday – Magnify

I just finished this piece - it might be a stretch, but I like the idea of "magnify" possibility for this piece.

Illustration Friday – Impatience

I recently finished this piece, Flight, and thought it tied in nicely to the Impatience theme. It seems there are times for everybody when they are tied down doing things they don't necessarily enjoy, and we all become impatient for flight.

Illustration Friday - Modify

He chose to modify his attitude and to live to the fullest each day.

And it is so nice to be back on IF. Now that I have some time, I can't wait to start looking at everybody's posts again!

Illustration Friday – Shaky

She was the shy one - and she loved to dance - and it didn't matter how many times she got on stage, she was always a little shaky to start.'

Happy 4th everyone!

Illustration Friday - Drifting

Oh, it is so nice to be back with an IF entry! It's been so crazy the last few weeks that I have not had time to post anything or even spend time looking at the IF site. So, here' my entry for "drifting." This piece is based on a Vettriano piece - was done a while back for a "takeoff on an artist" piece. It's called "Drifters."

Illustration Friday – Contagious

Oh, to dance...and have it be contagious! I did this piece a while ago (called Dancing in the Wild) - just didn't have time to do anything new this week! Thought it kind of fits the theme.

Illustration Friday – Parade

The only thing she could do was watch the parade go by...she was locked on the edge of time.

Illustration Friday – Hierarchy

Her new hairdo put her at the top of the hierarchy! Just finished this one and couldn't resist. I think it kind of fits...

Illustration Friday – Theater

When I saw the topic for this week, I thought how appropriate it was for our house this weekend! My daugher, hannah, is in her last middle school musical, as the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods - by the wonderfully awesome Stephen Sondheim. And my equally awesome daughter did the most fabulous job! It was great fun. I'm posting a piece that I did a while ago called Waiting to Enter. It seemed appropriate with the whole waiting in the wings thing as I saw Hannah peeking out from the wings and giving us a thumbs up before the show began.

IF – Impossibility

There were so many ways to go with this week's topic...I decided to use a piece that I finished several months ago and haven't really done anything with. It's called A Place to Call Home - and I started thinking what an impossibility it is for those who have no place to live, to even imagine having a house, an apartment, a room. And how very blessed we are to have a nice, safe place to live that we call home.

Floating on the "Breese"

Many thanks to the wonderful, talented Bella Sinclair for my beautiful Breese Award (Peter Breese ). (Many apologies for not passing this along sooner this week. It has been a crazy week here.) I am truly honored to receive this award and am passing it along to six inspirational individuals - all amazing artists. Please visit their blogs and keep the award moving along by passing it on to six other recipients. Thanks again Bella!

Ralouca
Diane Duda
Graziella Mattar
Sarah Wyman
Debbie Egizio
Manuela Jarry

Illustration Friday – Fleeting

Even though right now I'm looking forward to the arrival of spring, and all the beautiful flowers and green leaves - I know there will come that moment when summer will start to flee. The flowers will lose their bright, vivid colors, and a different kind of beauty will come to nature with brightly colored falling leaves. Nature, it seems, is always fleeting. This piece is called Summer's End.

Illustration Friday – Talisman

Talisman – anything whose presence exercises a remarkable or powerful influence on human feelings or actions. This partial line – "i carry your heart" – from an e.e.cummings poem popped into my head when I saw the topic for this week.

Kretiv Blogger

Many thanks to the talented Jenny for giving me this award! Visit her blog if you haven’t been there yet…her work is wonderful. It is now my turn to pass the award to other bloggers and share things I love. I'm new to this tagging experience...hope I have it right!

So here we go, 7 things I love...
1. Family night with my girls and hubby. It’s rare for us all to be in one place at the same time! So, whether we’re watching a movie, playing Wii or just hanging out, it’s great.
2. Soccer!From my daughter’s teams to MLS to English Premier to World Cup…I’m an addict.
3. Hanging out in a book store for hours.
4. Books! Reading has always been very important to me. I have to read a few pages every night before bed if I can’t squeeze in more time than that. It brings peace and restoration to me.
5. Spending time with friends and family.
6. Creating, creating, creating…
7. Popcorn! Absolutely my favorite snack food.

... and 7 blogs I love visiting:
Sarah Wyman
Debbie Egizio
Leanne Ellis
Bella Sinclair
Bjornik
Aimee
Piper Anderson

[Note to the selected bloggers: You're off the hook if you already got the award or if tagging isn't your thing, I just like your work and blogs :) ]

Illustration Friday – Poise

I finished this piece not too long ago. It's called "Waiting for the Flood." The two women show great poise, even in the eventuality of something disastrous coming. This is in honor of those who have gone through hurricanes, hunger, losing jobs, adversity – and are still able to show poise, grace, faith and strength. Sorry the photo isn't better – I just couldn't seem to get a nice, bright shot of this one.

Illustration Friday – Subtract

At first I was totally at a loss by this week’s theme. Then I was thinking about a piece I just finished last night for an upcoming show with the theme of “Are U Angry?”…I think there’s a tie-in. This piece is called Worthy of Anger – and it was inspired by a friend of mine who lives his life firmly on the path of peace and social justice. Someone who is unwilling to subtract, to take away, from what he holds important and things that are worth getting angry about.

Illustration Friday – Legendary

She was legendary for her hairstyles - but most of all, for the roses that grew in winter. Most people called it miraculous.

Illustraton Friday – Intricate

I did this piece a while ago, but I immediately thought of it with all the different patterns. Seemed perfect for the "intricate" topic.

Illustration Friday – Breezy

Well, I guess I am still in my wistful, hoping for spring mood. Just couldn't help myself when I saw this week's topic. Just want one of those gentle spring breezes...

Illustration Friday – Instinct

Instinct, intuition...call it what you will. There's a voice inside of us that helps us know which path to travel along – if we are quiet and listen to that voice.

Illustration Friday – Celebrate

I couldn't help myself – I'm celebrating things to come – like spring and summer, warm weather, butterflies, flowers, warm breezes...

Illustration Friday – Time

I saw this week's theme and this piece immediately jumped to mind! It's called Taken Over. Taken over by the need to handle multiple schedules, running from one place to another, and always "living by the clock." It just seemed so appropriate. Ah time...what we all wish we had more of.

Illustration Friday – Flawed

She loved to dance...her only flaw was that she was shy.

Illustration Friday – Climbing

This was a fun topic! I was getting ready to start a piece for my niece's birthday, and this idea just popped into my head. She's buys climbing to the Garden in the Sky.

Illustration Friday – Pale

"The Woman in the Moon" was pale - almost translucent - yet oh so peaceful in her serenity.

Anniversary Giveaway Winner

And the winner is...Linda! Email me and give me your address so I can send out your prizes. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and entering the giveaway. Bye!

Illustration Friday – Contained

She refued to be "contained" this year…Turn up the heat!

Anniversary Giveaway

Oh my gosh! I just about missed the first anniversary of my blog. Can't believe it's been a year already. To say thank you to all my wonderful blog friends, I am giving away one of my prints of "Peace" and a 5 pack of greeting cards.


Please leave a comment and your contact information to be entered in my giveaway. I'll select a winner next Wednesday. Wishing you a year full of blessings and, of course, peace in 2009!

Illustration Friday – Resolve

I love the topic this week! Resolve - what a great, strong word full of hope. I finished this piece a couple weeks before Christmas, and I don't generally make resolutions. However, I do resolve to be the blessing I want to see in the world in 2009...even if it's some small blessing for someone each day.