Illustration Friday – Clandestine

Their clandestine meeting was in a beautiful spot among the flowers. They met "in the garden of my beloved."

Happy New Year everyone!

Illustration Friday – Voices

They could have sat on that wire all day, and they still would have had something to say to each other. This one's called Birds of a Feather.

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog this year - and for your lovely comment about my work. I wish all of you the happiest of holidays and new year full of blessings, magic and happiness!

Illustration Friday – Rambunctious

Here's my "dancing on the roof" rambunctious Santa! Happy holidays everyone.

Illustration Friday - Similar

They weren't twins, but they were about as similar as any two sisters could be.

Illustration Friday – Pretend

She dreamed every day of a better life, a home to call her own. It was nice to pretend.

Illustration Friday - Wise

We each are wise somewhere inside.

Illustration Friday – Vacant

There was a vacant place where she had sealed her heart shut. She feared the possibilities of what could be.

Illustration Friday – Sugary

A scrumptious, delicious pile of sugary goodness. What could be better? This is called Never Enough Cake. For all those icing lovers out there.

Illustration Friday – Packed

I did this little piece several years ago, but it immediately popped into my head when I saw the theme for this week. She had her suitcase packed - just with something a little different.

Illustration Friday – Island

She created the perfect little island for herself with good books and the perfect cup of tea. Add in a rainy day...what could be more perfect?

Our Beautiful Girls

Here are new photos (finally!) of our gorgeous girls. The one of the two of them is taken in beautiful Saugatuck as is the close-up of Nell at the beach. I couldn't resist posting Nell ready to go off to her first soccer practice. I wasn't sure if she was going to be the kid on the ground every few minutes or if her competitive nature would take over. Competitive won out - she's quite fierce out there! Guess she's learned a lot from watching her sister play. The first game is this Saturday - we can't wait for the fun!

Effe Leven Gallery Exhibit

I'm so excited about the upcoming exhibit at Effe Leven Gallery. What a wonderful theme for the show - Women in the Arts – A Celebration! The opening reception is on Thursday, September 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. I'm headed to the gallery tomorrow to drop off my artwork. Still have to finish framing tonight though...down to the wire, of course!

Illustration Friday – Routine

I just finished this piece for an exhibit and thought how appropriate it seemed for the IF topic. Sometimes, the routine makes me want to have a genuine 3-year-old meltdown. I think all you moms will understand where I'm coming from. I love, love, love my kids but there are times I just don't want to hear any more chatter and questions!

Illustartion Friday – Poof!

In a gust of wind – Poof! – the uninvited hairdo arrived! I think maybe we've all been there at some point.

Illustration Friday - Enough

It was enough to feel the sweet breeze of summer and to bask in the sound of the waves lapping the shore. As Kahlil Gibran said…"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."

Illustration Friday – Sour

It all went a little sour for the witch one day - but her red hightops sure looked good!

Illustration Friday – Fierce

He thought the Red Bulls would make him fierce…however, he thought he had one too many!

Illustration Friday - Hoard

She hoarded her heart in what she thought was a safe place - only to find out it still caused her pain.

Illustration Friday – Forgotten

She seemed a bit forgotten as she blended in with her surroundings.

Illustration Friday – "Baby" of the Court

Her name was Modern Marie - and she was a "baby" when it came to the intricacies of the French court.

Illustration Friday – Worry

Her worry was that people wouldn't see her for who she truly was.

Illustration Friday – Wide

From her perch, the whole wide world was at her fingertips!

Illustration Friday – Electricity

Perhaps there was too much electricity in the air, and it made the queen's pigtails stand straight up?

Illustration Friday – Seed

I believe that there's always a seed of growth inside of each of us - no matter how bad things get or how lost we feel.

Illustration Friday - Wrinkles

She preferred not to see them as wrinkles but merely as fragments of a well-traveled path.

Illustration Friday - Primitive

What could be more primitive than a tiger? A few years ago, I got to hold a baby tiger. Such an awesome memory.

Illustration Friday – Fail

He couldn't possibly fail with such lovely assistants at his side...

Tag...You're It!

I've been tagged by Debbie from The Beat of My Art to list 8 weird or not weird things about myself. So, if you leave me a comment consider yourself tagged! Oh, come on - it'll be fun. Just list 8 weird or not weird things about yourself on your blog if you like. I have to admit, this way way harder to do than I thought it would be!

1. I am an absolute soccer addict - especially MLS, English Premier League and, of course, my daughter's team!

2. My favorite snack food is popcorn.

3. For my third or fourth Christmas, I asked Santa for a complete football outfit. Santa responded with a football helmet, shoulder pads and jersey. Can you tell I was a tomboy?

4. I adore musicals written by Stephen Sondheim.

5. I once slept on the floor of a phone booth in Monte Carlo - it was actually more like a closet. There were no rooms to be had anywhere, and the innkeeper rented the floor of the "booth" to me and my friend. We were young - it was an adventure!

6. For those of you who only know me from my website...I worked as a professional musician for about 12 years after grad school and played rehearsals for the CSO Chorus, Chicago Opera Theater and Ravinia Festival.

7. Did I mention I love soccer? Oops.

8. I was blond, blond, blond - until I was about 4. You'd never know it now.

Illustration Friday – Save

Save room somewhere every day for hope...

Illustration Friday - Homage

Oh, how about homage to oneself? It seems that too many people are in a constant state of homage to self.

Illustration Friday – Pet Peeves

I just finished this recently for a local exhibit - and it is one of my pet peeves when people keep talking and repeating the same thing over and over! Thought this piece "repetition" was perfect for the topic.

Illustration Friday – Heavy

"Her heart was so heavy from her loss. She simply sat and grew roots."

Spring is in the air...

Okay - anyone else in the midwest enjoying this beautiful, sunny first day in the 50s? The other night when I took out the trash, it actually smelled like spring for the first time. It is such a lovely change - at least for a few days - after what seems like a very long winter. Breathe in and enjoy!

Illustration Friday – Garden

What a great theme for right now! I know everyone in the Midwest is dreaming of gardens, buds on trees, spring breezes...can't wait! This piece is called A Fairy in My Garden.

Illustration Friday – Leap

She lived beyond the edge...it was all a leap of faith!

Illustration Friday - Multiple

Hmmmm - multiple - just because one fairy in your garden is never enough! SO looking forward to spring - which is in the air today. Even though there's still snow on the ground, the sun is shining and it's in the 30s. It's a heat wave for Chicago!

Illustration Friday – Theory

Just one theory that finding love is a solitary pursuit. Keeping it is definitely not solitary.

Illustration Friday – Choose

I have a friend who has fought depression of one sort or another all her life. And who basically comes from a family full of mental issues and relationship dysfunction. When I created this piece I created it thinking of her. That the ability to choose our path lies within each of us - that what has happened before doesn't have to dictate who we are or what choices we make today. This is something my friend struggles with each day of her life, and it has not gotten easier for her over the years to be able to make healthy choices for herself. Throughout her life she has had certain "angels" who have tried to surround and protect her, encourage her, and help her see a way out - something she just will not choose, or is not able to choose for herself. So, I say again - the power to change things is still withnin each one of us if we make a choie that lets it blossom.

Illustration Friday – Blanket

Several years ago we were blessed to adopt a beautiful little girl from China. When I saw this topic, I immediately thought "blanket of love." We were so supported by our coworkers, friends and family, who were as excited as we were, that we really felt that we were surrounded by a blanket of love. Nell's coming home was truly an event that was celebrated by everyone we knew.

Illustration Friday – Tales and Legends

"As a child, her parents told her she had happy feet.
So she danced her way across the country and needed
some new shoes when she arrived at her destination."

– This piece is called Rockette.

Illustration Friday – Plain

I was having a hard time with this topic for a couple days - then it came to me – "anything but plain" which, I think, sum up my subject pretty well. She's called "In the Vieu Carré."

Illustration Friday – Stitch

This piece, entitled "Unattainable," ended up reminding me of a quilt. Can't say that I start out with that intent, but there you have it. Must have been subliminal from all the quilting my grandmothers did - such a beautiful art form. Happy stitching!

100% Reborn

I was thinking about this Illustration Friday topic for several days and thought about this previous drawing which is symbolic of our ability to continually recreate ourselves if we're open to new things, new thoughts, new ideas. The thought of New Year's resolutions make me cringe - maybe because it seems better, to me, to keep creating ourselves all year.

Illustration Friday - Soar

My first Illustration Friday posting on my new blog. This one's called I'll Fly Away. She didn't know to what great heights she could soar.

new beginnings

Here it is the start of 2008 and my very first blog. For the last year I've been looking at many wonderful artist's blogs and enjoying all the beautiful entries. So, I've decided to jump into the this world that's brand new to me. Although I've had my website for several years now, I've never blogged. So, off to new beginning on this first day of 2008. Many thanks to my friend, Debbie Egizio for encouraging me to do this. May 2008 be filled with a variety of creative journeys, new paths and the blessings of friends of family.