Illustration Friday: Stitch

I spent years in Theatrical Costuming, many of them as a stitcher. So I've made a visual quilt with some of the projects I've worked on. The center panel is a rendering of myself working on a large petticoat that went under a Civil War era dress. The petticoat was nick named "The Giant Peach" because it had a peach colored silk over skirt. Several weeks ago my son was creating fortunes for fortune cookies (they aren't as easy to make as we were lead to believe...) and one of the fortunes was "In one of your dreams you will be chased by a giant peach." Just to be silly he asked if I'd ever had dreams like that and I told him "Yes I have." And then I showed him the photo of the petticoat.

Illustration Friday: 100%

This weeks topic made me think about things that I'm making progress towards, but that I'm not 100% of the way there. I think in some things we never get to 100% and have to be content with our best. So a mandala and a pie graph merged in my head.

Illustration Friday: Soar

My Mom's favorite bird is the Turkey Vulture. While quite spooky looking on the ground they are beautiful to watch in flight. As scavengers they clean up by eating trash and dead things. (Would that our culture could be more beautiful in the way we handle trash.)

Illustration Friday: Horizon

The Event Horizon is an imaginary line surrounding a black hole. Once something crosses the Event Horizon is is no longer possible to escape from the gravity of the black hole

In this case the "Event" is Christmas and the Horizon is looming... (or maybe I've already passed it.)

Illustration Friday: Backwards

I have a friend who has a sarcastic streak. One day my three year old told me she didn't want to talk to my friend. When I asked why I was told, "She talks backwards."

I'm not entirely happy with this one, but not everything can be a portfolio piece. Sometimes just doing is enough. I've met at least one of my IF goals which was to keep the creative machine going. (Just keep drawing, just keep drawing, just keep drawing, drawing, drawing...)

Illustration Friday: Little Things

I thought too much on this one. I had images of camels fleeing from straws in my head. But then I had too much going on this weekend, (this week, this month...) to really take the time with that one.
But the other day my daughter asked me, "Mom did you want to be when you grow up what I want to be?"
"And what do you want to be?"
"Artist!"
"Yes I did."
So while my daughter was working on her art skills on the dry erase board I took a few little minutes to do a quick sketch with sharpie on paper. And realise how blessed I am with these little skills I've had since I was her age.

Illustration Friday: Excess

'Tis the season to be overwhelmed by excess. Between my son's early December birthday and Christmas I always get a little panicked this time of year. I also find myself getting caught up in consumerism. Every store I go to has rows and rows filled with shiny things that I don't really need--but they are so pretty. I added the cat as the element of chaos that also seems to come along and give us perfectionists just one more set of things to worry about. (and to remember to just let go and laugh when the tree falls down...)