The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

lonely

Sam - "Suzy, I love you, but you have no idea what you're talking about."


This was the quote that stuck in my head after seeing the movie, Moonrise Kingdom.


Sam was replying to Suzy who had just stated that she wished she was an orphan because all of her favorite characters in her books were orphans.


I thought this moment was a clever way to acknowledge the overuse of orphan characters in children's literature in the context of a movie about an orphan character.


I highly recommend you go see it in the theater while you can.

Back to the Future

carry

The past few weeks have got me thinking about finding the delicate balance between planning for the future and living in the moment.

Today I had a full day (a rare thing in the summer) in the art studio which has me craving more.  

I must figure out how to get there.

In the meantime I am savoring all the (many) good things in my life.

This week's Illustration Friday word reminded me of this Ryan Montbleau song.

Get Out the Map

lost

Happy Summer!

It has been a couple of weeks since I've posted.

That's because it is Summer!

In our neck of the woods this is the time for more of everything.

More work.

More play.

More food.

More family.

More friends.

More drink.

More sunshine.

More swimming.

More ice cream.

The only thing there is not more of is time in the art studio.

However, arty things have been popping up like flowers that I planted in the Spring.

I was a featured illustrator over at the fabulous Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast Blog.

I donated a painting for a fundraiser at my local library.

Another painting got the interest of a local magazine.

I added some more images to Fine Art America.

I updated my website.

And I did some watercolor painting with my five-year-old niece.

Here's to more.

Be Not Afraid

space

I went to a funeral today it was the music that gave me the most comfort.

Fear of Success

secret

I mentioned a few weeks ago on this blog that, "failure" is my new favorite word.

I'm going to go ahead and make it the word of the year now that we are about half-way through 2012.

I have been working hard to fail my way to the top. One of the keys to failure is trying to succeed.

Which means I have to do my research to find out what successful people do.

I've been listening closely trying to hear their secrets.

Here is what I have heard so far:

1. Work hard.

2. Have confidence

3. Do the work you love to do.

4. Hang around with supportive people.

5. Get out of your comfort zone.

6. Work hard.

7. Don't be afraid to fail.

Is that seven? Did I just write a book?

Anyways, back to the drawing tablet. I have some failing to do.

P.S. This is my new theme song.

Some Some Summertime

shiny

I know there are still a few days before the official Summer Solstice and school isn't even out yet. 

But, I've got my beach sticker ready to slap on the old beach wagon and I am so glad my favorite season is shining down upon our sandy shore.

Happy to be here.

Home Run

hurry

Grace (the girl in the drawings of the past few posts) has been roaming the woods for weeks now.

Grace has been happily exploring. Her actions have been inspired by the "topic of the week" on the Illustration Friday website.

She was at home in the forest, comfortable. I could have kept her out there for a while. There are endless possibilities in a playground of trees and wildlife.

My ten year old daughter has been watching her progress.

Last week my daughter said, "The next picture should show her home. I want to see where she lives."

I think she wanted me to prove that she did have a home.

The "topic of the week" is "hurry".

Hurry home, I thought and sent her on her way.

Same as It Ever Was

faded

Spring comes late around here.

Last week it was 50 degrees and drizzling.

I was starting to regret my decision to put my parka away for the season as I sat on the damp bleachers of the misty Little League field.

The next game I went to I had short sleeves, sandals and was worrying about getting a sunburn.

My favorite part of the late Spring is the green.

Sometimes you don't know how much you miss something until it comes back.

The color of the new leaves and grass are so bright it hurts my eyes.

This weekend my tired, grey little town was full of people and traffic and cookouts and noise.

It happens every year.

It is still a surprise, just when you think it will never come it does.

Makes me realize that the same old can be new again.

And so can I.

Wide Awake

sight

It is all real.

It is all a dream.

Mrs. Rice and the Brats of NIHM

kernel

This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week.

This always makes me think of the teachers who made a difference in my life.

One teacher came to mind this week when I was showing my daughter, "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of N.I.H.M." at the library. 

My daughter asked if I had read it. I had not.

My fifth grade language arts teacher, Mrs. Rice read it to me and our class.

I wasn't that big a fan of the fifth grade. 

Art class with the beautiful Ms. Fisher and Mrs. Rice reading aloud made it bearable.

I had a second thought about Mrs. Rice this week when I was thinking about "kernels" in the woods.

I remember pig nuts (hickory nuts) were fun to open when the outer husk got dry enough. 

I also remember going out and collecting about a hundred acorns an crushing them on a rock in an attempt to make acorn pancakes just like the boy in, "My Side of the Mountain", which Mrs. Rice also read to us.

I barely got a tablespoon's worth of acorn flour, so I never made the pancakes.

I did get a love of books and an appreciation of teachers.

To all my teacher friends,

Remember that you are making a difference, if fact the little things you do could make all the difference in the world.