IF: Remember ' Little Girl '

One of my friend's cats passed away a few days ago. She was one of the sweetest cats I've ever known. After eight long days in intensive care, Little Girl lost her battle to kidney failure. Sadly, she was a victim of the melamine poisoning recently found in some brands of pet foods.

I remember Little Girl had huge sea glass green eyes.
She liked to sleep in late.
She insisted on drinking from the bathtub faucet several times a day.
When she chased her little foam rubber balls she looked like she needed a front-end alignment. It was hilarious!
She snored.
She had a delicate 'meow.'
She was kind and gentle.
I never got to say goodbye and I miss her.

Her dear brother Sammy was poisoned by the same food. He's home from the hospital now and is doing much better. I visit him daily to administer fluids to help keep his kidneys flushed. We're all hoping Sammy wins this fight.
I have a feeling Little Girl is right by his side, encouraging him every step of the way.

(For Judy and Carlos, with love....Auntie Laurel)

Watercolor, acrylic washes and many layers of glazing to make Little Girl seem "spirit like."

IF : Polar Fleecing

Olaf and Olga are very concerned about the changes in their homeland. It seems too many people don't believe that global warming is actually happening, and those that do know it to be true can't do enough, although every little change you make gets you incrementally closer to a better place. Some things can't be reversed. However, we can stop it from getting worse. It's a known fact that Polar Bears swim from ice flow to ice flow, diving for food in between them. The ice is melting at such a steady clip, The National Geographic Society has documented Polar Bears drifting in the water as far away as sixty miles. For the first time, the drowning of Polar Bears is a frequent occurence instead of a fluke you'd hear about every couple of years.

Olga and Olaf are expecting their first cub soon. I just pray it will have a place to call home.

For Earth Day, April 22, 2007

Watercolor and pen and ink on Fabriano paper. (click to enlarge the small iceberg)

IF: Reversal of Fortune

There's an old, old raven that resides in a Cypress grove high on a craggy cliff by the sea. Legend has it he used to be a man who owned a jewelry store and was fatally shot during a robbery. The thief got away with several rare Aquamarines worth a fortune. The jeweler's widow lived in poverty after his passing because they had no life insurance. The Aquamarines were what they were going to cash in for retirement, but with them stolen and the jeweler deceased there was nothing left.

Old man Raven made it his life's mission to stalk that thief and get every one of the gems back. Each year or special occasion he would deliver one of the reclaimed gems to his widow which afforded her a very comfortable life. However, the jeweler's widow would gladly give up her fortune if only to have her husband back. Something tells her he's still with her, even now. She just feels it. How fortunate to know that kind of love!

Acrylic, colored pencils, faux gem on patterned mat board . Click to enlarge. (The jewel didn't reproduce well)

IF: Spring Green

I love the newness and promises of hope that spring holds. The air comes alive with bird song and the smell of the first cut grass. The bulbs bloom and buds on the trees burst open as if overnight after waiting through winter. The birds start building their nests with care and anticipation of a new brood. What was bleakness all around us not so long ago is now green with new life, new energy. No wonder so many of us feel alive during this season of renewal!

Happy spring everyone!

(For some reason this thumbnail wouldn't upload on IF. After a zillion trys, I just uploaded a bunch of stems from my vase of orchids. Hey...it got you here!)

acrylic on canvas...click to enlarge

Wallflower 3

I worked all day in the studio today trying to finish up another Wallflower for the series. I'd love to have a show of them in May, so that means I should have at least 8 finished soon in order to have enough to call a "show." They take a lot of time to do, so in that respect I doubt I'll have enough time to get them all done. It's funny how their personalities change as I paint them. This one started out as a demure redhead, but the more I worked on her the more I knew she had to have blue-black hair. The tatoos came an hour later, like she asked for them or something! She reminds me of a very soft woman trying to show a hard edge, either to be 'hip' or just to protect herself. I don't know. Anyway, I'd love your comments and feedback. Tell me her story!

For newbies to my blog, the other Wallflowers are my "Lady in Red" post and my "Sprout" post. I can just imagine the energy in the room with all of them hanging out together!

Thanks for inspiring me to continue, and also for your wonderful feedback.

Acrylic on patterned card stock...click to enlarge