Wishing

A New Day dawning and I wish this was an experience I could look forward to.

~ Tutte ~

IF ONLY

If Only I could cut out my heart so it wouldn't hurt so much.

~ Tutte ~

Balance is the Key to A Healthy Life

Easier for some than others. When the weight of our burdens become too heavy, it is impossible to maintain any form of balance.

~ Tutte ~

Falling Asleep

I constantly yearn for comfort. It's become difficult to go to sleep because I want to delay having to face the same old nightmare of my non-existence tomorrow and why perhaps, I postpone it as long as possible. There is nothing of purpose to wake up to. So much easier to sleep through the day and stay up all night with the peace and darkness when the outside world (in which I don't participate) has come to a halt. It's become my only escape.

~ Tutte ~

seeking nothing in particular

Sometimes it is better to remain still in order to see what scurries by. Why is that so difficult?

idle thoughts

I am nearly done with the art for my 2nd self-authored book Hugs From Pearl. It is always a frantic rush towards the finish line, making endless last-minute changes and adjustments.

As hard as it is to let go of the art, (I could tweak things for another 6 months,) I will be glad to send the last one off and take a bit of a breather before I dive into the final art for my next book, Petunia Goes Wild.

I find the best opportunity for creative thinking is when I am not focused on being productive. When my brain is idle ideas tend to pop up. Generally a thing rushes in to fill the nothing.

It makes sense that I should incorporate some brain-meandering time in my daily schedule. Sort of a mental flaneur period.

Yet even though I know it is usually wonderfully productive, who could put "2:00 - 3:30: Nothing." on their calendar?

Seems un-American somehow.

Mole had been working

The thing about E. H. Shepard is. 

Not that he wields exquisite compositions like Heath Robinson. He does not stun us with genius color like Zwerger or knock us dead with impossible technique like Spirin. No hypnotic hatchings like Gorey, no oddly irresistible charm like Delphine Durand.

No. What Shepard’s drawings have are Character. Honest, believable character. Not Hilary Knight’s winning excesses, not Mo Willem’s hilarious theatrics. The real thing. Characters with emotions every child and adult can relate to. 

The drawings Shepard did for Wind In The Willows and the Pooh books are timeless. No, that’s not exactly right. They are TIMELESS. 

Why? Because the emotions that Shepard drew are timeless. His pen deftly portrays the things that unite all of us. Our humanity. That means everyone: innocent children, cynical adults, extremist nuts, numb taoists, crazy-busy illustrators. We all have the same things in common: Vanity. Curiosity. Pride. Arrogance. Innocence. Courage. Wonder. Generosity. Friendship. Doubt.

And then there is his lovely linework.