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"If we are willing to learn our lessons gently, they patiently await us in countless ways. Today, try listening to the wisdom of children; accepting the loving kindness of a friend; reaching out to those in need; asking a colleague for advice; acting on you intuition; laughing at your foibles and frailties and accepting them with love; observing how your pets live so contentedly in the present moment; rediscovering the surprising healing power of spontaneity; focusing on the good in any situation you are now encountering; expecting the best of every day; and realizing what a wonderful life you're living - sooner rather than later." -Sarah Ban Breathnach
My youngest brother drew this for me when he was just a little bean (maybe four years old?), and I just it found folded up in a book the other day. I love this so much. He drew me smiling with rosy cheeks, arms open like I'm ready to give a hug. I am very proud that he had this idea of me... happy and open. That is something I strive for every day, realizing what a wonderful life we're living...
Illustration Friday: Cake
This is an illustration I created for an Evite eCard. I also used it on a self-promo card I sent out. I have noticed that since the weather has turned nicer, I have started using warmer, brighter colors... funny how that works.
Mmm...cupcakes!
p.s. A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweet sister-in-law, Alison. :)
I remember specifically how it felt to be this little girl... and it was good. I've always been her, but I feel like I went through a long period where she was lost in the confusion, the crowd, the "shoulds". Waiting to resurface. And it just crossed my mind the other day that I think I'm getting back to where I started. My authentic self.
(My brother, on the other hand, should probably keep running from his authentic self. Did he see a camera for the first time in this picture or what?! hee.)
Last week Colin came home and told me he had a surprise for me. We walked outside where he told me to close my eyes. He opened the trunk of the car and pulled out a medium-sized box and set it on my outstretched hands. It was a fountain! For my studio! (He's so thoughtful.) He knew that I've been pretty stressed lately and that water seems to always calm me down. We spent the next few hours moving furniture around in my studio, creating a zen wall. A little wall that houses all things pretty. The fountain:
My favorite plant (aren't plants good feng shui?):
The wall also includes an antique fan, a beautiful table runner my mother in law got for me, my teal porcelain incense holder and a pretty journal my friend Melanie sent me.
I also cleaned up my studio thoroughly: straightening and organizing all my books, rearranging my Illustration Friday and LopiePop merchandise, and getting rid of worthless paint brushes and dried up pens.
The transformation is incredible. I love being in my studio now. The tinkling of the water falling behind me, the look of order and the smell of incense. It's just a more relaxing place to be.
Thank you so much, Colin. :)
So cheerful, these bags! I ordered them from Angela Liu of SanFranciscoCrafts on Etsy a few weeks ago and they arrived yesterday. They are so beautiful and so well crafted. Swoon!
Illustration Friday: Sorry
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This idea just came from scribbling... I really enjoy drawing people, so I just started drawing different sad faces and this girl with giant red hair appeared... It's only natural that she would pick flowers that matched.
Oh... my peonies are in bloom. A pink this bold is bound to make anyone smile. :)
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This is a recent piece I did for a play opening June 9th here in Indy. The show is about a mom who lost two sisters to drowning when she was young, and just can't seem to let go of that. She ends up naming her daughters after her lost sisters, and they messes with their minds a bit... It's a pretty complicated story, but I really loved it and can't wait to see it. Anyone living in Indy should come too!
So, my idea for the piece was depicting the mom (really, the woman in the illo represents all the women in the play) who are held captive by the bones. She's literally trapped by them under water... I like how it turned out. And I even got an email from the play's author this morning saying that she really liked the illustration and thought I captured the essence of her play. That made me grin ear to ear. I love getting good feedback like that. :)
So there you go. Have a good weekend, all!
One cool thing about running Illustration Friday is the fact that I get to interview kick ass illustrators that I admire. Check out this interview with Jillian Tamaki. She rocks.
Feeling so grateful that the sun popped his head out for a brief while today. I bundled up in two pairs of jogging pants, a tank top, long sleeve shirt, vest, coat and ear warmers (I'm perpetually cold) and headed out for a much needed walk around the neighborhood.
I was surprised when I got lapped by the old man who lives one street over. He was kicking my butt! And Vince (my pooch) was so taken aback that he walked right into a parked car. hee. I think he was embarrassed.
On my slow walk I closed my eyes and just felt the sun shine down on my eyelids...warm and gold. I breathed out deeply and just said thank you... this is exactly what I needed.
Now I sit here and listen as the thunderstorm rolls over. Wind. Rain. Hail. Feeling thankful that I have this cozy yellow living room to relax in, far away from the rain. There is so much I take for granted...
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Enjoying all the movies my husband made for the Curious City Film Festival. Go Colin!
Illustration Friday: Angels and Devils
Another oldie (but goodie!). This was for a story about a mother who struggled with whether or not to give her baby a pacifier. The baby was obviously a mess without it. This was a fun one to paint!
As I was doing my paintings I started noticing that my paint tray was accumulating these beautiful, colorful messes, creating tiny abstract paintings. I started to record them, photographing the paint tray after each new painting. I think I will continue to add to this collection because I like all the textures and the fabric of color that is starting to emerge.
A wall of messy color.
Click here for the Great Paint Splotch Experiment!
 That is what my grandma calls me. I get restless very easily, needing change. And fast. Today is chilly and gray. The wind is pummeling the trees and making all the leaves show their bellies. It all makes that part of me perk up and pay attention. Just go. Give away whatever I can. Say screw it to sentiment and just go lightly.
Let go...
That is what I'm waiting for. It's just change... big scary dramatic lovely bold fierce path-blazing change. Exploring. Experience, growth and learning. Sinking into it with all its discomfort and all of its surprises. I think that when you do this you rediscover pieces of yourself that you forgot. Some sort of survival pieces. And that's what I need right now.
This is not a dress rehearsal. Use it up. And soon.
An exercise in being in the moment. Loosening up a bit. Feels good to put brush and ink down with no sketch rather than paint... my favorite lunch. mmm... I must have been a rabbit in a former life.
 I should be sketching right now. I know. I'm procrastinating. 12 sketches due tomorrow and I have 8 done. Looks like I'll be working a little this evening. Oh well. I need a break now.
This weekend I was a little lopie-rollercoaster (sorry Colin). Saturday I wondered what I was doing with my life. Why it is that I constantly feel like I'm waiting for my life to begin? Where is that thing I've been looking for? That nameless thing that will make me feel like "THIS IS IT." I can stop paddling now and just enjoy this river. So saturday night as I was clumped up on the floor and mascara was running down my cheeks, we had a flash of insight.
We need to burn stuff.
So I put on a big ugly sweatshirt, poured myself a glass of wine and set out to build a fire. Fire always helps. I sat by the fire and just spilt everything I had bottled from that day...the stress of last week... the launch of the new IF... 60 billion emails... messy house... boredom... too much to do... just let it all hang out. Tears dripped into my glass and the fire was a blurry orange waterfall.
I felt better.
Sunday I decided NO WORK. NO COMPUTER. No paint. No inside. (Very eloquent am I.) So I got outside and stayed there. Weeding all my flower beds, planting 50 new flowers, getting my hands so dirty they refused to come clean (still have black under my fingernails and I don't give a damn).
As I do yoga now, I look down and notice that there is dirt all over my left foot. Must be from watering this chilly morning. I push into my pose and feel all this tension. Breathe it out.
I still feel like I'm waiting. But being outside makes that feeling duller.
What am I waiting for?
Fire, dirt, sweat.
Illustration Friday: Fat
(Some of you have already seen this... my apologies.)
This was a recent piece I did for Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine. The story was about how weight gain is affected by sleep. The less sleep you get, the more weight you gain. So go to bed early!
I thought it fit nicely with this week's Illustration Friday topic, "fat".
THE NEW ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY SITE IS HERE!
addition
Oh good. The site launch went off without a hitch. There are a few glitches in the system that I am working on correcting, but overall, I'd call it a success. Man... I'm so happy to be done with it! It has been just consuming my life and stressing me out. I dream about it at night...
But it is up, and I didn't blow up the internet. sigh of relief...
Now if I could just get everyone to link to static pages...
I need a few days off.
Glad you all are enjoying it!
Have you all heard about the HOW conference? Are you going? I'm going to be there, working a booth with the agency that reps me. We are giving away some fun freebies and will have an interactive booth to play with. Should be fun!
I've never wanted to go to Vegas, but somehow it's caught up to me. I am not a gambler, but think I will try a slot machine or two. hee. I am looking forward to going though... to hear some of the speakers, be inspired and maybe meet some new people.
Maybe I'll see you there...
Two years ago today I married this amazing person. I remember feeling like my heart was going to burst I was so in love with him then. And it just keeps growing. I never expected that, and I'm so grateful for it. He is my soul mate, my teacher, and my best friend.
Happy anniversary, Colin.
This is a piece I did for the Baltimore Sun last week. It was for a story about a waitress who was having a bad night all around and needed to be comforted by another waitress who said "It's just food. Don't take it so personal."
And man, that line really hit home for me. "Don't take it so personal." I have thin skin... I take everything too personally. I don't know if it's a female thing or what... thinking people are angry with you, when in reality, there is nothing for them to be angry about.
I end up getting upset trying to figure out what small thing I said that could have possibly been taken wrong. Only to find out that it was nothing. They were busy. Or distracted. Or whatever.
For example, when I turn in a piece of final art to a client, many times I don't hear back for a day or two. Those two days are excruciating. I play over and over in my head a movie of the art director opening the file (or envelope) and looking at it with a frown... "this is not what we were expecting" or "man, she kinda sucks, huh?". And my heart sinks. But after a time, they always call and say "beautiful" or "great, thank you!" and I sign and feel all sheepish. Stress for no reason.
So lately I have been trying to not think about it until I hear back. Instead of always assuming the worst, I'm trying to assume the best. It's a hard exercise!
p.s. I really loved working on this piece... It just sort of came together easily and I liked playing with the scale of the two figures.
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© Penelope Illustration. Stealing
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