Goodbye Elemore. And thank you.

AUGUST 6, 1931 - MAY 18, 2008

Dear Elemore,

I just found out that you are gone, and the wind was sucked out of me. It has been many years since I was in your class, and it is still so clear to me that you changed my relationship to drawing, and more importantly to myself. I didn't grow up in a family that knew how to appreciate artistic talent, much less encourage it. You did. And with me you did it with grace, gentleness, authenticity and care. It seems you were that way with everything you did in your life. You modeled for me the way I want to live my life, with courage and curiosity and enthusiasm. At 76 you were younger and more full of life than most people I know half that age.

I'm so grateful that you and I had a chance to talk a couple of months ago when I asked you to write a letter of recommendation for me as I prepare to go to grad school. It had been years since we'd talked, and yet we picked right up and had a riveting conversation about art, teaching, and the nature of drawing. I talked about that discussion with many of my friends. And now, the letter you wrote for me is a cherished possession. Tears are coming down as I write this. You saw me and honored me and blessed me, at a time when I needed it. And thanks to you and your loving ways, I draw more now than ever. I will always be in your debt, and I'm dedicating my graduate school experience to you, so that when I'm short on inspiration I'll know where to turn.

Rest in peace my friend. I'll look for you in the clouds and the wind and blue, blue sky, and know you are still at work.

Willie

Illustration Friday - Wide

My fish tank needs to be wider! :-)

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Mom always loved rocks, flowers and butterflies (and all kinds of other stuff). She's no longer with us, but she's always in my heart, and I thought about her when I took these recent pictures in Arkansas. Thanks for everything, Mom! xoxo

Illustration Friday - Electricity

Sometimes it takes a little electricity to get things going. :-)

Hang on tight!

"It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are."

-- e. e. cummings

Buddha says abandon all fear and desire

Illustration Friday - Seed

From little seeds big things grow. ;-)

I drew this one morning during the High Sierra Music Festival in Northern California. It was peaceful other than the sound of the crows and the snoring. And I was most drawn to the details of the big tree looming over our tents. (click image for a larger view) It's one of the things I love about drawing moments from my life. In a way I'm planting a seed so that a memory can grow.

"Your vision will become clear only
when you look into your heart...
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens."

-- Carl Gustav Jung

Not worthy

By special request of the Tart. :-)

Illustration Friday - Wrinkles

It happens to all of us eventually. :-)

"By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step,
he's too old to go anywhere".
--Joey Adams

Waiting for what?

The time is NOW.

Happy birthday Trixie!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Life's a banquet, and most poor
suckers are starving to death!"
-Auntie Mame

What next?

Illustration Friday - Primitive

"I throw my poop at you!!" said the monkey. (He's so primitive.) ;-)

Just how many crawfish can she eat?

Illustration Friday - Fail

It never fails,
it's always a little scary
when I turn out the lights... ;-)

Illustration Friday - Save

Save for a rainy day. To buy an umbrella. :-)

Do you believe?

Illustration Friday - Homage

An homage to my brain in the morning. It truly is a mysterious and wonderful (and sometimes frightening) thing. :-)

"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible."

- George Burns

Happy Birthday Mom, with love.

And Happy Easter everyone! :-)

Wesley draws

My little brother Wesley at the Dallas Museum of Art, making some art of his own.

Illustration Friday - pet peeves

It really bugs me when the voices inside
my head won't agree.

I mean, come on! ;-)

"Some people just don't know how to drive.
I call these people 'Everybody But Me'".
-Bumper Sticker (another pet peeve: bumper stickers)

Spring done sprung!

Photos of tulips in a neighbor's yard. :-)

Illustration Friday - Heavy

A very heavy realization. :-)

Illustration Friday - Garden

Which flower are you?

(psst... comment number 111 gets a drawing done of them, but no commenting more than twice! ;-)

The Sacred Circle is built on respect and trust. The image is of the garden. Each plant has its name and its place. There is no one flower that cancels the need for another. Each bloom has its unique and irreplaceable beauty.

Julia Cameron in “The Artist’s Way”

My left foot (in Tanya's living room)

"It's not what you look at that matters,
it's what you see."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

While on a conference call...

Illustration Friday - Leap

When it finally opened, I wanted to leap for joy!

Velvety goodness

A long overdue drawing of Velvet. :-)

On the way to Tinley Town...

Illustration Friday - Multiple

11:11pm.

Fun with dots

Illustration Friday - Theory

Some days, this is my theory about life. And some days it isn't.

"There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...follow these."
-Anonymous

Buggyville thataway

Is it me or does that bus have wings??

Illustration Friday - Choose

Choose your books wisely! :-)

Allen ponders his breasts

Illustration Friday - Blanket

When I think of blankets, I think of being home, being safe. I drew this when I was in Africa, and got to see cheetahs, my favorite animals, and it was another place that felt like home. Have a glorious day! ;-)

"If we know ourselves, we're always home, anywhere."
--Glinda, the good witch of the South, in THE WIZ

Night

Darkness falls
So do my spirits
I look for distractions from old fears
Imprinted on me as a child
Living still
In the dark corners of my psyche
Waiting
For night
To wake up
And keep me up
And tear me down
From the inside
I fight back
But I’m tired
Of resisting for so long
I’m no match
For this period of time
When the Earth faces the wrong way
I wait I hope I pray I hope

And the sun is my savior

Illustration Friday - Tales and Legends

Once upon a time I got to close to a voice balloon and it poked me in the eye. Darn voice balloons!

A door with nothing on it

Was thinking of painting this. Now all I need is an old door. :-)

kettle at Pungwe bush camp, South Africa

bullseye

Illustration Friday - Plain

I actually drew this on a plane while watching a movie that had this great old man in it. I am fascinated by faces, particularly men's faces. And I've learned to see the wisdom, truth and sorrow in men as they get older and their faces show the signs of age.

For some reason this resonated for me with the topic of Plain.

"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye."
-- H. Jackson Brown Jr., author

Adventures in kicking people

A long time ago, fellow blogger Sleep Goblin asked for some help with her banner. Her blog is called Adventures in kicking people (which you can click on to see her current banner). These were some of the early sketches. Beware, she will kick