am i enough?

Illustration Friday - Foggy

The last few weeks have been very foggy for me as my good friend Paul is still unconscious in the hospital after being hit by a truck while on his bicycle. You can track his progress here. I'm very grateful for all of you. Go hug somebody. :-)

Goodbye Camille

I see the color of your hair
I hear your voice and it makes me smile
I imagine all the tears you couldn't wipe away
And the dreams you wouldn't dream

I miss you already.

Illustration Friday - Sour

A long stream of consciousness rant done while in a sour mood. Enjoy your visit inside my brain. :-)

day

Illustration Friday - Fierce

I have one very fierce imagination (according to some people). :-)

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
-- Albert Einstein

My chewed up gum

Still waiting for Paul to wake up. Thanks for all your love and good vibes! :-)

Illustration Friday - Hoarding my tears

My good friend Paul is still in ICU and has been unconscious since this past Saturday after being hit by a truck. You can leave him a comment at getwellsoonpaul. We periodically print out the comments and read them to him, so please send him your love and prayers. And be sure to take time today to let someone important in your life know what they mean to you. Sending you all love and blessings. :-)

Send some love to Paul

My dear friend Paul was hit by a truck while riding his bike last Saturday and has yet to regain consciousness. He is an amazing man, husband, father and friend. You can leave an encouraging comment here. Many thanks. Take the time today to tell someone important how you feel about them. :-)

Every summer

A pair of red dragonflies hang out in front of my house and perform the most amazing mating rituals. If you want to see more photos of them, click here.

Illustration Friday - Punchline

Why me? The greatest punchline of all. :-)

Always pondering

Illustration Friday - Forgotten

Little known rites of passage that are not easily forgotten. (click the illustration to see it larger) :-)

Eye wide shut

Tanya after eye surgery. All better now! :-)

Michael ponders

Illustration Friday - baby

Ooooooooooooh baby....

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."

--Mae West

Illustration Friday - Worry

My biggest worry is that I will run out of ideas! :-)

"Fear of the unknown is the worst of all the fears; it
kills the creative powers that come from Curiosity."

-- Dr. Nirvikar Dahiya

Kerri almost falls asleep in the bean bag chair

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...