Beauty

Hi everyone,

Here's a true story: In 1987, not long after we moved from Massachusetts to Ohio and were steeped in culture shock, Dad heard about a homeless cat who was hanging around the University of Akron, not far from where we lived.

He brought her home as a surprise, leaving her in our garage for us to find. The Kitty was scruffy and gray in spots from spending too much time outdoors, under cars and in other unladylike places. 

But this is how she looked to me when I first saw her. We were instant best friends. 

Mom insisted that The Kitty have a bath in our kitchen sink, which revealed a snow-white, fluffy coat. Afterward, The Kitty said, "Thank you," proceeded to give herself another bath on her own (as cats do), and began to explore her new home. 

The Kitty settled into our hearts for the next 20 years and beyond. She became The Mother Kitty after having six kittens, including her world-traveling son Gordon. 

Later in life, she shared her space with her kind-hearted and entertaining Siamese friend, Simon, who ran literal circles around her daily – just for fun. This pastime has nothing to do with demonstrating his level of intelligence. Instead, it relates to his days as a traveling circus performer. He wants to keep in shape and his skills sharp for whenever the circus comes back to town. 

Granted, we all know who is the smarter one in this odd couple, but The Mother Kitty would never brag about that. When you are Kitty #1, you don't need to brag about anything. 

The Mother Kitty is a one-in-a-million original beauty, inside and out. And she knows it.

Love, 

Intrepid

 Hi everyone,

Happy Inauguration Day! As we begin a new era in the United States, let us be intrepid in our choices, words, actions, love, and kindness towards others. We can make the world a better place for all of us.

I didn't have this in mind when I drew the illustration below. My inspiration actually came from Drew Barrymore (and my cat). I found out about Drew's new daily talk show – launched amid the pandemic in late September – and set my DVR for it because who doesn't like Drew Barrymore? 

At first, I must admit, the overt joy, love, silliness, weirdness, and hippie-dippie positivity that is The Drew Barrymore Show was a shock to my tired, heavy system. But I kept at it and now look forward to this mood board of a show, as she refers to it, as my time to decompress with a cup of tea. It's a daily shot of sunshine, whether you want it or not. 

One day, Drew showed up carrying her personal, giant dictionary and unveiled the show's first Word of the Week: Intrepid. This revelation made me gasp because I had been trying to think of a way to revive my blog with new drawings. 

Until 2019, a website called Illustration Friday posted a new word every Friday that served as my inspiration for a weekly drawing challenge. I had been doing this routinely since 2006 and, eventually, I saw the site repeat some terms, which was disappointing. (Sometimes I drew something newly inspired by the repeated word, but usually these repeats inspired nothing new for me.) 

As a result, some weeks, I skipped the drawing challenges and, as time went on, I found it harder and harder to feel motivated to draw and post because of other things going on in my life. Then, I unintentionally took 2019 off from drawing anything, and my typical schedule faded away. It was during this time that Illustration Friday's website disappeared. You may have noticed that new posts since then has been sporadic at best. 

In my attempt to start fresh in 2021, it occurred to me that I could come up with my own inspiring words of the week, creating my own drawing challenge and schedule. A few hours later, Drew Barrymore showed up with her dictionary and gave me this word – intrepid – to kick things off. 

What are the odds? (This is one of the many reasons I love Drew Barrymore!) This happened before Thanksgiving, and I don't think she has introduced another Word of the Week since then, but still: Thank you, Drew Barrymore, for blowing the dust off and sparking my imagination! 

According to Merriam-Webster, intrepid means being characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance. Here, Lily faces her own daily challenge – a brave leap from our comfy lounge chair to her trusty window seat. 

   

She makes it every time. Go, Lily! 

Until next time, be intrepid, friends...and, also, still keep your distance, wear your masks, and wash your hands! 

Love,

Happy New Year!

Hi everyone,

I don't think I've ever looked forward more to the start of a new year, and I know I'm not alone. While nothing is very different from a few days ago, I feel determined and motivated to make positive changes and look to the future with hope and optimism. 

One of my priorities is to refocus on drawing for my blog and building it into something larger. (I know I have said this before, but I might mean it this time.) 

I am going to find new sources of inspiration and practice drawing and posting more consistently. A new drawing series is swirling in my head, and I aim to get around to building a portfolio website with a store. These are all thoughts and works in progress right now, but I'll do my best to tackle things one at a time. So, please stay tuned!

Step one, here's a new blog banner featuring the growing Kitty family. What do you think of this crowd? They barely fit: It's a good thing they all get along. Shouldn't we all? 

 

Take care, everyone: Until safer times, keep wearing your mask, wash your hands, and stay socially distant – unlike the Kitties, here, but it's okay: They are in their Kitty Bubble.

New drawings and more are on the way. Here's to new beginnings in 2021!

Love,