Celebrating Stephen Sondheim

 Hi everyone,

I know it's been a long time! I'm slowly making big plans for Melissa's Kitties with a new look coming soon in 2022. Please stay tuned...

In the meantime, let's take a moment to celebrate Stephen Sondheim, who passed away this weekend. I grew up watching West Side Story, and Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd is one of my all-time favorite films. 

Stephen Sondheim lived a long, fulfilled life, creating hundreds of amazing lyrics for us to enjoy. Yet, I know the void he left will never fully disappear. There will never be another Stephen Sondheim.

A few years ago, the Kitties performed some unforgettable moments of Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. Like any Sondheim-related effort, it was hard work that burst off the page! You can check out the film versions of these works on streaming services or DVD. 

First, Gordon embodied Sweeney Todd, out of jail after being convicted on a false charge by a corrupt judge and ready for revenge. 

And, then, for something completely different: Gordon played the Wolf, charming Mini as Little Red Riding Hood when she ventures Into the Woods on the way to Granny's house.

We haven't yet tackled West Side Story, but we will. Did you know that classic film is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year? Thanks to Turner Classic Movies, you can catch it in theaters across the country today or Wednesday. I'm heading out to see it on the big screen this afternoon. Are you? (Come on, treat yourself! You'll be glad you did.)  

I last saw Stephen Sondheim recently on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where they discussed Steven Spielberg's new version of West Side Story, which hits theaters December 10. He assured us, "It's fantastic!" I don't doubt it and can't wait to see it. Mark your calendars! 

Above all else, when checking out any of his work, sing along, tip your glass or throw your shoe in thanks to Mr. Sondheim for his glorious words and music. They'll live forever. 

Johnny Kitties Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #59. City of Lies (2021)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details. Visit the Johnny Kitties page for a full list of Johnny Depp's filmography and links to all previous Johnny Kitties blog posts.]

I really only wanted Johnny Depp for this role. I know there was a version of Russ Poole in someone else's hands that was just potentially boring, and uninteresting  – and I knew in Johnny's hands, that would never be the case. – Director Brad Furman

This is the guy you want on the case. 

Based on true events, City of Lies presents the intricate unsolved mystery around the murder of rapper Christopher Wallace – better known as the Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls – who was gunned down at a stop light after leaving an event in Las Vegas in 1997, just months after the similar death of rapper Tupac Shakur. Based on the nonfiction book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan, this film follows Detective Russell Poole (Johnny Depp) as he seeks and becomes obsessed with the truth – at the cost of his family, health and faith in the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Why is everyone shooting each other? 

City of Lies was a surprise release in 2021 that I found out about from Johnny himself when he publicized it on his Instagram account. (I could get used to this.) The movie was actually ready in 2018 but shelved days before it was supposed to be released. There are many theories why, but none provide a definitive explanation, so I will just take this sudden treat and forget about the drama around it. 

This is a fast-paced, intense movie that presents plenty of theories of its own about the murder of Biggie Smalls. Detective Russell Poole was hot on the trail but hit roadblock after roadblock as he discovered involvement and cover-up activities by several of his fellow police officers in the Los Angeles Police Department. He became so obsessed with cracking the case that he studied it for more than 20 years, until his death in 2019. 

The film was originally called LAbyrinth, after the book on which it's based, because that's what this investigation became. There are so many people involved, it took me a few viewings to track who they all were and why and how they took part. (I'm not sure I fully get it yet, but it doesn't matter.) 

To help us along, Forest Whitaker plays an invented character, Darius "Jack" Jackson, a journalist who reported wrongly on the murder when it happened and is now trying to correct his past mistakes. He seeks out Detective Poole hoping to figure things out together. "Jackson is a made-up character, but he's the kind of made-up character that's necessary because Poole's going through something very serious and very intense, and he's got no one to turn to," Johnny says. 

This is not a spoiler: The murders of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur remain unsolved. Despite the subject matter being more than 20 years old, the topic is extremely relevant today. Director Brad Furman hopes City of Lies will peak enough curiosity to keep the investigation going. 

Was this one worth the wait?

Of course, my answer is yes! 

City of Lies is like a mix of documentary and film noir styles. Director Brad Furman strove to give it a more realistic feel, and I think he succeeds. It starts off with a bang, literally – a case of seemingly unrelated L.A. road rage – and doesn't let up. It's dark, gritty and uses footage of actual news reports and interviews about Christopher Wallace's murder. In fact, his mother Voletta participated in one of the movie's scenes. The director read LAbrynth years ago and wanted to make the movie but wouldn't do so without the approval of both Wallace and Shakur families. He got it. And, with the untimely death of Russell Poole before production began, everyone involved with this film was committed to getting the message and story right for the real families involved. They still seek resolution and peace.

I was also really excited about Johnny and Forest Whitaker working together in City of Lies, so many years after their first movie together, Platoon. Apparently, they were keen about this chance, 32 years later! Most of their scenes were tense, argumentative and confrontational, as they pushed each throughout the investigation. "For me, Jackson is the alter ego of Poole, but mostly the pessimistic side. Mostly, Poole is facing a side of him that he is not and refuses to be, and Jackson is looking at a version of himself that he could never be," Johnny says. "He doesn't have that purity, that belief that you can make a difference – one man." 

These two actors also work differently, as the director explains, "Forest  had a lot of questions and wanted a lot of things from me that Johnny just wasn't asking. They have very different approaches and my hope and goal was that that would create some time of energy on screen that would be exciting for us to watch." The rest of the cast is full of fantastic character actors, who matched their energy and created a fitting murky, volatile atmosphere for them. Two standouts for me are Glen Plummer as Psycho Mike and Rockmond Dunbar as Dreadlocks. (They both have good hair.) 

These days (and, really, always), I love seeing Johnny work without any accent or elaborate costume or disguise. It's in these kinds of roles that his talent as an actor really comes through clearly. Writer Randall Sullivan knows what I'm talking about: "When I watched the film, it really struck me more than it ever has that film actors have to be masters of such subtle expression. I mean, a lot of acting is done with the eyes. Johnny was really able to convey a lot of deep emotion that brought Russ back to me with a pretty stoic – apparently stoic – demeanor." 

Here, Johnny plays an average, good guy whose work has taken over his life. I can see why he connected to this role of someone who will go to extremes to get to the truth. As the director explains, "I felt, in getting to know Johnny, there was a real innocence....He's a big believer in just truth and justice, simplicity. And, when you take all that, and you understand that he looks at it through this innocent lens, I felt that the role of Russell Poole fit just like a glove...I believe Johnny felt a real deep connection to the material and his fight for truth and justice. That was something we talked a lot about on Day 1." 

True to form, Johnny did exhaustive research and met with the director for hours that day, during which they connected on everything from the book and character to life and music, in general. As usual, he added his own personal touches, including friends Joe Perry on the soundtrack and activist Killer Mike in a scene. 

Russell Poole steadfastly believed in the Homicide Investigator's Creed, which he taped to his desk: "No greater honor will ever be bestowed on an officer than when he is entrusted with the investigation of the death of a human being. It is his duty to find the facts regardless of color and creed." After being shut out by his fellow officers during the investigation, he quit weeks before his retirement, but continued the work on his own. He lost his family over his obsession with the truth and worked at it until the day he died. "It's shocking that the truth can actually be buried if a couple of powerful institutions want to collaborate to do it, but it leaves the people who know the truth in an unbearable situation because they can't unknow that truth," Writer Randall Sullivan says. "To live with the fact that it's being buried, in Russel Poole's case, it just sort of killed him day by day."

The Kitties are on the case now. 

In this movie, I loved watching Forest Whitaker and Johnny in their tense scenes and how thoroughly Russell Poole worked to put the pieces together to solve his case. Here, our Kitties, Walter and Gordon, depict one of their fights, an argument that questions Detective Poole's integrity. That's not the right thing to question because you can see how his apartment was consumed by his work everywhere you look. He was connecting the dots all over the walls.

What's next? 

I'm still waiting to see Johnny as war photographer W. Eugene Smith in Minamata, which was supposed to be released last February 5 but wasn't. Is this some strange new Hollywood publicity tactic? It's okay. I'm game for another surprise movie treat. Minamata won't be any happier than City of Lies, but I'll be happy to see it whenever it shows up. Stay tuned.... 

Johnny Kitties Revisited: Celebrating My Favorite Johnny Depp Films – Arizona Dream (1993)

Hi everyone,

The Johnny Kitties tribute to Johnny's latest film release, City of Lies, is in progress but not ready in time for his birthday today. Instead, I thought I'd share some past posts celebrating my top picks. 

Scanning the list, Film #7: Arizona Dream was the first to catch my eye. It's got an amazing cast, tells an unusual story, and is so entertaining (even if I don't always understand it). Recently, Paulina Porizkova, who plays Millie in the film, reminisced about the shoot on Instagram, remembering what a fantastic time everyone had making this movie. (Maybe that's why this one is on my mind.) 

If you watch Arizona Dream, I think you'll see that everyone had fun. I had a good time writing about it too. Enjoy, and happy birthday, Johnny! 

Love, 

What is Johnny Kitties? See the Johnny Kitties page for all the details.

Johnny's in your dreams.

After Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp showed up in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare as a thank you to the people who cast him in his first movie. In this funny cameo appearance, he makes an anti-drug public service announcement on late-night TV. It's only a few seconds before Freddy interrupts the commercial with a classic slapstick move. 

I didn't draw anything for this  because I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I thought I should mention it. If you're not an avid follower of the Nightmare on Elm Street series, you can find Johnny's cameo on YouTube. I was going to post it here, but Freddy Krueger makes The Kitties and me nervous.

Johnny has his own weird dream.

With that, we move on to Johnny's next movie. Yesterday, I found a 12-page research article, printed in the European Journal of American Studies in 2010, that analyzes how Arizona Dream reflects the director's European view of America and details all the intentions and symbolism that go into that. Maybe I'll read it someday, but my short analysis is that Arizona Dream, the first American project by Serbian film director Emir Kusturica, is a work of art. 

It sparks all sorts of emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, unease, confusion. The director manipulates the film throughout – smearing and blurring images, highlighting reflections, or maneuvering objects for a dreamlike state. The characters and situations are absurd, and there are flying fish and Eskimo dreams. I may never understand this movie fully – maybe I should read that study – but every time I play it, I find something new. Whatever it really means, Emir Kusturica's ingredients make this movie highly entertaining.

In this coming-of-age story, New Yorker Axel Blackmar (Johnny Depp) is dragged back home to Arizona to attend his uncle's wedding. Uncle Leo (Jerry Lewis), a used car salesman, guilts Axel into staying in town to help him run the business. On his first day, he meets Elaine (Faye Dunaway) and her step-daughter Grace (Lili Taylor). The three become involved in a relationship that is at times sweet, weird, hilarious, and toxic.

At their first meeting, Emir Kusturica and Johnny hated each other, but they shook off their first impressions and got along fine during their second meeting three weeks later. (Today, they remain great friends.) For unexplained reasons – Johnny doesn't even know – Johnny saw his character as a chicken, growing up and becoming a rooster. You'll notice this in his hairstyle, mannerisms, and impeccable impression. "He lets you do anything – anything!" Johnny said of working with Emir Kusturica. "If you go to any other director and say, 'I'd like to seduce her by becoming a rooster,' that's it. You're fired. Get out!"

What excited me most about this film was the people involved. I hadn't heard of Emir Kustrica at the time, but Johnny was working with Faye Dunaway, Jerry Lewis, Paulina Porizkova, and Lili Taylor! I was sold. Faye Dunaway is brilliant as Elaine, and while I never caught on to Jerry Lewis's trademark humor, he's really good as the grown-up in this movie. 

In a dream sequence during which Axel and Uncle Leo are Eskimos fishing in Alaska, they have a conversation in the native language. On the set, Jerry stopped Johnny from learning his lines in proper Eskimo, saying that they could just make it up during filming. (I think the Eskimos would notice, wouldn't they?) Johnny was terrified, but did his best trying to keep up with what Jerry Lewis could probably do in his sleep. I think it works, just as Jerry said it would. There's some talent in that, but you've got to love Johnny's preference for authenticity. The Eskimos probably would have appreciated that more too.

What's Tom Petty doing here? 

Amid filming, Arizona Dream was stalled a bit due to illness. During the break, Johnny made a quick trip to star in Tom Petty's latest music video, "Into the Great Wide Open." 

At the time, MTV was still playing videos, and Tom Petty was riding high as one of the art form's pioneers. His videos are like short films, and they became increasingly star-studded. Johnny plays Eddie in this story, but you'll also find him making a quick cameo as the tattoo artist working on Matt LeBlanc's arm. When Johnny asked Faye Dunaway if she would like to "meet my friend Tom" and shoot the video with him, he said she turned into a squealing teenage girl. 

Of course, Comet just dug this video out of the archives, and The Kitties are already singing along. Blogger's embed feature isn't working to embed this great video, but you can see it here. 

Everybody get back to work! 

After that side job, Arizona Dream was completed. Johnny looks back on the film fondly: "Everybody in Hollywood, in the movie business, is always concerned about how much a movie's going to make in the box office and how many theaters it's in, how popular it becomes," he said. "Who cares about the numbers when you're able to experience something like this, live through something like this, and be involved in something as magical as this."

Though Arizona Dream did have a limited theatrical release somewhere in the world, I couldn't find it. "I imagine that when Warner Brothers saw this film, they must have been shocked,"Johnny said. Its sudden appearance on video and DVD three or so years later must have been a result of Johnny's increasing popularity. I think I bought the video through eBay, but I also saw the movie on cable, which gave me the full picture. Sadly, the video and DVD versions are not adjusted for letterbox format, a frustrating lapse. For example, you miss the full humor of the scene where Uncle Leo and Elaine are discussing Axel's future over a civilized cup of tea because Axel and his cousin Paul (Vincent Gallo) – who are rolling around in the dirt beating each other up in the background – are cropped out of the frame. The DVD is also missing the subtitles for the conversation between Uncle Leo and Axel in the final Eskimo dream sequence that I mentioned earlier, a conversation that touches on one of the film's main themes. Dedicated to the memory of his father, Emir Kusturica's film reminds us that, in order to grow, you need to remember your roots, respect your elders, and learn from your ancestors.

Despite these flawed products, the film still comes across well. I was absolutely thrilled when Roger Ebert featured the DVD on At the Movies, calling it a whimsical love story and pointing out the fine performance by rising star, Johnny Depp. (Why do I remember these things?) People listen to Roger Ebert, I thought; the movie will be seen now.

The Kitties and I are unanimous.

For Johnny Kitties, the scene to draw was clear: Axel and Paul enjoying their first dinner with Elaine and Grace. One of the great things about this movie is that so much is going on in each scene, and this 15-minute, hilarious, crazy scene tops them all.

Elaine (The Mother Kitty) spends the evening talking about one of her obsessions, Papua New Ginea, a topic that is killing her step-daughter Grace, who threatens to yank the tablecloth off to destroy the table setting if she mentions it one more time. Meanwhile, Axel (Gordon) is explaining his recurring Eskimo dream (while keeping his eye on Grace's pet turtle, who has his mind set on escape.) Paul (Norman) is focused on Elaine's legs – and the big plate of spaghetti in front of him – and Grace is playing footsie with Axel under the table. Through it all, the wobbly ceiling fan is threatening to crash on the party, and Django Rhinehardt's fantastic song "Minor Swing" is whirling in the background.

The Mother Kitty insisted on playing Faye Dunaway's role. No one could deny that she's perfect for it, though I hesitated considering Axel and Elaine's romantic entanglements later on in the story. But, if we're just doing this scene, I suppose it's okay. Simon was supposed to play the part of Axel's wily cousin Paul, but was bullied out of his seat once Norman saw all the food on the table and found out that all he had to do in the scene was eat the spaghetti. Ashes, who loves Lili Taylor as much as the rest of us, was excited to play Grace because she couldn't wait to smash the dishes. (She's disappointed that we didn't get to that point.)

I added some windows in the background to highlight some other interesting movie moments: The first introduces Uncle Leo (B.J.) and his new wife Millie (Paulina Porizkova/Lily) next to his newly planted cactus on the front lawn of his flamingo pink home. The middle window shows the Eskimo family in Axel's dream after Dewey, the dad, returns home with fish for dinner. (Simon was happy to switch roles with Norman and play in the snow with Mini here.) The last window displays one of Elaine's beloved flying machines, which Axel keeps building and Grace keeps destroying in this story.

None of this makes much sense does it? Well, I don't always say this, but listen to Roger Ebert and rent Arizona Dream. It still might not make complete sense, but it'll be worth it.

What's coming up? 

After this, Simon got busy teaching Gordon his favorite circus tricks and pratfalls because, next, Johnny would channel Buster Keaton to create another memorable character and performance in Benny and Joon. Check out the Johnny Kitties page to see my review Benny and Joon and Johnny's other films. 

                                                                  ---------

Copyright credits: Nightmare on Elm Street (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare) photo © New Line Cinema; Arizona Dream stills and DVD cover image © StudioCanal Image/Hachette Premiere; "Into the Great Wide Open" official music video still courtesy of TomPetty.com; Illustration © Melissa Connolly

Anybody want a doughnut?

 Hi everyone,

Happy National Doughnut Day! 

I just finished my blogging course on May 31, and one of my goals is to create an editorial calendar for my blog. So far, all I've done is create the actual blank calendar. In my research of interesting days in June, though, I came across National Doughnut Day. I assumed it was a sales idea from Dunkin' or Krispy Kreme, but it was actually the Salvation Army's idea!

Celebrated on the first Friday of June every year since 1938, National Doughnut Day was first enacted by Chicago's Salvation Army as part of a fundraiser to help those in need during the Great Depression. However, this special day originated during World War I, honoring the Salvation Army Lassies who volunteered to serve home-cooked foods, including doughnuts, to soldiers on the front lines to help boost morale. 

I suppose a fresh home-baked doughnut would brighten anyone's day. Just see how Norman reacts below!

This morning, I also found out it's National Hug Your Cat Day! (Wait, is that not every day? It is at my house.) And, it's National Cheese Day! So, after you finish your doughnut, you know what to do.

Have a delicious weekend! 

Melissa's Kitties blogs into a new era

Hi everyone,

For me, 2021 is a year of new beginnings. More than a year into the pandemic, I am working at home and still figuring out a daily routine that incorporates more healthy habits. (Will I ever stick to it?) I'm also intent on focusing the things that bring me joy every day. 

One of those things is sharing my kitty drawings on Melissa's Kitties blog, which I have done since 2006. I participated in the Illustration Friday drawing challenge, which provided a single word or topic each week for art inspiration. That humble beginning started on a whim with my first Illustration Friday drawing – "E is for... Environment" – and grew into today's 18 cuddly characters, a popular monthly film tribute series, and hundreds of random quirky kitty adventures. 

In recent years, I posted on my blog more sporadically, inconsistent in time and topic, because of personal distractions and lack of motivation. In fact, I burned out last year and stopped drawing altogether. Toward the end of 2020, however, I woke up from my unplanned hibernation and shook off the crustiness. I realized it's disrespectful to neglect Melissa's Kitties and its readers after the 15 years of joy they've given me.

Toward the end of the year, despite discovering that the Illustration Friday drawing challenge no longer existed, I slowly began drawing again....but....at a....snail's....pace. My heart was back in it, but something was still missing.

Then, I got an email from Holly Becker, founder of Decor8 and Decor8 Courses, pioneer blogger, and overall inspirational, nice person. In 2010, I took her great online course, Blogging Your Way, to learned the basics of blogging. (I still have all my notes!) After a break from teaching to focus on books, print media, and other work, Holly magically showed up in my inbox this year with a new blogging course – Attract, Engage, Grow! – and it couldn't have come at a better time! 

As the title suggests, this six-week course promises to help bloggers grow their platform with integrity and heart. I am ready to do it! 

For me, the lessons have been eye-opening and inspiring from the start, answering my nagging questions and providing special guest expertise on specific topics. Class began in mid-April, and I had an epiphany after the first week, which focused on finding my voice. I realized that Melissa's Kitties needs to get back to its original kitty-centric focus on a new, easy-to-use, modern platform. My blog needs love, attention, and maybe just a whole new start. 

With this in mind, I am renaming this blog: Melissa's Kitties is now The Mother Kitty, inspired by the cat who started it all. You might remember the recent post I wrote about her, Beauty. Those memories convinced me that the new blog name is the right one: It celebrates The OG Kitty, my original inspiration, everything that came after her, and everything she continues to inspire. 

For class homework, I created this mood board, representing my initial vision and inspiration for The Mother Kitty blog. 

There's not much to it: It's all about the kitties, their stories, personalities, and special talents. The Mother Kitty blog will continue to explore their fascinating lives through daily activities and special series, highlighting our mutual love for arts and entertainment. I am still working out content details as class continues, but the kitties and I are excited to reintroduce ourselves to you soon as The Mother Kitty family. 

Stay tuned for exciting changes this summer as we transfer to a new and improved blogging platform, where Melissa's Kitties blog will refresh, revive and move into The Mother Kitty's world! Thanks for sticking with us on this exciting journey, and don't forget to join us on Instagram @themotherkitty too. 

Lots of love, 

Spring!

 Hi everyone,

Tyrone, Emily, and Walter are ready to play with you...

Do you have spring fever too?

Queen

 Hi everyone,

Recently, I watched Disney's Queen of Katwe, the 2016 biographical film directed by Mira Nair about the discovery and rise of Ugandan chess champion Phiona Mutesi. Aside from the inspiring story and wonderful performances by Lupita N'yongo, David Oyelowo and others, the colorful costumes really made an impression on me by somehow capturing Africa's vibrancy, even in the Ugandan slums. 

Here is Ashes playing the part of the chess prodigy. She won't tell me if she knows how to play chess, but I assume she does because she's smart like that. The background is inspired by the many colors of African flags, from Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe and more. With too many to represent, I couldn't include all of the colors that make up Africa's diversity, but I hope this at least captures the spirit of the whole beautiful continent. 

If you haven't already seen it, watch the movie and let me know what you think. 

Sweets!

 Hi everyone,

Last month, the managers of my apartment building surprised us with goody bags. You'll see below what Chef Simon did with the contents. As usual, Norman helped in his own way. 

I aimed to get this posted in time for Valentines Day, but I just couldn't stop eating the marshmallows and forgot all of my other priorities. Norman and I have some things in common. 

Yum!

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,