[I'm] Old-Fashioned.

I waited a few days, but I couldn't get the song by Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer--or the dance by Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire--out of my head.


Rita Hayworth is best known for her femme fatale character in Gilda,  but I knew her first as a fantastic dancer in Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire musicals. When I finally saw Gilda, I preferred her sunny side.


In You Were Never Lovelier (1942), Rita plays the second-eldest daughter of a wealthy Argentine family. Her father (Adolfe Menjou)  wants his four daughters to marry in order, but Rita--having not met anyone interesting yet--is holding up the line. To speed things along, he sends her flowers and gifts from a secret admirer and plans to find her a suitable husband later.


Meanwhile, Fred Astaire shows up looking for work, and Rita--of course--falls for him. Her father does not approve! Oh, the drama!


Most musicals are the same.  You know how things will end and that you'll feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But the joy is in getting there: the cheesy lines, the music, the dancing. It'll all make you smile!


Here is Rita and Fred's wonderful performance of "I'm Old-Fashioned" from You Were Never Lovelier. Fred Astaire once said that Rita was his favorite of all his dancing partners. What do you think? 



© Columbia Pictures


Here, The Mother Kitty and B.J. pay tribute to Fred and Rita's beautiful dance:



[Illustration Friday: September 24, 2010]


B.J.'s a little disappointed that I cut out his lines, which he'd been practicing all day: "Sister, I was raised amongst the grasshoppers. I am strictly from corn!" But I didn't have enough room.


Don't worry, he's over it. Who complains when you get to be Fred Astaire?


Are you smiling? Warm and fuzzy? Now, this song and dance be stuck in your head all week!

Best of 2006

In January 2006, my friend Anastasia was eager to invite more creativity into her life. She found Illustration Friday and thought the site--which provided a word each week to serve as artists' drawing inspiration--offered a good start. 


Knowing that I made birthday cards featuring drawings of my family's pet cats, Anastasia suggested I join her in creating drawings each week. We agreed to support each other in nurturing our creativity through Illustration Friday's weekly challenges, though I assumed that it would only be a few weeks before I lazily gave it up. 


Here I am 4 years later! Who knew?!


Since recently reviewing the 260+ illustrations I've made since the start of my blog, I thought it'd be fun to revisit some of my favorites from that first year:


1. E is for...Environment is my first drawing for Illustration Friday--the start of it all! This drawing was an early birthday card idea. On the front, the kitties hid in a big tree. Inside, they'd jump out and floating down using helium birthday balloons--Surprise!  


2. I always thought it was funny that Cats showed up as a topic just after I started Illustration Friday. Before I started my blog, I decided that all of my drawings would feature my cats. Yet, I had no idea what to draw when this word appeared for inspiration. It turned out to be a fitting introduction for my readers. 


3. Tattoo marks my first Johnny-Depp-inspired drawing. While one of his hands looks a bit monsterish, I still love the simplicity of this drawing and am grateful that Johnny had simple tattoos in just the right places. Aside from that, it sparked the beginning of many Johnny-inspired drawings to come. 


4. Robot was of the first drawings inspired by classic cartoons I watched as a kid. Remember the ones where a Robokitty was purchased to catch the mouse in the house? I loved that the mechanical cat would pause during a chase to clean its foot just like a real one. Maybe this one would do the same.


5. Only one idea came to mind for the topic Rain. Always inspired by classic films, who can resist a little joy from Gene Kelly any day of the week? 


6. The Kitties are always eager to put on a show, as seen in Play. 


7. The Kitties are devoted fans of the Baltimore Orioles. Here, they participate in a friendly game at Camden Yards in Safe!


8. In some drawings, such as Farm, The Kitties and I can't get enough sun. 


9. Ghost honors all kitties--past and present. 


10. Wind still makes me laugh. The Mother Kitty claims it's a true story. 


Browse all of my illustrations from 2006. Which are your favorites? 

Acrobat

Before we met Simon, he was a star performer for the original cast of Cirque du Soleil. Some days, if you listen closely, you can hear remnants of his French accent. Here, he is doing one of his most popular tricks on the tightrope.



(Illustration Friday: September 17, 2010)


When Simon first came into our lives, he suffered from a slight limp, which has since healed. He claims that the injury is a result of a freak accident during rehearsal in Oslo. Apparently, he saw an old friend in the crowd and just forgot where he was for a second. Don't worry, he landed on his feet.


These days, you can sometimes find him doing his old tricks in the backyard. Remember this? 

Proverb

(Illustration Friday: September 10, 2010)


"Every life should have nine cats." --Anonymous proverb


A big welcome goes out to Mini, the latest addition to our kitty family. She's a 9-month-old Mini-Me version of Norman, who adores her. She was brought into my sister's vet office over the summer. Inexplicably, no one was able to find a home for her, so my sister brought her home. Could that have been Mini's plan all along? She's not talking. So far, Mini's favorite pastimes include playing and purring and rolling and playing and purring and rolling. 

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #4--Platoon (1986)

"I could tell a mile away. I said, 'You're going to be a star. There's just absolutely no question. You've got a great face, you're unbelievably handsome, and you have an original character. You have a quality.'" Oliver Stone on casting Johnny Depp in Platoon


War movies are not my favorite, but Platoon is a good one. Oliver Stone's semi-autobiographical drama set in the jungles of Vietnam won 4 Oscars in 1986. It's not fun to watch, but it made many people see and think differently about the Vietnam War and its veterans. 

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details!]

Following a soldier who voluntarily enlists, we experience with him the horrors of war and the internal battles he faces to survive. Led by Charlie Sheen, the movie included an all-star ensemble cast on not-yet-famous actors: Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, and Johnny Depp.

Johnny as Lerner
©MGM

Johnny scored the small role of an interpreter named Lerner. Like everyone else in the cast, he committed to the rehearsal period in Luzon, Philippines, prior to shooting. Johnny's first trip out of the United States landed him in the middle of the Philippine Revolution. Nice timing.

As the actors arrived, they were immediately treated as their characters--rank and all--and their "rehearsal period" was actually 2 weeks of bootcamp under the supervision of Marine Seargant Dale Dye. "They were new guys coming into a unit in Vietnam. Nothing else existed," Dye said. "We wanted them to understand the pain and the agony and the angst and the psychology of being a grunt in Vietnam."

On this compressed schedule, they learned everything they would have learned through basic and advanced infantry. They received military haircuts, had no access to showers, slept in the jungle, and rotated nightwatch duty.  "The rations we were given to eat were the most shocking thing you've ever seen," Johnny said. "It would be things like 'bean component,' 'turkey loaf.' But I'd have eaten my socks by that point, man. We were all starving to death."    

Oliver Stone's got a reputation for his aggressive directing style, and--according to Platoon's behind-the-scene's documentary--everyone hated him during filming because he pushed his actors to the brink. "I didn't know if I was going to make it out of there alive," Charlie Sheen said of the experience. 

©MGM

Despite its hardships, for Johnny, the experience of making this film was a step in the right direction: "I'm really very proud to have been involved in Platoon. It gave me a hunger. It sort of gave me a drive to go somewhere else, to try to do other things, and learn more."   

As you may imagine, there are no scenes in Platoon that lend themselves to happy kitties. We all watched it with our hands (paws?) poised to shield our eyes from the violence when needed. 

In the end, we chose the most peaceful scene we could find: Two soldiers gazing up at the stars on a quiet night in the jungle, reflecting. The war is almost forgotten for a moment. 

I know, Johnny's not technically in this scene.  Is that cheating on my project rules? Well, The Kitties and I imagine that, given the chance, any soldier would look up at the stars for a moment of  peace in the middle of the Vietnam War--or any war, for that matter. So, we assume that Johnny is doing the same--even if it's off camera.

   

Next up, Johnny takes over [my] TV on 21 Jump Street!

Dessert

This weekend, I had plenty of desserty eats: a warm, velvety, chocolate truffle cookie, an amazing strawberry and blueberry crepe overflowing with nutella, blueberry frosted miniwheat cereal, a refreshing mango popsicle.... But I had trouble coming up with an idea for "Dessert" this week. 


Instead, my thoughts were on my sister's new 9-month-old kitten, Mini, whom she recently brought home from her office. More amazing than my delicious crepe, Mini has become instant friends with Norman! Watching the two of them--Norman, a large bear of a cat, and Mini, a tiny burst of sweetness, reminded me of one of my favorite Warner Brothers cartoons growing up. 


Directed by the great Chuck Jones (who made all the best Warner Brothers cartoons), "Feed the Kitty," is about a bulldog named Marc Anthony who falls in love with an orphaned kitten. 

Okay, while Norman isn't nearly as sweet as Marc Anthony, Mini is very similar to this kitten. 

But, more on Mini later. In the meantime, Simon decided to bake some cookies while I try to think of a "Dessert" drawing. Here's our homage to Chuck Jones.  Mmm, cookies. 

(Illustration Friday: September 3, 2010)

Immovable

(Illustration Friday: August 27, 2010)

When The Mother Kitty is busy, she is Immovable--no matter how long you call for her.

Atmosphere

(Illustration Friday: August 20, 2010)


Last Saturday, The Kitties and I watched the Baltimore Orioles play the Texas Rangers. The night before, The Orioles beat the opposing team, 4-0. Today, we were ready to cheer for our team again! 


It became immediately clear, however, that the homeplate umpire--You know who you are!--needed glasses or more on-the-job training! The announcers said that his strike zone made a mockery of the game of baseball. He kept calling strikes that were obviously balls and balls that were obviously strikes. I mean, if The Kitties and I can see the difference, it's pretty bad!  


Early in the game, Nick Markakis argued with the umpire on his faulty calls as they got progressively worse from Strike 1 to Strike 2. After Strike 3, Nick wast ejected from the game! 


Nick Markakis is a nice guy; he doesn't get ejected. It's never happened--until today. 


Then, the new Orioles manager, Buck Showalter, caught this umpire holding up the game to lecture catcher Matt Wieters about pitches and strikes. That's when he ejected Buck Showalter too! I don't think this was a vendetta against The Orioles, but none of The Rangers got into as much trouble. The announcers pointed out the baffled looks on their faces as the umpire incorrectly called their own plays, but they took what he said since they were typically in their favor.


Our jovial spirits at the start of this game were deflated, and the atmosphere quickly turned sour. You can see how upset  The Kitties are! Poor Lily, watching one of her first games, left the room in disgust.


The Orioles lost that day, 2-0. But it wasn't their fault, we swear! The Kitties and I are so over it. 

Star Gazing

Once again, I'm slightly behind on my Illustration Friday drawings, but with good reason: I've been organizing my computer files, a tedious, tedious task....I see light at the end of the tunnel. Wait, may be I'm hallucinating. 


Whenever I look over the drawings I have done since 2006, "Glamour" sticks out as my Incomplete. I don't remember anything in particular that distracted me for finishing it. Was I rushing to post it by the end-of-the-week deadline? Or, did I actually believe I was done, leaving The Mother Kitty in this unobserved moment on a floating red carpet with massive stars and pastel asterisks (gasp!)  glowing overhead in a white sky? Maybe I had a cold that week. 



(Illustration Friday: January 27, 2006)


I originally planned to use this week's topic, Star Gazing, to finish what I started in 2006 filling in all the white space surrounding The Kitties. But, then I reconsidered. I decided to draw a new version. After all, that was 2006; this is 2010. And, you know, The Mother Kitty loves to attend fancy events. 


So, here's a different glamorous night: Of course, The Mother Kitty is the star, and Simon's along for the ride. It must be the Kitty Cannes Film Festival. Where else can she get away with that tiara and a living Siamese fur? 



(Illustration Friday: August 13, 2010)

Tom Hargus

Tom Hargus, one of my dad's dearest friends, passed away July 27. He was one of The Kitties' biggest fans.

Tom, in 2004, deciding....

Tom lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, with his wife Cecilia. In 2008, Dad handed me the phone, and Tom asked me if he could buy some of my illustrations. All secured in bound sketchbooks, it hadn't occurred to me to sell any of them. After a few weeks of continuous praise and reminders that I had a buyer-in-waiting, I got back in touch with him through e-mail.

I explained that my drawing hobby began through Illustration Friday, a Web site that offers a single word each week to serve as an artist's inspiration. I suggested that he give me a word or topic, and I could draw something for him.

After a week or so of silence, I received quite a response. In his lengthy e-mail, he described July 20, 1969. For all of us, he said, it was one of those Golden Moments in time that you knew was a Golden Moment as it was happening. A barbecue among Navy buddies--Tom, Dennis (Dad), Joe, Richard, and Ray--it marked a special time in their lives. On this landmark day for space exploration, the end of their military tours was approaching and the excitement of reunions and impending marriages was stirring. This celebration marked new beginnings in world history and among a few friends. Or, in another light, "It was a party on a nice day with really good food and lots of beer."


With that, Tom became the first to commission a piece of art from me, and I got to work. Throughout the process, he and Dad provided me with the details: Richard and his wife, Emily, hosted the party at their home in the Philippines. Tom, his then-girlfriend Cecilia, and his three other friends, Ray, Joe, and Dennis, arrived by afternoon. Dad described the exterior of the house and the rickety fence, the layout of the yard, and the gravely road next to it. Their friend, Ray, who was slightly older and more studious, wore round glasses and was typically reading. Joe spent the evening leaning against the fence, staring dreamingly at the moon, a round pie in the sky sliced in half. San Miquel was the beer of choice.

My final question to Tom, "What cat do you want to be?" He noted that he'd always been partial to Siamese cats, which made Simon very proud.

My first client was extremely happy with the result, to my great relief! While Tom got the original, his friends received copies.


Since then, Tom stayed in touch, mainly commenting on various illustrations by e-mail. He sent me a book on yoga and meditation when he found out I practiced. Each Christmas, we wished each other happy holidays over the phone. Most recently, Tom and I became Facebook friends, and it was there that I last heard from him. On July 3, we talked about the all-important schedule for the day on Turner Classic Movies: "A Gene Kelly triple-feature!" I announced. "Capped off by Meet Me in St. Louis and The Wizard of Oz," Tom added. "Not a bad day."


Tom, you are missed and our thoughts are with your family. Hopefully, some of my Kitties are keeping you company.

Caged

(Illustration Friday: August 6, 2010)


Yesterday, Ashes awoke from the strangest dream. "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is still stuck in her head. Now, it's probably in your head.... 


Despite drawing through most of my weekend, I'm a tiny bit off schedule again. The DC weather has worn me out! (When is Fall going to be here?) I had to get outside this weekend, which relieved us with civilized temperatures, because I was getting too used to talking to Lily all day during our TCM movie marathons. (August is Summer Under the Stars month, you know!) So, it was back to yoga class and out with friends. I could actually sit outside and drink a hot cup of tea without feeling as though I was in the Sahara! That's progress. 

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #3--Slow Burn (1986)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details!]

©MCA

Slow Burn is a 1986 made-for-TV crime drama starring Eric Roberts and Beverly D'Angelo. I assumed Johnny Depp's role in this film was small, since no one ever mentions it in interviews or retrospectives. I couldn't find it in video stores, and it was never on TV, but I did see the video cassette up for auction years ago listed on eBay. Didn’t I need to—at least—see this Johnny Movie, just for the sake of completeness, and isn’t eBay my only option? I explained the situation to one of my friends: "Don't I need to buy it, just because?"


“Don’t do it!” she advised. So I didn’t.


Last year, though, I reluctantly convinced myself to do so, “for art's sake!” I put in a bid on eBay for $8. While I waited for the auction to end, it occurred to me to check YouTube for Johnny's Slow Burn scenes—and I found them! After watching them, I hoped that someone would outbid me on eBay, but no one did. 

Johnny as Donnie
©MCA

Here's the story: Private investigator Jacob Asch (Eric Roberts) is hired by Gerald McMurty (Raymond J. Barry) to find McMurty's ex-wife, Laine Fliescher (Beverly D’Angelo) and her teenage son, Donnie (Johnny), who may or may not be his. Asche ends up discovering a drug-related crime, uncovering lies and deceit, and falling for Laine. The important thing is that Donnie is kidnapped for ransom, and—to my great dismay—he is not rescued in time!


Despite being the center of a kidnapping plot, Johnny’s scenes are sparse and his character minor. The Kitties and I could not decide what to highlight (though we all agreed on his extreme cuteness and awesome hair). We opted to share all three scenes, so that—in a fit of obsessive behavior—you are not tempted to purchase this video on eBay.

In the first scene, Laine meets Donnie at his high school, in order to drive him home. She comes bearing the gift of new bright red high tops. Johnny does a good job seeming really excited about these.


In the next scene, Mr. Asch (as they call him) catches up with Donnie as he's leaving school and asks him about his deceased brother, Brian (the son who Mr. McMurty is seeking). Donnie is angry with him for having caused a domestic dispute the night before. Of all three, I like this scene the best, maybe because he has some substantial lines. (And, yes, Eric Roberts really laughs in that musical way.) 


In Johnny's final scene, Donnie’s bloodied body is discovered at the dump. The shock of this grisly sight causes his stepfather to have a heart attack and fall to the ground. Johnny’s Look of Death is much more convincing than Gordon’s, but Gordon was trying to cheer us up since we were all depressed by this horrific turn of events. Ces't la vie! 


Next month, Johnny goes to war with Oliver Stone in Platoon! 

Artificial

(Illustration Friday: July 30, 2010)


Comet goes to great lengths to avoid visiting the vet's office. (You may remember his last attempt here.) Today, he's hoping "Artificial Comet" will do the trick. He spent all day tearing up my orange duvet cover and stole some of dad's socks to do it. I think the paper ears may give it away, though. 


Happy August, Everyone! 

Double

I may not be as artistic as Liam, but here's my attempt at this week's Illustration Friday topic.



(Illustration Friday: July 23, 2010)


The first time Lily saw herself in the mirror, she didn't quite realize who she was looking at.

I'm back from a long relaxing weekend at home with family for a joint birthday celebration. As usual, Dad baked Mom and me a delicious birthday cake with whipped cream topping, and it was expertly decorated in kitty fashion by my 6-year-old nephew, Liam. While he may have had a little assistance from his mom, I think we can see who the real artiste is in this family. Yum yum!

Breakfast

(Illustration Friday: July 16, 2010)


Norman is ready to conquer the day.

Diary

(Illustration Friday: July 9, 2010) 


Simon is always writing in his journal in his quest to understand life. No one has read his chronicles, not even The Mother Kitty, but we're all sure that they'll end up in the Library of Congress someday.


I'm a bit behind in posting for Illustration Friday because of a quick trip to New York to catch Sting on his Symphonicities Tour. Yay! I highly recommend catching it while you can! I'll be getting back to a regular schedule once my delirium settles. 

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #2--Private Resort (1985)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details!]

©Columbia/
Tristar Studios

Johnny Depp actually survived A Nightmare on Elm Street and next signed up for a teen sex comedy called Private Resort. (Hard to believe, I know.) I feel as though every actor in the United States was in one of these movies back in the ‘80s, and I’m sure they are all a bit haunted by them.

I had hope for this one, though.  Not just because of Johnny's involvement, but his costars included Rob Morrow of "Northern Exposure" fame and—more impressive--Hector Elizondo, who’s in hundreds of good movies and TV shows. On the other hand, Andrew “Dice” Clay is also in it.

Johnny as Jack
©Columbia/
Tristar Studios 

You can probably guess from the title that this movie is about teenage boys on the prowl in a sunny vacation spot. In this case, it’s Miami. Johnny plays Jack, who spends all his time checking out the ladies in skimpy bikinis. Ben (Rob Morrow), his shy best friend, meets a sweet waitress, with whom love blossom. In the meantime, The Maestro--a jewel thief played by Hector Elizondo--is after a diamond necklace worn by of wealthy old lady, who has hidden kung fu talents. As you can imagine, chaos ensues.

Private Resort isn’t a shining moment in Johnny’s career, but it was a job that helped him pay the rent. Back then, his heart was all about music.  As he put it, “At the time, they could have said, ‘Listen, we’re gonna strap Dom Deluise to your back and you’re gonna climb this building,’ and I said, ‘Fine.’”

For me, there are too many boobs and bums in this movie, but it’s not the worst I’ve seen. This is a batty comedy, but it actually has some good slapstick moments. And there's Johnny--so young and so pretty....There are worse ways to spend 82 minutes.

All the Kitties wanted to be in this tribute because it meant a fun day in the sun. We decided to highlight the ensemble cast of crazy characters, lounging by the pool. We had to add some "extras" because there are too many of them, but The Kitties had first dibs on who they wanted to be. 

Here, Jack spots his latest conquest lounging on a float, and Ben (Comet) notices the cute waitress (Ashes, of course). Norman was the only one willing to play The Maestro because no one wanted to shave their shiny coats. (In the movie, Ben gives him an unfortunate haircut.) The Mother Kitty had the seniority to demand the part of the diamond-wearing socialite, but really she just wanted an excuse to do some kung fu fighting. Everyone agreed that Simon was perfect to play the 8-year-old kid on the loose in the resort, but they were all envious of B.J. who scored the role of the punk. (They may not have wanted to cut their hair, but they like the spikes!) 

And, yes, there is a girl who wears a turban throughout this movie, and she's very attached to that flowerpot. I said this movie was batty, right?  

Stay tuned for next month's Slow Burn! 

Giant!

(Illustration Friday: July 2, 2010)


As I have been doing several times in the last few weeks, due to the unbearable heat wave hitting DC, The Mother Kitty fell asleep during a movie and had a curious dream: Attack of the 50-Foot Kitty!


Happy July, everyone! I finished Kelly Rae Roberts's creative business e-course, "Flying Lessons," this weekend--Yay! I highly recommend it, even though I've already started procrastinating building my own creative business. I figure I can rest up while making a To Do List in my head for now.


I've also been working on Johnny Kitties: The Johnny Depp Project. (I think I have Season 1 of 21 Jump Street pretty well memorized at this point.) My next installment, Private Resort will be in a few days. 


Talking about side projects, remember that, for a small charitable donation, some of The Kitties' "Ripple" illustrations are still available. While Simon's and Comet's drawings are taken, you can see the remaining Kitties here. All proceeds help the animals affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill. (See The Ripple Blog for more details.) Please help--They will thank you!