Better Late Than Never: The 2012 Rainforest Fund Benefit

Hi everyone,

This concert, which took place on April 3rd, may be old news, but you might still like to hear about it. I used to e-mail a minute-by-minute report of this event to my friends. This year, I thought my blog might be an easier way to share. So, here you go!

Joining Sting and Friends--For a Good Cause

If you follow my blog, you're probably aware of my unwavering love for Sting and his music. The Kitties listen to his music just as much as I do. (See here.) When I moved from Ohio to D.C. in 2001,  I decided to attend my first Rainforest Fund Benefit Concert. The Rainforest Fund is a charity Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, started in 1989 in an effort to help save the Amazon Rainforest and the peoples who live there. The concert, held at Carnegie Hall in New York City, was now easier for me to get to from D.C., and--to my surprise--it was relatively affordable!

The first time I went, I learned that each concert has a theme and, for the most part, the performers only sang songs related to it rather than their own. And, while this concert is for a great cause, it's also an excuse for Sting to get his friends together and have a big party. Along with Sting, regulars include Elton John, James Taylor, and Billy Joel (though he hasn't shown up for the last few). That year, guests Smokey Robinson, The Impressions, and Nina Simone joined them, among others. By the time Stevie Wonder appeared, playing his harmonica on Sting's song, "Brand New Day," I had decided to always go to this concert.

So far, I have. Produced by Trudie Styler, the concert is hosted every two years, and some years have been better than others. I admit, for me, the 2010 concert was so underwhelming that I questioned attending this year's event. But, at the last second, I realized that my "bad time" at that concert was more due to my own circumstances--work stress, buying a late ticket, unfortunate seating near obnoxious yuppies--rather than the concert itself. Besides, the year I don't go, Paul McCartney or Barack Obama will show up, and then I'll be sad.

So I bought my ticket, and it was obviously fate! This year's theme was Songs from the Silver Screen: If any concert was meant for me, this was it! (I do love my movies!)

As luck would have it, the day I left for my trip to New York, I felt like I had the flu. Every inch of my body ached, I had the chills, and my head was foggy. I took a freezing 4 1/2-hour bus ride, stepped out into the rain on 28th Street, and power-walked to my hotel on 49th. This year, I decided to stay in New York an extra night and packed my agenda. The first evening I was there, I attended another charity concert, which benefitted Paul Newman's charity, SeriousFun. I wrote about that here. (Believe me, I don't attend benefit concerts often; these just happen to be two charities that are close to my heart and which had events that were serendipitously back-to-back.) The Rainforest Fund Benefit was on the second night. By then, I was in full denial of my cold. So, on with the show....

What Every Concertgoer Should Know

Carnegie Hall is a beautiful building. The Isaac Stern Auditorium has crimson seating, golden ornate decor with cream walls, and a gigantic chandelier. It's very glamorous, so I always get dressed up--no matter how many people around me are in jeans and texting obliviously instead of soaking in the grand surroundings. Granted, I'm in the "cheap" seats, about seven flights up, from which the performers look like grasshoppers. It was extra-special this year when I realized I had forgotten my binoculars in my hotel room. Binoculars are good for seeing details. (I like to inspect things.) Luckily, I arrived really early because I'm neurotic that way. I had time, so I ran the eight blocks back to my hotel room, retrieved my binoculars, raced back to Carnegie Hall,  and up the seven flights of stairs to my seat with five minutes to spare. (Yeah, in heels--It never occurred to me to look for the elevator.) Yes, it's very glamorous.

The concert always uses a house band, usually comprised of the same group of people, if available, and always directed by drummer Michael Narada Walden. They're all amazing musicians, though I only recognize a few names. This year, the band added an orchestra in front, conducted by Gil Goldstein.

On the right side of the stage, there's always a cluster of chairs in front of the house band. These are for the performers who, instead of heading straight backstage, have the option to sit and watch each other perform until it's their turn again. Binoculars come in handy here. None of the reviews I've read about these concerts ever tell me what Sting or Elton John are doing on the side while James Taylor is singing a song for the audience. These are the kinds of things I like to know!

One other thing to note about this concert is that it's pretty relaxed. While I know they rehearse their songs and the show always runs smoothly, it feels as if they've all just shown up to sing on the spot as a special treat for us. Rather than have an official emcee, they introduce each other as they take turns performing. They joke, they hug, they laugh, they even mess up sometimes. Despite the grandeur of the atmosphere and the big names, the evening is intimate. I feel like a fly on the wall watching famous old friends being themselves and sharing their good time. To me, that alone is worth the pricey ticket.

Cue music! 

Okay, here's what I saw and heard:

• The concert began with sweeping orchestral movie music, as four characters strolled out hand-in-hand. It was The Tinman (Sting, wearing a "tin" hat and big red heart pinned to the lapel of his black jacket), Dorothy (Meryl Streep in a white floor-length gown and ruby slippers, holding Toto in her arms), The Scarecrow (James Taylor wearing a scruffy hat and red bandana around his neck) and The Cowardly Lion (Elton John sporting a Badge of Courage and furry wristbands). They sang, If I Only Had a Brain.
• James Taylor then sang Over the Rainbow on his own. When I first started coming to these concerts, James Taylor was the performer I was least excited about seeing, mainly because I didn't know much about him or his music. Since that first concert, he's become one of the people I look forward to seeing most. A pretty quiet guy with an amazing voice, he's always entertaining and really funny! He wasn't able to attend the 2010 concert, and I'm counting that as one of the strikes against it. I was so happy to see him here, even if this version of "Over the Rainbow" was a little too fast-paced for my taste and he sounded nothing like Judy Garland.
• Sting was set to introduce the next performer as everyone else took their seats on the side. As he watched Meryl Streep getting settled, he said, "Ah, yes, like all women, she is many: She's the French Leiutenant's Woman, the devil who wears Prada, The Iron Lady, and, now, she's Dorothy!" Then, he introduced Vince Gill, who sang I Can't Stop Loving You with the house band's backup singers (four ladies and two guys). I'm not a big country music fan, so I'm unfamiliar with Vince Gill. But I was impressed.

• Vince Gill then sang All I have to Do is Dream as a duet with Rita Wilson. Yes, that's Tom Hanks's wife. She has a debut album out of duets, and this is one of them. It was nice, but the best part was watching Meryl Streep swaying in her seat, singing along to it. Elton John, who sat next to her, joined in, and they were in the moment!
• Welsh opera singer, Bryn Terfel, was next with Dream the Impossible Dream. I think we could all conquer the world after that.
• Elton John dedicated Moon River to two people who recently passed away, bandmember Greg Clark and Whitney Houston, who had participated in this benefit before (though I never saw her). I'm so glad someone picked this song because I love it, but like "Over the Rainbow," I prefer the one I'm used to hearing. Elton John's voice is different from Audrey Hepburn's in every possible way. 
• I was interested to see Roseanne Cash, who sang next. (Is it bad that my only reason is her relation to Johnny Cash? While, in general, I don't like country music, Johnny Cash is one of my rare exceptions.) She sang a fantastic version of The Ode to Billy Joe.
• Elton John then introduced Bruno Mars, and I was shocked at how deafening the crowd became the instant he hit the stage. The woman who sat directly in my line of sight in the front row of my section served as a prime example: As Bruno sang Unchained Melody, she punched the air, whooped, and cheered with every fancy note. Apparently, I'm out of the loop about Bruno, but he was good.
• Sting and Meryl Streep walked out next. "About 28 years ago now, I made a film with Meryl called Plenty, for which I spent one of the most enjoyable afternoons of my life making out with Meryl Streep on a sofa," Sting said. (Meryl belly-laughed!) "Our relationship has evolved since then...." (I totally forgot about that movie until he mentioned it! That relationship does not end well.) They sang Let's Call The Whole Thing Off, and it was super-sweet!
• Then, James Taylor talked about the next song he planned to sing, Old Man River: "This is one of my favorite songs of all time, sung by the great...the great....uh, what's his name?" Someone shouted it from the audience. "Right! Paul Robeson, who was known just as much for his hard life and political views as for his beautiful voice." Of course, no one sounds like Paul Robeson, but James Taylor did a worthy version of this great song. 
• Then, Sting strolled out with an umbrella, doodling just like Gene Kelly! He sang Singin' in the Rain  as a tap dancing lady twirled around him. She tried to coax him into some steps, but he shugged and stuck to singing. At the end, they wandered off stage arm and arm. I could go on about how nobody performs this song like Gene Kelly, but I appreciate the thought and effort. You know that Sting sang this one just for me! 
• Jennifer Hudson then made her first appearance, singing the first movie song that I didn't recognize, called And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going. (Duh, it's apparently her signature song from Dreamgirls.) Jennifer Hudson has a great voice, is an American Idol finalist, earned an Oscar, and I know everyone loves her. I hate to say it, but she's too loud for my ears. 

Notes to Note During the Intermission

Sting's wife Trudie always makes a speech about the work of the Rainforest Fund during the first half of the concert. She did so just after Sting channeled Gene Kelly, promptly knocking me off my cloud and sinking my spirits with her passionate plea. But the first thing she did this year was point out and thank Bill Clinton for attending the concert! He was just sitting there in first-tier balcony! I went into action with my binoculars, but I didn't recognize anyone near him. Where was his security?! What's he doing here??? Wait, has Trudie started her speech?

Trudie's speeches about the plight of the Amazon Rainforest are always so intense that I end up feeling as though we're all going to die in 20 years if we don't do something about it. This time, she not only talked about the disappearing forest, but reported that a native tribe leader was just shot dead this past weekend while defending his land from illegal loggers. Enjoy the rest of the show.

I spent the intermission reviewing the notes I'd taken in the dark, making sure they're legible. I have tiny notebooks in which I write the names of the songs--or at least enough to remember what they were--and who sang them. I only do this at these kinds of concerts where there are too many singers singing songs that they don't normally sing because I won't remember anything afterward. I rarely pay attention to what I'm writing because I don't want to look down and miss anything on stage, so it usually ends up a slanted scribble of chicken scratch that only I can decipher. (I hope!)
 

On with the Show...

• To open the second half of the show, Meryl Streep walked to center stage into the spotlight and sang, Wish Upon a Star. As Chris Farley would say, that was awesome.
• Bryn Terfel then sang Roxanne. I just remembered now that Eddie Murphy sang this song in 48 Hours. Bryn sang "Roxanne" at Sting's 60th birthday concert at New York's Beacon Theatre last October. At first, I thought that was the only reason he was singing it again here--per Sting's request--because Sting thinks this version is his song's greatest transformation. I couldn't take it seriously then, and I still heard giggles around me in Carnegie Hall because it's still "Roxanne," the loud, angst-ridden Police classic. I get that Sting doesn't want to play it the same way every night, but turning "Roxanne" opera is just too much of a stretch. I thought the song sounded better this time around, though. Maybe it's because I've heard this version before or because the added backup singers made it more accessible. However, the best part of this performance was done by Channing Tatum and his wife, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, who danced the Tango! I started seeing Channing Tatum everywhere in the last year or so, playing goofball characters in movies and on Saturday Night Live. I was baffled by his name on the stagebill, but I just recently discovered the connection: He was in a movie that Trudie Styler produced in 2006 called A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. (I don't remember him in this movie, but it's excellent and recommended!) Channing Tatum first got noticed as a dancer in Step Up  (in which he costarred with his wife). So now, I get it: He's got moves! 
• Sting then sang the theme from MASH, Suicide is Painless. I didn't know this song had lyrics. They're depressing lyrics, but Sting's made a career out of singing depressing lyrics to uplifting tunes. He's good at it, and this was one of my favorite performances of the night!
• Then, Rosanne Cash sang Everybody's Talkin', a wonderful song that was, again, sung wonderfully.

• Next, James Taylor sang Shall We Dance, which was also wonderful. In the middle, he approached the performers seated on the side and held out his hand to each of the ladies. They all shook their heads in refusal, one by one, as he made his way down the line. Rita Wilson, who sat at the end, saved the day: She shrugged and accepted  his invitation. They danced around the stage for a bit and then back to her seat so he could finish the song.
• Elton John introduced the orchestra and then addressed the audience: "It's been a tradition that I humiliate myself at this concert. [It's true.] This  year is no exception." He sang Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend as Channing Tatum slinked out to join him. As Elton sang, Channing adorned him with a giant diamond necklace. He also fastened a chain around Elton's waist, positioned so that a huge diamond dangled between his legs. Elton twirled and shimmied this trinket with bravado as Channing danced around him burlesque-style for the duration of the song. When it was over, they both cracked up, hugged, and scurried off stage. 
• "Well, I guess I can cross that off my bucket list: Follow Elton at Carnegie Hall after a bedazzled dance.....Where's the Tango Lady?" Vince Gill was on his own. He sang Pretty Woman with one of the backup singers, and it was really good! 
• Then, Jennifer Hudson returned and sang The Weight. It was still too much, too loud. But it might just be my ears because, afterward, Sting walked out and exclaimed, "'Follow that!' he said. "You can't." 
• Sting gave the audience a look and continued, "But, I've got a secret weapon, Esperanza..." That's Esperanza Spalding, the Grammy-winning bassist extraordinaire! The first time I saw Esperanza, she was just starting out, appearing for the first time on the Late Show with David Letterman. Since then, she's shot to the top, and now I can say I knew her way back when. She is cool! Sting sang, Be Bop A-Lula, with Esperanza playing her giant double bass next to him. People in the audience squealed as if Sting were Elvis! That's entertainment.
• Next, Elton John sang Rock Around the Clock, and all the performers, who were seated on the side, got out of their chairs and danced with each other: Rita Wilson and Sting, Jennifer Hudson and Vince Gill, Rosanne Cash and Bryn Terfel, Meryl Streep and James Taylor, Esperanza Spalding and Bruno Mars, and Channing and Jenna Tatum. 
• Bruno Mars then took the stage next with a great rendition of Jailhouse Rock with the Tatums swing dancing throughout.

And Now, A Message from a President

It was time for another speech, which is unusual, but I guess it's also unusual to have a president in the audience. Bill Clinton took the stage! "I want to thank Bruno Mars for letting me channel my inner-Elvis," he said and did his best impression, "Thank you very much!" Like Trudie, he gave an impassioned speech about the disappearing rainforest, which he summed up with, "Well, you heard what Trudie said." His speech had a more uplifting pep talk flavor: We can do this! We can make change! It's possible to fix this, and we have to fix this! I felt a little better about things.

The End

For the finale, Esperanza Spalding appeared in the spotlight. Behind her, she was surrounded by the six backup singers. A capella, they sang the choral start of You Can't Always Get What You Want, one of my all-time favorite songs. (What movie is that in?) It was beauty-ful! I wished that she would have sung the whole thing herself, but for the finale, everyone has to participate. They all walked on stage, taking turns singing and thanking the band and guests.

The show has redeemed itself! It was fantastic this year, organized to perfection with no lagging moments and no show-hogging performers. It was a perfect balance of equal brilliance! Well done, everyone! 

There's a gala dinner after the concert, but it would take a good chunk of my savings to attend that. My celebration is much more low-key: I picked up a slice of sweet potato pie and a cup of herbal tea, which I enjoyed in my tiny hotel room in my pajamas in front of the TV watching Jimmy Fallon. It, too, was all very glamorous.

Best,

Image copyright credits: Rainforest Fund logo and concert poster: Rainforest Fund; If I Only Had a Brain photo: Getty Images; First Collage Photos--Rita Wilson and Vince Gill: WireImage; Bryn Terfel: Reuters; Roseanne Cash: AP; Bruno Mars: Getty Images; Sting and Meryl Streep: UPI; Jennifer Hudson: Getty Images; Sting and Trudie Styler: Getty Images; Second Collage Photos--Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum: WireImage; Channing Tatum and Elton John: AP;  Rita Wilson and James Taylor: Getty Images; Sting and Esperanza Spalding: Reuters; Dancing photo: UPI, courtesy of The Meryl Streep Forum; Bill Clinton: Getty Images; Finale photo: UPI, courtesy of The Meryl Streep Forum. 

Space

This one took me a while, mainly because it took The Kitties so long to get to their respective planets. They're on their way home now.

(Illustration Friday: June 22, 2012)

Johnny's Angels At Work!

Hi everyone,

As you may know, I started supporting Johnny's Angels: Depp Fans for Charity in 2010 when I first became aware of the good work they do. This great group of fans raises money for the Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition (CHPCC), an organization that Johnny has supported for years. Johnny's Angels runs fundraisers throughout the year, most notably at Christmastime and in honor of Johnny's birthday in June.

The first time I donated to the cause, I had the opportunity to send Johnny a Christmas postcard. (You can see it here.) For his birthday last year, we could pick one of Johnny's characters and write a note about why that character means the most to us. This year, we were asked to give Johnny our review of his latest movie, Dark Shadows. (Although this fundraiser is over, don't let that stop you. Donate here to this wonderful charity!)

Each year, our offerings are compiled into a book and sent directly to Johnny as a gift. In return, he has written several thank you letters to us for our efforts and even donated more to CHPCC in Johnny's Angels' name. Johnny's on location shooting The Lone Ranger right now, but he took time out to send us a letter this week! Holy moly, check it out!!!

Of course, Johnny's responses are just (delectable, delicious, top-of-the-line) icing on the cake. Most important is that Johnny's Angels has raised thousands of dollars over the years for children who need it. This year's birthday fundraiser reached $4,400, our biggest sum yet!

Congratulations to our fearless leader, Christine, and all the Angels for making it happen!

Best,

Blogging My Way....

Hi everyone,

This spring's Creativity Circle and Blogging Your Way courses have me contemplating Melissa's Kitties. Since 2006, I've been faithfully posting weekly drawings for Illustration Friday. (Can you believe it?) Blogging Your Way, which is in its final week, has focused a lot on blogging from the heart. It's made me realize that rather than throwing all of myself into Melissa's Kitties, strangers who discover my blog typically find out only two big things about me--that I love The Kitties and drawing them and that Johnny Depp is one of my most favorite people in the world. True.

While The Kitties always indirectly showcase my hobbies, inspirations, and whatever may be going on in my life, I'm still categorized as either a Crazy Cat Lady or a Crazy Johnny Fan. I may be both, but--like everyone--I'm also much more.

My sister once told me that she didn't know how to describe me to her friends because the things I love are too many and all over the place--cats, drawing, Johnny Depp, Sting, Gene Kelly, all kinds of music, all kinds of movies, Turner Classic Movies, books, fashion, museums, theatre, dance, The Orioles, The Celtics, live jazz, New York, good food, tea, yoga, Bugs Bunny.... Yes, the list is endless, varied, and growing.

In the past, I've stopped myself from writing about things happening in my life on my blog just because  either it was not related to The Kitties or I didn't have a related drawing to include in my post. It's finally dawned on me to put the markers down once in a while. Now, in addition to my drawings, I plan to post more often about my life and the many favorite things in it--the inspirations behind my artwork. I hope that learning more about me will make your visit to Melissa's Kitties even more colorful than before.

The Kitties seem okay with this idea, and even a bit excited about it! I hope you are too. Let's see how it goes.... Let me know what you think and--as always--enjoy!

Best,

Secret

Everyone but The Mother Kitty seems to be in on the secret. (Don't worry, she always finds out eventually.)

(Illustration Friday: June 15, 2012)

Blogging Your Way 2.0

Hi everyone,

This spring, I had Workshop Fever. During Tranquil Space's Artist's Way Creativity Circle workshop series, which lasted from February to May, I started a 4-week healthy eating workshop series at the same place. Coincidentally, my local Whole Foods offered a 28-day healthy-eating challenge at the same time. The rules--no added sugars, no oils, no processed foods--were reinforced by cooking demos to get participants trying healthy recipes at home. After the challenge was over, I was workshopped out! I planned to take a break, assess, digest, and reboot. But, then Blogging Your Way 2.0 showed up.

Led by Decor8's Holly Becker, Blogging Your Way e-courses offer tips on using your blog as a catalyst for living your best life. I took the original Blogging Your Way class last year and found it entirely helpful and inspirational for improving and beautifying my blog! So, I snatched up the opportunity to take Blogging Your Way 2.0, which aims to help me take my blog to the next level.

I'm now in the middle of the course, which began June 1 and lasts until the end of the month. While I don't feel ready for some of the topics discussed so far, such as creating e-magazines, advertising, and monetizing my blog, I'm taking in all the information--some for now and some for later.

So, soon, you may notice even more blog beautifying and changes at Melissa's Kitties, and you'll know why! Wish me luck as I forge ahead, and let me know what you think!

Best,

Shiny

The Mother Kitty prides herself on her shiny coat. But, sometimes, cleanliness is momentarily out of her control.

(Illustration Friday: June 8, 2012)

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #21--Before Night Falls (2000)

Happy Birthday, Johnny!!!! 

Johnny played guitar with The Black Keys
during the MTV Movie Awards last week!
(He also received some well-deserved golden popcorn.)

Onward with Johnny Kitties.....

A Look at a Hard Life
Based on the autobiography by Reinaldo Arenas, Before Night Falls explores the life and times of the Cuban poet/novelist from childhood through the Cuban Revolution to his death in the United States. This powerful drama, directed by Julian Schnabel, offers an unforgettable glimpse into the repressed yet prolific life of an artist, fighting for the universal rights of acceptance and freedom of expression.

When I came up with the idea of Johnny Kitties, this is the movie I dreaded revisiting. My sister and I saw it together in Cincinnati, where she lived at the time. One of her friends described it as "just beautiful." I only knew two things about it: Johnny was in it, and it was directed by one of his friends. We had to see it! We eagerly entered the theater but left slightly traumatized. Knowing nothing about Reinaldo Arenas, we weren't prepared for the oppression, false imprisonment, solitary confinement, horrific failed attempt to escape from Havana for Florida by inner tube, sickness, AIDS, death..... My sister summed it up well, "Ugh, that movie!" It was kind of a downer, and I dreaded seeing the movie again because all I remembered were the bad and sad bits.



But it's worth a look! 
It turns out that this movie is beautiful! All those things do happen during Reinaldo Arenas's amazing life but, through it all, he continued to write and his voice was heard. Can you imagine being in those circumstances--falsely accused and jailed in dingy, over-crowded prisons--and yet finding a way to write vivid literature amid the chaos? After publishing only one book in Cuba, he had to smuggle the rest out of the country to be printed. "He's a symbol of endurance, and he had a lot of character," director Julian Schnabel said of Arenas. "He would have had it a lot easier if he wasn't true to himself."

Although he fought with the rebels, Reinaldo Arenas was constantly repressed by authorities who shunned not only his books for their accurate portrayal of Cuban life but his homosexuality. "The important thing is not that he's gay or not," said cinematographer and friend Guillermo Rosas. "It's that he's a person who is fighting for his freedom, for his own beliefs, and for his own personality. That's what counts." Javier Bardem, who is brilliantly portrays the writer in this film, agrees: "This movie is not about Cuba or Fidel Castro at all. This movie is fighting intolerance, and intolerance happens all around the world." Reinaldo Arenas eventually got a pass out of Cuba when authorities were purging anyone who didn't support the regime. In New York, while he became a reluctant political symbol against Cuba's oppression, he could, at last, live and write freely. Too bad he dies at the end.

But Reinaldo Arenas left a lasting impression on many. "We all feel that we have difficulty expressing ourselves. We all feel that our forms of expression are under-appreciated and repressed," film composer Carter Burwell said. "Here's a man who manages to overcome that in much more dire circumstances than most of us will ever know. In that sense, he's a hero because he gives, hopefully, direction and form to these unformed feelings that we have of not properly expressing ourselves." Javier Bardem said we could all learn from the writer's life: "His example to us is a person with the strength to survive without hurting anyone. Reinaldo didn't hurt anybody. He put all his anger, sadness, and happiness into his writing, so he made art with that."

Director Julian Schnabel is a prominent New York painter. You can tell  this movie is directed by an artist because the scenes are all visually moving--evoking emotions, sometimes just with color and space. The film is in free form--sometimes telling the story, sometimes looking like a still painting, sometimes seeming like a documentary--pieced together like a collage. Julian Schnabel explained, "This movie is made for the screen. I mean, you can lick the colors off the screen. I used different filmstocks and gels to make the color of the movie seem like you were in a time warp, like the movie was Life magazine, 1959. If you're going to make a movie about Cuba, time has to stand still." Though I haven't seen them all, he's directed several interesting films so far, including Basquiat and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (both of which I recommend highly).

Before Night Falls was nominated for a bunch of awards, several of which went to Javier Bardem for his amazing performance. (Is he ever not amazing, though?)

Bon-Bon vs. Lieutenant Victor

Johnny is only in this movie for approximately 6 minutes. (They should tell you these things in the previews.) After all the talk, you'd think he had a starring role. I guess it was big news because he signed on to play two roles, one of which happened to be a glamazon transvestite named Bon-Bon. The other role, Lieutenant Victor, is an angry, mean interrogator.

Johnny worked on this movie for free, just for the chance to work with Julian Schnabel, his old friend. (Julian taught Johnny how to paint. If you haven't seen Johnny's paintings, I can tell you that Julian Schnabel is a good teacher! You can see some of Johnny's paintings, including one of Julian himself, here.) "Johnny couldn't have been cooler about the whole thing," Julian Schnabel said. "He really loved the story we were telling and wanted to help get it told. Johnny is  incredibly exacting. He brings energy and a sense of playfulness to his roles. He's just inspired, and totally free--no hang-ups." I remember Johnny talking about his role as Bon-Bon, thinking it'd be a quick, simple job--just fly in for the day, do the work, and go home. In the end, he instead summed up portraying his Sophia-Lorenesque transvestite with, "This is hard!"

Gordon can't be two cats at the same time.
While Johnny is great in both roles, as Bon-Bon and Lieutenant Victor, Victor is not a nice person. When you have the choice of an evil authority figure or an alluring transvestite who brings sunshine wherever she goes, it's an easy one to make.

So, here, Reinaldo (Simon) watches Bon-Bon make her entrance, to the joy of all the other inmates (including B.J., Comet, and Norman). As Reinaldo described, "She was so glamorous that, when she walked by, she made everyone feel like they were in the movies." With Bon-Bon's special help, Reinaldo Arenas was able to smuggle one of his novels out for the world to read.

What's Next?
Johnny is the strong silent type in The Man Who Cried.


Photo credits: Image of Johnny Depp at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards © MTV; all other images, aside from my drawing, © New Line Cinema.

Hurry?

Lily only plays when she's ready. She's rarely in a hurry.

(Illustration Friday: June 1, 2012)

Faded

B.J. loves to sit in the sun. Rather than tan like most, he fades. How do you like the new look? (He seems unfazed.)

(Illustration Friday: May 25, 2012)

Sight

For last week's Illustration Friday word, "sight," all I could think about was Stevie Wonder. Maybe it's because he came up during a conversation at work, and then I saw him perform during the Billboard Music Awards. It got me thinking that, while he may not be able to see physically, his beautiful spirit seems to see things much clearer than some people....

I couldn't get this memory out of my head: When I was a kid, one of my absolute favorite songs was "Ebony and Ivory," a duet by two of my absolute favorite people, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Imagine how ridiculously excited I was when they performed it in 2010 during a concert for President Obama at the White House, which was televised on PBS.

© PBS

It was just as exciting as the time I came home to find The Mother Kitty and Simon playing the song in our living room on Dad's piano. Of all The Kitties, Simon does the best Stevie Wonder impression.

(Illustration Friday: May 18, 2011)

Creativity abound!

Hi everyone,

In February, I mentioned joining a 7-part workshop that aimed to help me restore and nurture my creative path. During the 3-month series, offered by my yoga studio, Tranquil Space, I met with 10 other ladies on the same journey. To accomplish our goal, we were asked to read The Artist's Way: Creativity as a Spiritual Practice by Julia Cameron along with two complimentary books, 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women by Gail McMeekin and Hip Tranquil Chick by Tranquil Space founder/workshop leader Kimberly Wilson. Together, we read and discussed these books, completed homework related to each chapter. We also had fun, participated in creative projects, such as art journaling, creating collages and vision boards, and even painting flower pots. From February 22 to May 9, we met every other Wednesday until we completed our work. 

I had planned to give updates on my progress here on my blog, but by mid-session, I hadn't really figured out what--if anything--was happening. So, I just kept going until I was done. 

The books served as wonderful manuals, covering similar stages to finding your creative self and helping to remove whatever may be blocking your way. More than just exploring your creative side, they put you on a journey of complete self-discovery, evoking childhood memories, finding roots to age-old issues, and uncovering what you really love. 

The Artist's Way provided two tools to accomplish this: 

• Morning Pages. First thing every morning, we were required to write 3 pages of whatever is on our mind at the moment. (While the author was very specific about using regular-sized paper, our workshop guide, Kimberly, was more relaxed about it: "Just don't pick the tiniest journal you have." While it only took me 20 minutes or so to blather on about whatever each morning, I found writing Morning Pages a challenge that I eventually gave up on toward the end. Horrible, I know! Taking a 3-day trip to New York for fun threw me off my routine, and keeping my own personal journal--however sporadically I write in it--hindered my desire to write more each and every day. But I tried, and do think there is something to writing first thing in the morning, before you are quite awake and your nightly dreams are still flickering. By the end of the workshop, I discovered that my morning pages had revealed recurring themes and a list of action steps, festering ongoing topics I could now address or eliminate from my life and a To Do list I could work on checking off for good.

• Artist Dates. Artist Dates are not dates with artists (which would be fun!). They are dates with your artist--time set aside for you to spend alone. These dates force you to break out of your habitual work-life/home-life routine and instead focus on yourself and what you love to do. Basically, it gives you permission to do something--anything--fun for at least an hour (but more if you can spare it). Go see a movie, take a walk, visit a museum, get a massage or facial, go shopping, cook a new recipe, draw, write, create, get out of the house! The only rule is to go alone. One of the common themes throughout all of our books was that spending time with yourself is the only way you'll learn who you are and grow as a person. I had absolutely no problem scheduling artist dates! (Note New York trip mentioned above.) In fact, it turns out that I have Artist Dates practically every day! (What does that mean?!) 

I liked The Artist's Way and recommend it as a really helpful tool for someone who feels they aren't creative. You'll soon discover that you are! Everyone is, no matter what you think! Even if you think you already are creative and don't need to read this book, you are bound to get something new and exciting out of it. It can be that kind of life-changing if you let it. 

Our supplementary books, 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women and Hip Tranquil Chick were equally beneficial guides. In a way, I almost like them more. There's no doubt that The Artist's Way is an amazing piece of work that provides tools to break people out of their hard shells. But, it's also clear that the author was trying to rediscover herself and clear her creativity path from a very dark, difficult place. Some of the girls in the workshop related to her better than others, like me, who found it too overwhelming at times.  

For me, the other books had lighter, more approachable tones. 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women was my favorite of the three because it offered myriad stories, advice, and perspectives from all kinds of women artists--from writers to actresses to business women. Like the other books, it offered homework questions that help you digest each chapter's main points and how they apply to your own life. Hearing so many other women artists tell their own stories, their struggles, and successes was an inspiration! 

Hip Tranquil Chick is another helpful guide, but entirely fun and fabulous, just as its author Kimberly Wilson! If you ever met Kimberly or visited her yoga studio, Tranquil Space, you'd know this book exudes her style. It's a guide to living life to the fullest, using yoga as a catalyst for becoming a wonderful, well-rounded girl on-the-go. Don't let the hot pink girlieness fool you: This book has fantastic tips and tricks everyone can use to achieve a driven yet tranquil, fulfilling life.

So, now I'm decompressing. I've just finished compiling and organizing all the work I had done. Who knew I'd get another book out of it, with 50+ pages of insight?!

To sum it all up, these books are great, and reading them as a group was really helpful to keep us moving and motivated. The workshops were wonderful, and the lovely women I met--including our fantastic guide, Kimberly--made the whole experience well worth it! Thanks, ladies! 

Here we are during our last meeting with our newly-painted flower pots.
Funnily, I was still adding details to mine over breakfast the next morning. 

May the journey continue....

Kernel

There is a kernel of truth to Dad's and my theory that Simon plays for the Boston Celtics under the alias "Rajon Rondo." In a recent playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics led 92 to 91 with 3.4 seconds to go. Reconvening after a time out, Paul Pierce threw the ball in to Rajon, who then outran his guard, Evan Turner, by making a u-turn and wide circle into the back-court until time ran out.

That is a classic Simon move.

(Illustration Friday: May 11, 2012)

Hitched

Norman was abandoned in a park when he was a kitten. When he saw my sister riding her bike down one of the trails, he hitched a ride home with her. (At least, that's how he tells the story.)

(Illustration Friday: May 4, 2012)

Jump

I eat lots of apples picked fresh from a tall tree. Each morning Simon jumps up to pick one, The Mother Kitty is disappointed that he comes back down to deliver it.

(Illustration Friday: April 27, 2012)

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #20--Chocolat (2000)

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

"Chocolat is my favorite because it's beloved by everyone who sees it. I've never had that experience: I've never had a movie where people come up to you and say, 'Thank you.'" 
-- Producer David Brown


Mmmmm....
Chocolat is sweet! In it, mysterious strangers, Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol), wander into a quiet French village and set up a chocolate shop. For these villagers, such a change to the status quo--in the middle of Lent, no less--sparks endless speculation and gossip. While the town mayor, Comte De Reynaud (Alfred Molina), is determined to evict these newcomers from his town, the villagers are more receptive to Vianne's magical concoctions and unique views. Affecting everyone's lives, Vianne not only tips the town's status quo but also finds herself changed for the better. "I think what's wonderful about the story is that by Vianne selling small dreams and little comforts through chocolates, she's going to bit-by-bit transform people's lives." Juliette Binoche said. "That's always frightening when you have an outsider because things can change."

Based on the best-selling novel by Joanne Harris, Chocolat reunited Johnny Depp with What's Eating Gilbert Grape? director Lasse Hollstrom. I was very excited about that! I was also thrilled with the rest of the cast. Aside from Chocolat's star, Juliette Binoche, it includes Alfred Molina (who worked with Johnny in Dead Man), Lena Olin (Lasse Hollstrom's wife, who costarred with Johnny in The Ninth Gate), Carrie-Anne Moss (the lady from The Matrix), and Judy Dench. (They don't call her Dame for nothing.) Although she has a small part, most exciting to me was that Leslie Caron was also in this movie. Yeah, Leslie Caron of An American in Paris (Gene Kelly's Oscar-winning musical, which I've seen a zillion times)! Johnny gets to work with the coolest people.

Who doesn't want some Chocolat?

With an international cast, French subject, and Swedish director, Chocolat was a surprise hit around the world. From Kansas City to Berlin, producer David Brown noted, "The audience reaction is almost identical. It's remarkable how universal this story is." I can attest to this, as I saw Chocolat in Akron, Ohio, with my parents and a visiting Japanese business associate: We all really enjoyed it.

Chocolat has so many unique ingredients--a mix of interesting characters with strong personalities, a sprinkling of  fantasy, a splash of adventure--It's hard not to find something to like about it. Even though it takes place in France, audiences related to this story and its characters, recognizing that the village could just as easily be their hometown. "Chocolat is a fable-like story. There are elements of fantasy in it, but Lasse always keeps it grounded in a kind of emotional reality," scriptwriter Robert Nelson Jacobs said. "Even if there's something magical going on, there's an emotional honesty about the performances and how the scenes are done that I think is one of Lasse's great strengths as a director."

"Hey, Melissa, where's Johnny?"

My dad asked me this, in a loud whisper from a few seats over, midway through Chocolat. While my eyes rolled at the time, it's a fair question: Johnny doesn't show up until the second half of this movie. But he was keen to work with Lasse Hollstrom again, hoping to show that he was in a better mood and easier to work with than he was during the Gilbert Grape shoot 7 years before.

This time, Johnny plays Roux, a traveling Irishman with his gypsy family--more outsiders (or, as Compte De Reynaud describes them, "ruthless, godless drifters"). Johnny was hooked as soon as he read Chocolat's screenplay and connected to the story's theme: "It's okay to break the sort of boundaries of what's normal," he said. "You've got to step outside of that and break the routine and not be so afraid to try new things."Aside from a new accent, Johnny shows off his guitar-playing skills in Chocolat, tackling some blues and Django Reinhardt tunes. (Now, that's exciting!) "He's a terrific musician," Lasse Hollstrom observed. "And he really enjoyed the whole angle of this story, of this character."

Lasse Hollstrom created a relaxed, happy set, even though everyone was sick of eating chocolate--some even physically--by the end of the shoot. (Johnny doesn't even like chocolate!) The director allowed all the actors to contribute ideas on any level. "Lasse is always hypersensitive to not just the emotions of the scene, but the emotions of the actors before going into the scene, the emotions of the crew," Johnny explained. "It allows you the freedom to be comfortable, to just create something on the spot, not just stick exactly to the words, but maybe find something different." As he did on the Gilbert Grape set, Lasse Hollstrom encouraged such improvisation. The collaborative atmosphere garnered positive results: While filming Chocolat, he noted, "I think it will show on the screen that we actually had fun making it."

Chocolat was nominated for a bunch of different awards all over the place, and won a few. Its five Oscar nominations included acting honors for Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench as well as nods for best music, best writing, and best picture.

The Kitties are chocolat-covered.
There are too many great characters in this movie to fit into one scene, so I created my own mixture. On the morning of the chocolate festival, Vianne (Lily) feels defeated, that everyone in town is against her. Having always travelled with the Northern wind, she feels it calling her to her next unknown destination. Just as she and Anouk (Mini) are set to leave, however, Josephine (Lena Olin/Ashes) reminds them of all the lives they've touched and the loving community they've harvested:

• Armande Voizin (Judi Dench/The Mother Kitty) and her daughter Caroline (Carrie-Ann Moss) are finally on good terms. 
• Caroline has eased up on worrying so much: Allowing her son Luc (Aurelien Parent Koenig/Simon) to ride his dad's bike around town is a big step! 
• Guillaume Blerot (John Wood/B.J). and Madame Audel (Leslie Caron) are finally out on a date, taking Charlie (the dog) out for a stroll. 
• Roux (Gordon) has returned! Maybe it's to check his handy-work on Vianne's front door, or maybe he's realized something more important. 
• Of course, Pantoufle is there too...for now. (All good stories should include a kangaroo, don't you think?) 
• And, don't worry--I don't think anyone but Pere Henri (Hugh O'Conor/Comet) has noticed Comte. De Reynaud (Norman), who has passed out after a valiant battle against Vianne's blasphemous window display of chocolates and all that it and she stand for.

When Comte. De Reynaud awakens, will he finally give in to all these changes in his town and accept Vianne with an open heart? Will the townspeople embrace the newfound lightness Vianne has instilled in them? Will Vianne be willing to break her own traditions by staying put, surrounded by a community she helped create? See the movie to find out. (I don't want to tell you everything!) For once, I recommend a chocolate snack instead of popcorn.


Bon Bon, anyone?
Next, Johnny gets dressed up for two cameo roles in Before Night Falls. One is clearly prettier than the other....

(Aside from my illustration, all images © Miramax Films.)

Heights

In her day, The Mother Kitty loved climbing the tree outside of our garage. Climbing down never concerned her...until she was already up there. Don't worry, Dad always came to her rescue.

(Illustration Friday: April 20, 2012)

Simon (199? - April 16, 2012)

"Blessed are they who go around in circles, for they shall be called wheels."

Ode to Old Fuzzy Face

There once was a magic cat.

He came into our lives, and that was that.

His leg was crooked. His eyes were crossed.

It was clear that he was lost.

We took him home, where he went round.

"I was lost," he said. "But now I'm found.

Just like the song, shall I sing it to you?

Or, can I just go in circles? I make u-turns too."

We voted for the latter, for which he was most fond

After bounding out of the woods or rolling by the pond.

He'd start every day with a whiff of fresh air

Then circle the house to make sure it's all there.

He'd always offer Dad a paw

To draft a project or work with the saw.

With Mom, he'd be first to cut the cards.

And help her with gardening in the yard.

He'd come circling, whirling all over the map

Purring and kneading right into my lap.

Scratching his head never got old.

Stop and he'd look, wondering why I'm on hold.

Curled up like a powder puff, napping so sweet.

This furball kept me planted for hours in my seat.

This cool cat was one of the best.

But, now, he has been laid to rest.

"It's okay," I thought. "I can still find him on TV

As The Celtics point guard for all to see."

Making circles and u-turns with the ball

Sometimes, the other players don't see him at all.

That's right: He can also beam himself, over here or over there.

Don't be sad: Like Jedi Master Obi-Wan, he is everywhere.

Simon is our magic cat.

Always will be, that is that.

Puzzled

The Kitties have been puzzled!

(Illustration Friday: April 13, 2012)

Vocal

On April 2, I attended a charity concert in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center benefiting Paul Newman's Association of Hole in the Wall Camps. Renamed the SeriousFun Children's Network, it now provides 28 summer camps around the world for seriously ill children, giving them and their parents a break from hospitals and doctor appointments. Free of charge, these camps let the kids be kids.

I've read about these concerts--which offer music, celebrity appearances, and participation by the campers themselves--but this was my first time attending. While I was excited to see some of the celebrity guests, I was most eager to see how the kids would be involved. I'd seen photos and video clips of Paul Newman on stage in costume playing and singing songs with the campers--Everything was accompanied by smiles and laughter.

Billed as "A Celebration of Paul Newman's Dream," this year's concert was a bittersweet reminder of why we were all there--the children with their unflappable spirit and the great man who gave them this gift of freedom, normalcy, and fun. Fourteen campers represented their camps that night. Some of them traveled from foreign countries, such as Italy and Hungary. I was moved and entertained at the same time: One moment, a teenager told us about his best friend, someone he met at his summer camp who never failed to make him laugh but eventually lost his battle with cancer. The next, a younger boy told us the best thing about his camp: two trees that together have grown to form the letter 'H.' "I was told to write an essay about what I love about the camp," he said, "But that would just ruin it."

This year's celebrity guests included Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Paul Simon, Trisha Yearwood, Josh Groban, and Jake Gyllenhaal. One of my favorite moments came during Elvis Costello's three-song set. The concert was backed by a 14-piece house band, but Elvis only enlisted four members of the string section. He commented on the beautiful theater's fantastic acoustics. Then, during his second song, "A Slow Drag with Josephine," he proved it. Playing alone on his acoustic guitar, he stepped away from the microphone but kept singing while roaming the stage. Avery Fisher Hall is elegantly simple in shades of beige, but Elvis was right: The acoustics rock!

Here, Comet volunteered to take center-stage because he loves Elvis Costello! While Gordon, B.J., Lily, and Ashes are in the band, the other kitties wouldn't dare miss this event. They've snagged front-row seats.

(Illustration Friday: April 6, 2012)

At the benefit, Elvis Costello introduced "A Slow Drag for Josephine," saying that he was about to play some rock 'n' roll. Our cheers transformed to giggles when he clarified, "At least, it's rock 'n' roll as I imagine it in 1921." You may not know this song, so I thought I'd include it here for your listening pleasure. While not quite as cool as the version I heard, here he is singing it on Jools Holland's show, "Later Live," in 2010. Enjoy!

Video © BBC

Return

In early April, I spent three days in New York. I attended a couple of fantastic charity concerts, toured the American Museum of Natural History, and saw The Best Man on Broadway.

While I had a wonderful time, Lily was waiting for my return, and by the third day, I was eager to return to her too. I haven't figured out how she knows it's me, but I heard her calling me from down the hall of my apartment.

I told her all about my trip, and she told all about the sounds and shadows she tracked each day while I was gone. Now, everything's back to normal.

(Illustration Friday: March 30, 2012)

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #19--Sleepy Hollow (1999)

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


Beware Sleepy Hollow.

At the turn of the 18th century, New York City Constable Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is just beginning to introduce his colleagues to the scientific approach to criminal investigation using homemade primitive tools and potions. Laughed out of town, he is sent upper state to Sleepy Hollow, where he will use his "experiments" to solve the mystery behind a series of random beheadings. Upon arrival to this quiet village, Ichabod meets an odd cast of characters who tell him the legend of the headless horseman (Christopher Walken), an evil Hessian who rises from the dead to collect the heads. A squeamish man of science, Ichabod must forget reason and face his fears to solve this case.

Do it with style!

Tim sets up a shot at The Tree of the Dead.

Sleepy Hollow marks Johnny's third collaboration with Tim Burton. As with the previous two (Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood), they shared a common interest and vision for it. "It's the type of movie that I used to like to watch all the time and actually made me want to make movies," Tim said. "It has a good healthy mix of excitement and [being] slightly scary but funny all at the same time. That is always interesting, trying to mix all those things together." Johnny agreed: "I used to watch all sorts of horror films as a kid. I loved them. I was obsessed with them and wanted to recreate that classic style of horror film acting." (Think of Vincent Price and Peter Cushing.) Sleepy Hollow turned into an admirable salute to Hammer Horror Films, which both Tim and Johnny grew up watching.

Drakula!

The film's fantastic supporting cast includes Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Christopher Walken, and a bunch of memorable character actors--all of whom, reviewers noted, have great silent-movie-era faces. Because of their great faces, Tim began treating the film like a silent movie, despite all the dialogue, letting the actors convey things without saying them. Christopher Walken actually modeled the headless horseman after Lon Chaney's "Wolfman" character. "My figure is a little like me: After a day of chopping heads, he just goes home and has dinner," he joked. "My forte seems to be psychotic, twisted people. He's very like that." (I love that he does nothing but growl.) And, Tim even got Christopher Lee ("Drakula" of the Hammer Horror Films) to give a cameo. "That was a real honor to have him play this part and sort of set the tone for the film," he said. "It's amazing to watch this person work, this person who's inspired you. He has such a power to him."

Ichabod Crane was originally written as an unattractive fellow, and Johnny was all for using a prosthetic nose and big ears. Thankfully, his director talked him out of it. "Tim was very smart in thinking that we didn't need it, that there were other ways," Johnny explained. "I think, ultimately, he was right to show an Ichabod Crane who--on the surface--is kind of stoic and likes to think of of himself as a sort of manly man. But, in fact, he's very fragile, sensitive, and flawed." For his inspiration, Johnny gave Ichabod Angela Lansbury's "Murder She Wrote" super-sleuthing talents mixed in with the squeamish fears of a little girl.

"Johnny is so kind and such an amazing actor," Christina Ricci, who also worked with him in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, said. "He takes risks and does things that other actors wouldn't do because of their vanity. He's willing to make a complete fool out of himself for the performance." Tim explained, "Johnny was excellent at pretending you know what you're talking about when you haven't a clue. He's also a very good physical actor. He understood--when you look at people like Peter Cushing--these actors in these kinds of movies, where there's a kind of style. It's almost like animation poses, where movement is very much a part of the character. He's very good at that." Johnny is really funny in this movie.

Based on Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," this is a story that everyone involved remembered as a kid, either from the classic book or the Disney cartoon. Tim stayed true to the story and its fairytale feel. But, built from scratch in the English countryside (or in studio), everything from the village homes to the haunted Western Woods are unmistakably Tim Burton's vision. Everything is a little off, twisted, eerie--and fantastic. "I think Tim, first and foremost, is an artist. He has an artist's approach to every facet of the film," Johnny said. "Everything within the frame is of great importance to him--the composition of the shot, the colors, the movement." When I first saw photographs of the set during filming, I immediately started bouncing off the walls to see the finished product. "Tim is so incredibly visual," Christina Ricci said, "His movies are just really beautiful but strange, and for this kind of movie, that's exactly what it needs." Miranda Richardson agreed, "When you walk on to a set that Tim's made, it's extremely magical. It's like another world. It's very exciting to see his beautiful drawings realized in full." Simply put, Johnny said of Tim's Sleepy Hollow, "I want to live there."
 
Sleepy Hollow was nominated for a bunch of awards. It won an Oscar for best art direction/set decoration, and Johnny won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor of the Year (Horror).

Nothing brings the family together like a Johnny Movie.
Released on Thanksgiving, my entire family was around to be dragged to the theater during Sleepy Hollow's opening weekend. Everyone liked this one, lopped off heads and all.
 
The Kitties revisit Sleepy Hollow.
As many of you may know, I participate in IllustrationFriday.com, which gives a word for artistic inspiration each week. One week, Illustration Friday's word was "hollow," and I couldn't think of anything else but this movie. (I really can't help it.) Here's the drawing I came up with for it back then:

(Illustration Friday: July 10, 2009)

After watching the film for Johnny Kitties, I'm still in love with Tim Burton's Tree of the Dead, but more Kitties wanted to be involved in the illustration. Here, Ichabod, Katrina (Mini) and Young Masbath (Marc Pickering/Simon) look on as the horseman reclaims his head and sets toward his resting place with some company, Katrina's stepmother (Miranda Richardson/The Mother Kitty). Tim considers this a happy ending for all.

Johnny kept busy in the '90s.
If you haven't noticed already, Johnny's a pretty prolific guy with interests all over the place. Since I missed mentioning some of his side projects and extra-curricular activities at the time, here are some highlights from the 1990s.

1994: 

-- Introduced Neil Young singing his Oscar-nominated song "Philadelphia" at the 66th Annual Academy Awards.

1995: 
-- Participated in The Help Album, a charity recording benefiting The War Child Project targeting such war-stricken areas as Bosnia and Herzegovina. Johnny plays guitar on a song called, "Fade Away," with Oasis and friends.
-- Formed a band called P with Gibby Hanes, Bill Carter, and Sal Jenco. They record and release an album on Capitol Records.

1998: 

-- Met French model/singer/actress/soul mate Vanessa Paradis: "It was love at first sight," Johnny said. "Vanessa, to me, has been a kind of miracle."

1999: 

-- Portrayed one of his literary heroes, Jack Kerouac, in an American Masters documentary called The Source: The Story of The Beats and The Beat Generation. 

-- Received an honorary Cesar--the French equivalent to an Oscar--for his body of work. 

-- Was honored with a star on The Walk of Fame.

-- Became a father to daughter Lily-Rose, born in May, who magically, instantly, and noticeably made Johnny a calmer, happier person: "My daughter, the birth of my daughter, gave me life. I'm sure I smiled before, laughed before, but now I can really feel it."  

Bring on the 2000s!

Next month, Johnny fills up on Chocolat.

(Sleepy Hollow images © Paramount; P cover art © Capitol Records; The Source cover art © Fox Lorber; photos of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis at Sleepy Hollow premiere and Johnny Depp's Walk of Fame star © unknown.)

Swamp

The Kitties and I have never seen Swamp Thing or read the comic book, but somehow it was the first and only thing that came to mind. And, you know how the Pixar cartoons show bloopers during the ending credits? That really happens! Don't worry, Norman and Mini finally got it together.

(Illustration Friday: March 23, 2012)