what do we revere

Illustration Friday's theme this week is "Homage," the definition of which varies from "respect" to "reverence" to "reverential respect." It comes from a ceremony during "feudal times by which a tenant or vassal promised fealty and service to his landlord." 

Not so much respect, in my view, as a statement of, "Ok, I'll do as you want, just let me live here
and don't throw me to the wolves,"
so to speak. 

I prefer to like what I revere.

You I Like

collage

10 inches high x 8 inches wide

the color of light

At Letchworth Park the other day, the cold air, the clear sky, and the water droplets from the waterfall separated the sun's light into its true colors. If only everything hidden could be seen clearly once in a while.

what we reject

Poisons

10 inches high x 8 inches wide

collage

"Pet Peeves" was this week's theme on Illustration Friday; not really something that grabbed me, made me think of stupid pet tricks. But then I thought of Red Dye #2—funny how the mind works, eh?—and ended up with the illustration above. Poor critters.

this spring

New River Gorge Bridge, West Virginia

Today, I spent a bit of time here at the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Really old river; older than the Appalachian Mountains through which it flows, cutting its path while the mountains rose then eroded away.

According to a story on NPR today, spring is showing up eight hours earlier each year. One day every three years. Since 1981, when this measuring started, spring is now nine days earlier. This is measured by the amount and kind of vegetation appearing at the same time each year. Or, another way: the same vegetation is at a particular stage earlier and earlier each year. All sorts of critters could get very confused.

south carolina travels

Off I-85, just outside of Gaffney, SC, the frontage road that used to be called just "Frontage Road" is now called "Peachoid Road" because that is where the local water tower, shaped like a peach, stands. Glorious peach, leaf and all. Whoever built this and whatever authoritative body approved it should be commended for their senses of pride and humor. Here they are, those responsible.

where is Atlas?

Ah the Burden

10 inches high x 8 inches wide

collage

Illustration Friday's theme this week is "Heavy" and this is what came out of it.

hanging on my wall

This is a small part of a quilt top that has been hanging on my wall for at least two years. It is six feet tall and five feet wide and needs to be backed, batted, and quilted. Then I can either use it, as I do all my large pieces—and that's why I call them "quilts" and not "art"—or hang it back on the wall, although I would really like to avoid that. It's been there too long.

nice answer to too much scrutiny

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

another

This is the Lima SockMunky. I found him hiding about 10 miles away. Silly critter. He now joins the rest of the sock creatures who live in my studio.

the garden of eden

In the spirit of Spring and Daylight Savings Time and all those dreams of flowers blooming in the front yards, Illustrations Friday's theme this week is Garden. And, instead of picturing all those daffodils and crocuses and irises that are going to rise up out of the eight inches of snow and ice that had fallen on my backyard flower beds in the past 48 hours, I thought of that pie-in-the-sky place called Eden, the Garden of our Origins, the Paradise to which we aspire. And this is what I saw.

Eden

10 inches high x 8 inches wide

collage

cats

You've seen this man's "Cat Man Do" animation. Here is "Let Me In."
Enjoy.

fishies

I am participating in an Art2Mail postcard swap. The deadline is March 15 and I am on time. These are the postcards that I am sending out. All fish. There's something about fish that appeals to me; I think it's their silence. They glide and flitter and dive and meander and, from our point of view, they do it quietly. Yes, often they are frantic, but that's when something disturbs them, like our human presence. But when there are no predators, then there is nothing to do but eat and enjoy the day.

I wonder: what kinds of sounds do fish make?

leaping

Because this Friday was February 29th, leap day for the leap year, the Illustration Friday theme was "leap." I leapt. I leapt into another place, filled with animals, toys, rain, and all those things endangered by stupid people.

Enough. Enjoy.

Into the Fire

collage

7 inches high x 5 inches wide