I re-post all my little holiday drawings and illustrations as we race ever closer to Christmas morn!
Tag Archives: drawing
Peppermint Pigs, Not Pickles
I still remember about two decades ago being amazed that a Christmas enthusiast such as myself had never heard of Peppermint Pigs—hard-candy peppermint (pig-shaped of course) broken into sharable pieces for good luck in the new year. I also recall learning about the Christmas Pickle, but due to studio ventilation issues at the time, I opted for pig models over vinegar.😉
corkscrewed
how will we ever love
her strong spirit
it was just a room
it’s just a room
isn’t it
wasn’t it
what has been lost
it was just a room
if one is passionate
about their work
walls shouldn’t matter
or doors
only the spirit
only the heart
the room might be empty
but the mind is full
always full
if one is passionate
it was just a room
after all
Curl/charcoal
lessons earned
you’ve gone about halfway
so close
righteous peppers your tongue
your decades of experience
shower unadulterated minds
your determined suggestions
penetrate virginal ears
then the moon flips
your waxing tongue is stifled
nature in her amusing way
has pushed you out
and laughs at your wrinkled brow
she flawlessly accepts
what you won’t admit
children are whirlybirds in the wind
and the only thing you control
is where to sow the little seeds
in your vegetable garden
Photo – delicate daughter (now 17) and big son (now 14) standing in front of mural their mom painted in 2004.
Zebras prisma penciled in 2008
A Good and Decent Bowl
There once was a bowl
a good and decent bowl
it held soapy water
for a tiny infant
when her mother feared
the bath too large
There once was a bowl
a good and decent bowl
anchored beneath the chin
of a little boy
when his stomach feared
nursery school, too big
There once was a bowl
a good and decent bowl
it held on the shelf
for homeless socks
when they feared
losing perfect partners
And so is the life
of a good and decent bowl
Whose owner feared
new children were akin
to delicate birds
and nervous newts
before they grew
too tall and too strong
too fast
May you dream of a good and decent bowl that cares for treasures, both small and too large…
Please note though I’m all Italian I’d like to offer a big, beautiful, festively green Happy St. Pat’s to all!
Photos: Delicate daughter first used good and decent bowl when she was extremely delicate, Nana’s helping hands. Big son used good and decent bowl in mornings – he suffered nausea for 2 months at the start of nursery school. Now the good and decent bowl houses lost socks that dream of being reunited with their significant others. Perhaps one day we’ll bronze the good and decent bowl, as is the good and decent thing to do. 🙂
Art: (both critters endangered) rendered with marker and pencil a few weeks ago for a special project
Charlie’s Ears
My Friends,
Yesterday’s doll conversations brought back fond memories of a cherished childhood friend. His name was Charlie. He had curled pink fur and bright blue eyes that somehow didn’t seem right, but were. I remember many a dark night when Charlie was my cuddle pal.
I can’t remember why I cut Charlie’s long ears off. They were most likely cropped to better match his eyes. I can’t recall what eventually became of my beloved pink buddy. Maybe he ran away in fear. His little lunatic owner might chop off his balled tail which didn’t look quite right, but was.
It’s funny how sometimes making new friends can remind us of old lost ones. My blog buddy, Deb has an impossibly adorable dog named Charlie. If you’d like to see precious Charlie along with all his other four-legged house buddies visit C-Dog. Deb is a brilliant wordsmith and a great champion of animals in every conceivable color, even pink. And Fawn of Trigger’s Horse, handles her mom’s cherished doll collection with warmth and pride. Fawn is a volunteer extraordinaire and a multi-talented craftsperson.
Thank you. May you dream of your favorite childhood friend.
Charlie Dog drawn yesterday with misting eyes and markers
Of Peppermint Pigs and Promises
16 years ago I learned about a 134-year-old tradition. The giant husband and I were dining with friends over the Christmas holiday when someone produced a small satchel. From the pouch fell a little hard candy, pink pig. It was explained that the candy pig was broken into sharable pieces for good luck in the new year. She told me breaking a Peppermint Pig was a longtime tradition. I was quite amazed that a Christmas enthusiast such as myself had never heard of a Peppermint Pig. The following year I learned about the Christmas Pickle…
Here’s a link to The New York Times article, if you’d like to read about the Peppermint Pig’s sweet history.
Now there’s another reason for this post. A few weeks back I promised a wonderful friend I’d show her how to draw a pig. So Deb, as promised, please see sketch below. It’s all about seeing the basic shapes and once you can see the shapes you will become a pig master 🙂
