smiles | anntogether

*Another recent sketch – I call this one, Movie Star Millie*, *drawn from a 3″ photo taken in Atlantic City* *when my mom’s life was opened to an ocean of possibilit*ies

To keep my focus on the spirit of an image and not become mired in details, “My First Ticonderoga” #2 HB lead pencil is the only art implement I use. This pencil is a cumbersome preschooler one. Many times while sketching, this ginormous lead pencil really pisses me off, but I persevere, because I need the practice.

Why Millie this morning –

While reorganizing my studio desk, I opened the box tucked in the far back of the top drawer. In the small box, a Metropolitan Museum angel ornament Millie had given me years back, plus, other keepsakes added along the way. One such keepsake, another gift from Millie, was a poem printed on ‘parchment’ and its accompanying angel pin whose wings had broken off and disappeared.

I got to thinking how missing wings don’t matter. Missing wings will never matter.
Millie’s angel will always lift me up.

xo
am:)
Happy April Flowers

I don’t often show post-stroke images of my beautiful mom. I share the image (below) to share Millie’s joy.

Through three years of relentless pain, Millie smiled and expressed joy. Knowing her was a gift, and her lessons of love🌹 remain with me.

As her Halloween Birthday arrives, I will smile impossibly wide to pay Millie’s gift forward in a world that needs a hell of a lot more love

I wish you all a fun, fabulous, creative, smiling, and safe👻Happy Halloween!
am:)

(image below taken many harvest moons ago when Millie and Billy were cruisin’ around in their convertible Mustang GT, and my kiddies were not yet costing us college money😁)