Be Your Own Hero

“¡Si, se puede!” – Dolores Huerta

"Be Your own Hero," monotype, 9"x7"

Be Your Own Hero is a culmination of thoughts around common fairy tales.  We all know the ones – Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, etc.  They all expound this notion that someday some prince will arrive and rescue some poor damsel from whatever dragon or evil witch awaits.  As a child, I found these fairy tales frightening and offensive.  Equally repulsive was the story of kissing frogs in the hopes that a prince is secretly hidden within.

This initial manifestation of thoughts results in this beleaguered creature.  This poor frog is tired of being kissed and doesn’t want to fight dragons.  He simply wants to be himself and be loved just as he is.

Maybe it was this attitude I had towards fairy tales that made me feel so outside of normal society.  Nobody could ever give me the world because I already had one of my own.

Dolores Huerta was her own hero and I first heard about her as a child.  There she was on the news, a stark contrast to these feeble fairy tales.  She had agency that was inspiring to me.  She did it by being her brave and authentic self.

"What Blooms in February," monotype, 9"x7"

What Blooms in February is that first sight of flowers at the end of winter.  For the Bay Area, this can be Calla Lillies and Amaryllis.  This group of flowers dance and shine from winter’s gloom.  They remind us that further shores exist even if we cannot see them yet.

"Just Curious," monotype, 9"x7"

Urban wildlife is abundant.  It stares and wants us to know that it is watching us strange bi-pedal creatures. 

"Spirit Animal," monotype, 9"x7"

We’re going to be published!  This piece was juried into issue 012 of The Journal of Monochrome Art.  https://monochromica.com/index.html  This journal is distributed to galleries, designers, art collectors, oh my.  A larger group of people will see my work.

"Stray Girl," watercolor, 9"x6"

The online show for the Louisiana School of Veterinary Medicine is at this link: https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/events/animals_in_art_online.php  It's a lovely show. Please take a look.

I’m delighted to report Stray Girl sold.  It's always bittersweet to let go of a piece of art. I know she's going to a good home. I wonder where they will hang this piece.

AND!

eight new books

I taught a bookbinding workshop over the Halloween weekend in Sonora.  Eight beautiful new books were born to the world.  Judging by the photo below, we had a good time.  One million thanks to Shepherd Street Studios and Studio 49 for hosting me.

Joyous

AND, I think that this week’s election went splendidly.  I wrote 1,018 postcards to influence voters all over the country including: North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Florida, California’s 22nd district.  Joy feels so much better than despair.

Take care and more out of me soon…