The Dandelion's Tale

The first major crop of dandelions blankets the fields and byways of my neighborhood. They remind me of a picture book I illustrated a few years ago.

"The Dandelion's Tale" written by Kevin Sheehan and published by Schwartz & Wade (March 2014) is a story about the unique friendship between a fuzzy old dandelion and a youthful sparrow. The dandelion knows that she has a short time to live and she wants to share her memories with her offspring. The sparrow learns these stories by heart and vows to pass them on.

Below are a few watercolor illustrations from the book.

Friendship is timeless.

…the sparrow heard the dandelion crying in the meadow

The dandelion couldn't survive the terrible storm of the previous night.

Later, the sparrow found a happy group of ten new dandelions in the meadow.

Painting the Sun

Every day, in front of an easel, paintbrush in hand, the artist stands before his patient model and paints a picture.

He paints a castle with a bell tower and doors upstairs and down. The bell sounds far off yet the house vibrates like crazy!
04-20-16

Another day, battling traditional modes of pictorial perspective, a weary bird finally finds a rocky resting place.
04-17-16

On a tower built from discarded canvases, the artist inevitably gets closer to the true subject.
04-16-16

To the Moon!

The bright light of the full moon creates deep black shadows

The waterfall flows all day and all night

Sparkling, splashing, silver scales flashing

Let's go all the way!

Fish going to the Moon
mixed media
04-07-16

Solitude

Clouds slide left and right and can't make up their minds.

A black bird travels in one direction: forward.

The elusive goal of solitude; it's an addiction for some.

A white noise metronome lulls the gods to sleep. The mischievous Universe expresses itself.

This randomness adds up to the meeting of two individual birds in the vastness of their individual lives

Noah's Ark?

Every day the news is filled with heartbreaking stories about people making arduous journeys into the unknown. They are leaving a bad situation and hoping to find something better. It may not be much better but perhaps, their children will benefit.

I am part of the broad American middle class. I live in a place and time where journeys like this are unthinkable. I am thankful for the comfort and stability I have luckily inherited. Yet… ? The imbalance and unfairness of Life befuddles me and makes me ashamed of my comfortable and predictable situation. This contradiction finds its way into my pictures (another privilege!) where some story is leaking out:

1. two birds on a colorful container ship out on the high seas. They wonder what is inside the steel containers.
2. What if  they were filled with other creatures? Animals who have perhaps lost their freedom and are being sold into servitude or the circus.
3. Or could it be a modern Noah's Ark full of hope for resettlement and the future in a new Promised Land.
4. Without hope, the journey is a despair filled Middle Passage. With hope, it's a desperate race against time to find that land that barrel bombs cannot reach. How nice!
5. Which story will emerge from my mind? I do not know yet.

03-05-16a
Two birds on a Container Ship

03-06-16a
possible cargo: animal prisoners or Noah's Ark?

03-05-16b
Prisoners