Many Feathers Flocking Together and Other Tidbits

I'm working on a new series of painted eggs. All of them, as they are shown here, are still very much in progress. This group was commissioned by a woman who saw some of my work hanging up at the Arsenal Center and asked me to create a series to represent her family. I asked each individual (via email, I've never actually met them before) to choose his/her own alter-ego bird species. This has resulted in an unpredictable, and fabulously motley crew. The sixth family member has yet to choose his bird-self, but so far this gang consists of a macaw, a penguin, a robin, a parrot and a road runner. This commission is a great opportunity to branch out from my typically neat little pairs and groups of logically related and strictly North American bird species. What's more is that I can't get over the accidental genius of this wacky combination. What could be more authentically familial than a strange and wacky group of individuals all sharing the same space? And how's this for a nifty coincidence? Sunday night, just before I fell asleep, I read the following passage on the "wildlife" page of the April 2009 National Geographic:

"Some birds that look very different–say, bright hummingbirds and drab

nightjars–are long-lost kin. Some never considered together, like songbirds

and parrots, are really close relatives...."

I love doing commissions, for reasons both noble and self-indulgent. So if you would like your very own bird egg portrait series inspired by British Miniature portraits, shoot me an email.

In other news....it's official. I'm a grownup. I have business cards:

I made them at VistaPrint. At first I thought it might be a little premature to include "Illustrator" on there. I mean, I'm still in the process of getting my portfolios out to publishers. I haven't actually illustrated anything yet....Oh wait! That's not true! In 1999, when I was a lass of just 20 years old, I created these....."little gems" for a golfing book written by a family friend:Yes. I did just dig up an embarrassing little nugget from my own past and posted it on my blog. So we can laugh together. I'll be sure to include my eighth grade yearbook photo in my next post.

This morning, before I get to work, I'm going to rearrange my studio. I'm feeling unbearably cluttered in there.