The Anti Princess Part II

I'm reverting to my no pupils phase! This is my first real WIP (work in progress) entry. I started this piece YEARS ago. My original intent was to collage different clippings of classic fairy tale coloring books into a strange new scene. In the end, I just ended up painting over everything and redrawing more grotesque things on top.  She's supposed to be a nod toward Ariel from The Little Mermaid surrounded by her "thingamobobs"; a strange combo of dead, creepy things like skulls and moths- but also sweet and colorful things like ice cream! 

The Anti Princess

I started this a while ago right before my mom died. The plan was to collage all these coloring book elements, and slowly transform them into a more wonky, macabre scene. I wanted the viewer to feel like it's a Disney scene gone wrong.  Now I'm in the process of the transformation! I miss collage- I may do more of it (with my own drawings) in the future. Anyway, I may show this at the PeaceLove show, but not sure yet! 

Cats Snooze, We Read

So, this is a color study for a bigger piece. It is an illustration of a fond memory; my mom reading me bedtime stories before she got sick. I took some artistic liberties here to make the scene warm and cozy. The cats were certainly there, however there would have been about three more... and we would have been on a deflating water bed and my mom would have had been smoking a cigarette with an over flowing ash tray nearby. Despite these little things, it's a good memory so I wanted to illustrate it as such. 

Let's Be Serious

Alright folks, I'm gonna cut through the BS and get real serious. Ready? Sure, this illustration is about my favorite dead cat from when I was little- but it's really a lot more. Who's the dead cat you ask? My mom. Why am I burying her in the backyard with a shovel. Well, let's say this is a step in trying to "put to rest" all of my unresolved feelings about her death. You'll also note the little red birdie in the corner. That's the sign of my most favorite person in the world; my Nanny. Last night I found this forum filled with hundreds of stories of how other people lost their moms to suicide. This illustration can't begin to exhibit what I feel everyday, but it's a start. This one will also be at the PeaceLove show May 22nd. 

The Saddest Night

This is a color study for my next piece. I used Parrish again for inspiration. That guy is amazing. I saw his work in person last summer- his colors are phenomenal. Anyway, I digress. There's a larger story behind this one that has to do with a very special cat named Rebel. I'll save that story for when the piece is fully finished in a few days. 

Sassy Cassie Finished!

I really enjoyed this one. I'm pretty sure I'm finished. I may do a little fine tuning before I send it on off to her lovely parents, but for the sake of sharing it, I'll say it's done. My favorite part of it? Trying to replicate the titles of Cassie's favorite books in like 3 millimeter spaces, ha. I'd love to hear your thoughts- I know this is a happier direction than most of my work, but I really enjoy how using happy colors affects my mood! Who knew?

Okay, Don't Freak Out...

But this is an illustration of me burying my cat as a kid. Listen, yes it's weird, but like I said, I had a lot of cats growing up. I got to thinking about the house I grew up in and the new people who live in it now. We buried SO many of our deceased pets (of which there were many) in the backyard. I feel bad for them if they ever go digging.
Anyway, I never had to bury a cat alone, but my very first encounter with loss was my beloved black cat Rebel. I guess this would represent a lot of different things; not just that initial loss, but the many that have followed. This will be another one for the PeaceLove show.