by admin | Jun 3, 2016 | Stories
Cats crack me up. They seem to think they’re panthers and stalking prey is their task. Forget that they have their own special bowl with their name on it. You can’t take the natural behavior out of any animal.
And this leads me to ask, do animals play? This is baby rabbit season and I have enjoyed the little bunnies literally chasing each other around my yard. They seem to be enjoying their “play.”
I began to start drawing some animals for a design brief I’m working on and took the idea of animals playing to create the above print, textile and wallpaper design. Just a simple idea or observation can morph into something useful and beautiful.
From a few of my design colleagues:
“I adore this pattern. Wallpaper for my daughter’s room, please!” – Natalie Couto
“It’s got the feel of historical textile design but you’ve made it bang up to date with the colors and the illustrative characters. The cats look so cheeky; If I were the bird I’d watch out.” – Rachael Parker
“Such a stunning design!” – Rachael Taylor
It’s nice to know you’ve created something people like and isn’t that the goal we designers have for all our work? Hope you enjoy it too.
This design is available as a print and other products you might like at my store on Society6 and also Fine Art America.
by admin | May 20, 2016 | Stories
Living with other humans teaches us to overlook and forgive offenses. I live with a feathered “child.” Seriously, a cockatoo has the brains of a three year old human child. Like any toddler, they are messy and selfish. They are endlessly affectionate and throwing a tantrum the next.
Angel believes, apparently, that my “spotless” floor is a place to toss stuff she’s no longer interested in. In her mind she lives in a cockatoo forest high in a Eucalyptus tree. She drops anything she doesn’t want so it lands on the forest floor. She would argue she has no hands and no place to store what she doesn’t want so dropping it seems logical to her. I could clean up the floor around her eight times a day and it would still need more cleaning after that. That’s the downside of living with a bird.
The upside is she’s smart, funny, affectionate and a thing of rare beauty. When you look at your own child, maybe a toddler or even a teenager, don’t you see their upside more than their flaws? Living with a bird in my house is not ideal but it teaches me to be patient, especially with those who are totally unaware of their own shortcomings. Angel has no idea that I’m overlooking her offenses moment by moment.
As far as she’s concerned she’s just being the delightful creature God made her to be. I envy the life of a cockatoo. She has no bills to pay, is always fed, her area cleaned up by the “maid” and she gets a massage whenever she comes to me for affirmation that she is loved. I wonder if that’s how God sees me.
“Cockatoo Envy” is a repeat pattern, even though I’ve shown just a closeup. It’s meant to work as a stand alone print, or as wallpaper, a duvet cover, shower curtain, stationary, gift wrap, a serving tray, or . . . can you think of something else? Let me know what you’d like to see it on or if you would like your very own print, by leaving me a message below. Hope you enjoy it.
