A NEIGHBOR gave me a quantity of cast-off, stuffed animal toys during the pandemic. I have no desire to make decor for children’s rooms, as I’m often asked. Instead, I was attracted by the calming nature of these toys which soothed my agitated pandemic state. I am exploring politics, current events and feelings about childhood using these characters. Currently, I am creating silent conversations with some toy figures.
MY ART PROFESSORS ridiculed the idea of including a pet in a composition. But it’s traditional for artists to paint their family, wives and collectors…in my case, I just paint my roommates, which often happen to be rabbits.
I SWITCHED back to oils to paint the toys. The oil colors are so rich. I am not using solvents, so the application is like drawing; cross-hatching with a stiff brush. I allow six months to dry before applying a varnish. Painting from life is best when possible. I start directly with a brush on a toned canvas, and adjust the drawing as I build up layers.
IN THE GALLERY below, I have included a few plein air landscapes. I tend to show a few different ones at every open studio. Ask me about your neighborhood and I’ll see if I have any of your area.
MY BOOKS are available to read in my studio: “Rabbit Language or ‘Are you going to eat that?’ “, a humorous gift guide to understanding pet rabbits, “Ladybird: My Eight Lives“, and “Dumbunny” an Easter Bunny story, written by Mary Ann Wolf. I create political cartoons and post them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. These became a book, “Laugh About It: Cartoons for the Resistance” published in October 2019. Other book projects are in the works.
