On March 14th we celebrate International Pi Day. “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel tells the story of a young Indian who is lost at sea in a lifeboat with an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena, and a tiger. A reviewer wrote that “Life of Pi” was about God, survival, and tiger training. I showed my fine art at a Big Cat Rescue Fundraiser in Tampa which rescues exotic cats and rehabilitates injured or orphaned native wild cats. Big Cat Rescue was the subject of Netflix's “Tiger King” not long after the fundraiser.
“Where the Red Fern Grows” is one of the most popular children's stories ever written. Throughout the novel, we see how love, and not just loyalty, enables the boy and his dogs to persist and overcome. “Where the Red Fern Grows” has been banned for its content dealing with violence and death. Eileen, my friend who was a dog trainer, was also a licensed massage therapist and treated both new mothers and their babies. She saw in her practice that our lives, from beginning to end, resemble a complete, full circle.
I've been a commercial illustrator for 25+ years and I recently finished a watercolor character sketch of two super heros for a small business. I thought I'd write about what it takes to become a comic book illustrator, and why you might never get the chance if you're trying to learn while in prison.
Lewis Carroll is one of our favorite banned book authors. One of the most iconic drawings from Alice in Wonderland is “The Mad Tea Party” which was first illustrated by John Tenniel. It teaches the lesson that positive human interaction is dependent upon open communication and respect for others. Many people have reinvented Alice in Wonderland over the years including Walt Disney and Karen Strum.
I was notified that the Icons Museum purchased a first edition copy of "Matilda" by Roald Dahl. The museum features portraits of Hollywood celebrities by artist Matthew Montero and four decades themed rooms displaying collectibles from that time period. They made“Matilda” a part of their permanent 80's retro room.
