Mom’s Artwork::Exhibit 10: Simple Simon

People, Things, , ,

I’ve written about my mom’s tenure with the Famous Artists School several times. I found a few more of her assignments today.

This one I remember well. She used an illustration from one of my books as the model. I don’t know it it was cheating or not, but the evaluator had a few suggestions.

Mom’s assignment

She pretty much copied the pie man from this image.

Illustration from The Junior Instructor Book 2 (I always wondered why this illustration made Simon look like a girl)

The instructor, and in my opinion, rightly so, suggested that Simon look more adorable than scary. They provided the following feedback and redrew the scene to illustrate their opinions.

  • Make Simon smaller & lovably goofy, clearly indicating his financial predicament.
  • I like your dog, to which you can add other child pleasing small animals, fowl, turtles, birds and animated thistles
  • This is a nonsense rhyme, so have fun!
  • Emphasize the bakers white costume with value contrast
  • Unify the lively fair to avoid spottiness
  • Lower the horizon to make the baker larger
  • A vignette edge is more interesting and creates air around the figures

Clinton’s Inaugural Ball

Death, Events, Family, Memories, , , , ,

In 1997 I (middle of the photo) was teaching the 6th grade with my friend Joan (third from the right in the photo). Her mother (farthest to the left in the photo) was an elementary school principal and through an organization she belonged to procured tickets to a minor inaugural ball for whomever wanted them. I immediately said yes and asked both my mother (second from the left) and aunt (third from the left) if they were interested. Joan brought her mother and another teacher, Caroline (second from right) brought her daughter (farthest to the right).

We had fun (I had too much fun) and we had our photo taken.

Today the only two people from that photo still living are Joan and me. When each person died I remembered this photo and thought of that photo in Back to the Future where the family members disappeared. In our case though, any disappearance was not due to not ever having been, but because they no longer were. I’ve misplaced my photo and just came across Mom’s copy.

Joan’s mom, my mom, my aunt Ginny, Me, Joan, Carolyn, Carolyn’s daughter