tantrum trust exercise
Most of the time our kid is rainbows and curiosity but often (okay, daily) there are… moments. We love her through it but whew! They can be pretty intense.
I hope you’re all well.
Posts
nachle
I had every intention of completing this drawing of our family dancing. Some of our best days are when the hubbahubba puts on a record and our daughter demands that we get up to dance (mostly to chaiyya chaiyya). Like many things this year, though, I did not have enough time. So I share it in its raw sketchy state as it still captures our joy.
It’s been a strange, exhausting year. Aside from sharing PASHMINA across the country, creatively the best art I shared were my free resistance coloring pages. Most of my other work I cannot share yet. In fact one of my projects, a picture book titled I WILL BE FIERCE was just announced.
For the first time in my years of working independently, I am taking 2 full weeks off for the holidays. Not working late on Christmas eve, not missing catching up with friends and family and taking a much needed mental break.
Thank you for all your support & shares. I hope you have happy, warm holidays.
i’m home
It’s been awhile since I’ve drawn for myself. Hope to squeeze a few more in before the end of the year.
I hope you have a warm weekend!
caretaker
At one of my shows this year, a fan told me that it was unfortunate that I couldn’t produce as much art as I did prior to becoming a mother. I nodded and tried to absorb what she was saying. It wasn’t offensive, it was merely her expressing her wish for more art.
In 2015, our family grew by one. Our tiny human consumes and directs our life. She also brings joy, light and laughter into our home every day. She changed me as a person, as an artist. So when she fell ill this weekend (don’t worry, she’s very slowly on the the mend) I cancelled my trip to DC. I had a fleeting thought about my work and about my conversation from earlier this year.
I love my family and I love my career. They overlap, sing together, sing apart, and occasionally have friction. My days are scheduled and my art making hours are restricted. Multiple times a day, my daughter comes into my studio, sits on my lap and asks for one of my pens. Every so often, I drop by her room to sing a song with her and our nanny or distract her while we sneak a jacket on for their morning walk. I welcome these forays from my work.
I do produce less art. To think that I could be the same artist and produce the same quantity of work would be foolish. To say that parenting changes you is an understatement. I chose to cancel my trip and take care of my baby, but I will still raise money for causes I believe in. All proceeds for the sales of the print below (past and future) will be donated to the ACLU.
Finding the balance between my family and career has made me sharply aware that my power – our power – isn’t merely in our ability to stay persistent in our work – it is our ability to change, adapt and continue to do good work.
Original watercolor sold. Prints available here.
elephant ride + remake
I will be vending at the ReMake festival tomorrow in San Francisco. I hope to see you there – and happy weekend!
alex & the flash
12 years ago I met a rambunctious 2-year old named Alex. He climbed anything he could, locked himself in and out of rooms, and somehow made being stubborn adorable.
I didn’t know that years later he would become my nephew. He was the first child I spent time with in my adult life. He and his brother lit up our lives with goofiness, climbing antics and conversations we still laugh about today. It feels like a gift to be around a child from the very beginning. I can appreciate what a wonderfully kind and calm person he’s become. Our daughter, even at such a young age, is already enamored with his calm aura and warm spirit.
Sadly, our nephews and their family are leaving the state. I cannot begin to put into words what it will be like at our family functions without their family. I’m sad for us all as we experience the loss of their presence in our everyday lives. And I’m truly sad that our daughter will not be able to play and learn from Alex. I think they would’ve been great friends.
A few months back Alex asked me to draw him with the Flash for his birthday. Because of my book deadline, I didn’t get a chance to draw it until today.
Happy belated birthday, Alex.
nani
happy birthday to my mom – her first as nani chanani! ^_^
cinque terre
this year we used points and savings to take a dream trip to italy. the hubbahubba’s family traces back there. the highlight of the trip was our week in cinque terre – enjoying limoncello and the beautiful views. we went to a small town in the region that was his great grandmother’s home and i watched him have the experience of belonging that i had when i went to india as an adult. since then life has been busy but i’ve wanted to draw this for months. i’m so happy that i could complete this before the year’s end!
happy, happy new year ^_^
