self-portrait sketch, age 8

When I was eight years old, my father took me on a long train ride down to New York City to go to the opera at the Met. We saw the Magic Flute, and the thing I remember most about it was Papageno, the bird man. I also remember how everything was gold and dark red velvet and how I was made to wear a frilly pink dress and bows in my hair. I hated pink. But I was awed by the Met. I have never been back and that was about 55 years ago.

This is a sketch with pencil and colored pencil in Peggy's sketchbook.

The funny marks in the background are rose petals on the previous page painted in back gouache.

Goddess (And Fearless Leader)

by mary, click image to view larger

Cancer: Brain Tumor, first thoughts

Cancer: Brain Tumor, first thoughts, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Click iamge to view larger. I am sorry to seem so morbid with my entries so far on this topic. I have this to say about that: there are many cancer survivors who are doing quite well. Cancer does not have to be a death sentence. What this is all about is that I have a brain tumor. However, it is nonmalignant and slow growing. But when I first found out about it, I was really freaked.

Cancer: In the aftermath (Mourning)

Cancer: In the aftermath (mourning), by Mary Stebbins Taitt. My father died of cancer, my sister-in-law died of cancer, two of my best friends died of cancer. I am deeply sorry. For them, and me and everyone else! Click image to view larger.

This is a water-color pencil drawing/painting on real paper. (I have been working digitally lately, for the most part), It was taken from a photo of a stranger at the Ren Fair, so if it's you, I apologize. And I can send you the original painting if you want it. I am imagining him standing all in black at the graveside of someone he loved, as I have seen people do in the past.

Squiggle fairlure note

I tried to make a beautiful lizard or snake, but I am not a good enough artist and returned to the cartoon squiggles. Top two available for making squiggle drawings. Click images to view larger or copy.

Chemistry: Guess what's Coming!

Chemistry: Guess what's Coming, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Leaves are Chemistry! (Well, everything is chemistry, actually!) But what I meant was, the fall colors that are starting to show where I live, just a little, are caused by chemical changes. The greens of summer are a pigment called chlorophyll which photosynthesize and make oxygen and all the sugars and starches we eat. There are also carotins and anthocyanins and zanthophylls in the leaves. When it begins to cool off and the sun drops low in the sky (I know, I know, it's NOT cooling off yet!), the leaves begin to seal themselves off from the tree (or vice versa) and the chlorophyll begins to die, exposing the other pigments of red, yellow and purple. YAY fall colors! YAY Chemistry. Who knew? (Who cared?)(I did!)

(For this week's challenge.)