For Kate . . .

(turn up the music if you want to hear what I listened to while making this piece and writing about my friend.)


(did you know? you can click on the image to see it in detail)

Let me tell you about Kate.

I have so much to say, I don't know where to start or how to say what I feel. Kate is my friend and all that that entails. One of my very closest and most special friends I've made since being an adult. Kate worked with me in the elementary school library that I left this last June. I spent more time with Kate over the last few years than anyone else (unless you count sleeping time with hubby). No pun intended considering our work, but Kate can read me like a book. Though we are not far apart in age, she is my big sister. Not the patronizing kind, but the logical, caring, and wiser kind. She kept me sane through some very difficult times in my life - I don't think I'm exaggerating. My family lost some very special people long before their time in the midst of a lot of other drama - we took a lot of hits in a short amount of time that made me think, "what did we do to deserve what we're getting"? About a year ago, I was just hangin' on. I look back now at how very sad and unlike me I was and realize she fluffed my wings. She reminded me the sun would be up tomorrow. She helped everything be okay - at least survivable.

Beyond that, she was there for me when I was teaching art and telling me I needed to make art for me, not just the school. She was there at the beginning and the end. The end of putting myself off and the beginning of the of following of a long lost dream. She is my friend, my true, selfless encouraging, supportive, caring, understanding, friend.

And, she loves elephants.

For six months I have tried to find a gift to give her, something with an elephant, about an elephant, an elephant itself! I found suppliestogo.etsy.com and there was my elephant and this morning I woke up and had the idea in my head. (It's funny that lately I dream of making art, really good art, honestly, I dream about it and don't want to wake up and face reality!) I threw all other plans aside and set to work - I had to do this today for some reason. And, it is a bit of a stretch for me - an elephant AND words! So, Kate, I can give nothing to you that would compare to what you have given me over the years. I can only give you what my heart and brain can tell my hands to do, flaws and mistakes and all. This is, finally, my thank you gift for you.



This is a 5 x 7 collage using wings and elephant form suppliestogo.etsy.com and girls and crowns from lisasalteredart.etsy.com. All of the images were edited and reworked in photoshop and other photo editing programs, reprinted, carefully trimmed and, in some cases, re-colored by hand. The pieces were arranged on a watercolored background with text from a very old encyclopedia.

I may not post over the weekend. I have to get some real world stuff done. Come back Monday!