Still Life (Not So)

Still Life - Not

This was done with a different kind of pen than I've used before. It's "Prismacolor," acid-free, lightfast and archival quality according to the package. Well, my scanner doesn't like it so much. It can't seem to pick up the color as well as my old gel pens, so the lines are fuzzy.

Just goes to show: It's important to experiment and find the best tool for the job at hand.

This picture is about relationships - the good, the bad, the complicated and conflicted. Being a person who enjoys solitude, I am easily overwhelmed at holiday time. That is to say, Christmas was nice, but I'll also be relieved to return to my humdrum existence of quiet days sewing, drawing, etc.

I have to tell you, though, that the highlight of Christmas this year was getting to hold my new little grand nephew, just six (I think?) weeks old. What a wonderful experience! I haven't held a baby in many years, and it brought back memories of when I was raising my own children. There is nothing like the experience of nurturing tiny helpless infants, who will all too soon become the "movers and shakers" of the future.

When my kids were little, I didn't have nearby relatives to babysit, and daycare facilities were rare and expensive (they're still expensive), so I didn't really have a choice about my mothering "style." Today, young parents do sometimes have a choice, so they  fuss and worry a lot about the decision to "stay home" or "work."

The decision can only be made by the family, and no one should judge or criticize or pressure them. God bless 'em!

And thank you, little Matthew, and Matthew's parents, for sharing your special joy with me.