Back to School

I have been trying to get as much done as I can before Sept 17 & 18 (in time for the Rockford Artists' Fair) and haven't been as successful as I'd like. School officially started yesterday and I inevitably shifted my focus to seating charts and lesson plans. I did manage to finish this piece though. It is my largest and most detailed piece yet.The words on each girl say, "Never forget who you are little star" and "Never forget how to dream butterfly" (lyrics by Madonna). I'm not quite sure if they are sisters, friends or mother & daughter...not sure if it matters.

Finally Finished...Again

You may remember this piece from way back in March, when I thought that it might be done....but, oh no, it was not! It has been nagging me quite a bit since then. It looked a bit incomplete and the message seemed to be unclear. I have been hunting for a mother/daughter quote to top it all off, but had the hardest time. Yesterday, with the reality that summer is coming to a close and the Rockford Artist Fair is coming up, I got into high gear. So here is what I found:
It was actually a quote from a book on friendship. The words read, "I only wish you could see what I see when I look at you." (by Kobi Yamada). When I read that quote, it all clicked into place for me. My original intention with this painting was to show that deep connection between mother and daughter and it turned into sending a message to my daughter. I have so many wishes for my daughter, but one the biggest ones has to be that she be gentle with herself.