Where have I been? .....Asleep

Hello everyone.
I am weeks behind Illustration Friday and it just so happens that this week's theme is "Asleep".
Yes, my pens have been asleep as I have been busy caring for my lil' ones while trying to get used to my new part time job. I started working as an Art Teacher, out of all things, in all girls yeshiva. Who knew?
It came out of the blue and now I am challenged to come up with weekly arts and crafts projects for grades from Pre-1A to 8th.
I never taught art before. To my surprise, I felt like I have always done it and both teachers and students were happy. Thumbs Up!
It is quite a psychological challenge as well. I increased my  respect for all the teachers out there ! So if anyone has a petition to sign for teachers to be respected and paid more, I'll be glad to sign it!

Bellow is my IF entry for this week. I love babies and I so I draw them.
This is an ACEO card, drawn with archival Sakura Pigma Micro Pens on acid free Strathmore Vellum paper. You can find more of my ACEO's here.

Illustration Friday: BOTTLED

For this week's illo I have chosen a drawing  I made in 2009.

It was designed to accompany a story called: "The Woman Who Plowed Verses", in Dr. Sherry Reiter's captivating and healing book: "Writing Away The Demons: Stories Of Creative Coping Through Transformative Writing".

It is a collection of stories by those who, while in crisis, took up a pen and paper and wrote stories, poetry, memoirs, and more in order to cope with their dilemmas ranging from addiction to cancer.

Dr. Sherry Reiter, LCSW, one of the pioneers in poetry therapy, is a uniquely gifted writer, practitioner, and educator for her pioneering work as a therapist using writing and poetry for wellness. For workshops, lectures, or training, you may contact:  www.thecreativerightingcenter.com.

The story accompanying this drawing is about a woman, professional calligrapher, who suffered tremendously in a relationship with an alcoholic. She used writing to successfully overcome her struggles and start anew. 

Below is an excerpt from her chapter.

"…He deceived me from the beginning. Yes, I was gullible. I was lonely and hungry for some intimate personal attention. He was a magnificent, well-practiced liar, and I must confess that I wanted to believe everything he said. . . He was not what he appeared to be — a healthy, creative artist who was a bachelor. In reality, he was a married alcoholic whose work life was rapidly spiraling downward from inattention and irresponsibility. He kept his 29-inch waist by drinking and hardly ever eating. He lived on sugared coffee and straight-up gin which he bought in the jumbo size twice or three times a week and stored behind his workbench, and which he drank from first thing in the morning to the last thing at night . . ."

 

*  *  *

Copyright © 2011 Malka Michaela Barshishat, All Rights Reserved.

Addictions in any form CAN be treated. With will, the right tools, guidance and support. 

If successful, it changes the lives, both of the addicted and those around them.  Everything happens for a reason.  A repercussion of one's acts, a lesson to be learned, even often ever so painful.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

If anyone reading this is experiencing such challenges or is close with someone who does, I highly recommend Dr.Reiter's book in helping to overcome these hardships (sherryreiter@yahoo.com).

Blessings...

Name Keepsake: Sivan Noa

I am soo behind in my assigmnets.
I have been working forever on name keepsakes for a relative.
They are being delivered way behind the promised time and I feel so bad....
Sometimes mixture of circumstances and artist's block prevents us from performing the way we'd like.
Being a working mom by day and an artist by night...I find it  impossible to set priorities.
How does one prioritize priorities?
When every issue I am facing has to be resolved RIGHT NOW, my head is spinning to say the least.
Does that happen to everyone?

An old Jewish saying goes: "If you want to make G-d laugh, tell him what your plans are."
So I just have to give in to the will of the Creator, and hope, the recipients will like my work so much, they will forgive me for its delay.

So below is my name keepsake for a little girl, that was designed days after she was born, drawn around last year's summertime, accidentally been damaged,  has been redrawn  two months ago, finished this weekend and  is being shipped off today, couple months after her first birthday.

I truly hope though, it will be treasured forever.

Copyright © 2011 Malka Michaela Barshishat, All Rights Reserved.

 I really really enjoyed drawing it!

Materials: Micron archival markers and Strathmore Bristol Vellum acid free paper.

Illustration Friday: DUET

This illo was inspired by a photo of twins.
When I think of duet, I imagine the perfection of two little heartbeats in mommy's tummy.
Complimenting each others rhythms. Synchronized...
And continuing to do so even after birth.

Happy Purim!

This past weekend we have celebrated the Jewish holiday of Purim.
While Dell reps were fixing my computer last week, I was Zentangling and came up with this Purim greeting card image.
Wicked Haman is walking Mordechai through the town  on the king's horse. King Achashverosh and Queen Esther are the other images.

Megillat Esther teaches us that life’s challenges are always for the best, because what appears as an obstacle is really an opportunity to develop ourselves for the better. And it all comes from God’s invisible hand that guides our fate, every step of the way.

Zentangle  is so much fun ! I got a whole portfolio in my head! :)

Illustration Friday: Swarm

People say, you should not have expectations..
I say, you have to have expectations, just expect the unexpected!

When I was about 6 yrs old, I spent a few weeks of summer vacation with my family in a rented cottage. It was a small colony of about ten cottages, ten families, no electricity, just kerosene lamps.
My mother used portable gas stove to cook her delicious melas on, and we took "showers" outdoors, under an iron water well pump.
Me and my sister ran around, smelling of summer sun. Trees and grass and buzzy bees and birds everywhere. Endless outdoors adventures. Exciting summer storms, that kept us indoors playing cards and board games, mushroom hunting..I could go on and on..wooonderfull summer!

One morning I woke up to find our grassy cottage front swarming with hundreds of orange butterflies.

They were all gone by mid day, besides one.
For some reason, one butterfly stayed, and followed me the whole day.. I think I gave him a name.
He flew away into the sunset right before my bedtime. I couldn't fall asleep. I got so attached to him.

The following day,  he was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, while I was playing in the grass, he came out of nowhere and sat on my shoulder!
I froze and called out for mom to come and look. I got up slowly and he stayed on me while I walked around. I felt so special!
Two more weeks till the end of the summer vacation in the cottage; he came back every day!

I was heart broken when we had to leave.
The following summer, I couldn't wait to see if he was back...  :)

This drawing is based on my memory of this one magical summer encounter.