Illustration I converted into a Christmas card

"Beggar on the Windowsill"



This was done with mixed media: pen and ink, a little water color—both translucent and opaque. Latex paint spatters for snow. The windowsill was done with prismacolor pencils (hard lead). Colors I used were dark brown and indigo blue -- something I thought was more exciting than if I used just a gray colored pencil.

I should mention that the windowsill emerged from a detailed drawing I did from a Victorian home in Philadelphia—didn’t want to use the BORING windowsills in my own home in North Carolina. The squirrel, however, lived in Raleigh, N.C. He visited our kitchen windowsill every day while we were eating. We encouraged him 'cause we always gave him a peanut when he appeared. His name was “Tommy”.