Art Day

Yesterday was an interesting day. I got a slim packet in the mail from a woman in Mahopac, New York, named Angela Rizza.

What’d it contain? Three lovely, interesting, wildlife drawings/collages. The only message was “Thank you!” and her signature.

Now, I don’t know Angela – never met her and wasn’t familiar with her work. How I ended up with three of her illustrations is a complete mystery. Mind you, I’m happy as all Hell to have them. (editor's note: Hell is actually quite the convivial, entertaining joint. Just ask Mister H. Bosch!)

I employed a bit of Google sleuthing and found this:

Angela is a freelance illustrator currently living and working in New York. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2011 with a BFA in Illustration. Since then she has been featured in a number of magazines and shows. Her work is a combination of traditional and digital media which is reminiscent of a classical storybook illustration. Besides artwork, Angela enjoys traveling, birdwatching and CrossFit. During the summer she runs advanced drawing, painting and sculpting classes at Camp Combe, runs after-school courses, and teaches glazing techniques at a local ceramics studio. She is open to comments, commissions, or questions and is currently available for illustration jobs. She is represented by Astound.US 

Huh, OK then! I'll find nice, simple frames and up on the walls they'll go. Thank you, Angela!

Less mysterious (in that I may've let slip that one of her prints would be a perfect bday prezzie – hint, HINT) but awesomely, magical, witty and lyric is the birthday gift from Jen and Oni – a Linda Baker-Cimini print.

Jesus Rapidograph Christ, I love her work. It never fails to fascinate and make me smile.

Oni picked out the perfect frame for it too.

So then, this was my first birthday without my astoundingly awesome Amazing Bob – it was hard but I made it through. Yea me. The day before – filled with memories of beautiful days past, of hilariously off key renditions of the Happy Birthday song, of TAB crafted cakes, covered in a thousand burning candles, of dinners down on Nantasket – was the worst. I was a sobbing I-MISS-HIM-I-WANT-HIM-BACK-NOW-NOW-NOW mess for most of Wednesday. Ironically, part of what made the actual day less horrific was that I woke with a miserable, killer summer cold PLUS I’ve got that pesky hamstring injury giving me no end of pain. Distraction. Not pleasant distraction BUT the blow was softened.

Also too, beautiful and unexpected art helped. ALOT!

(MORE editor notes – click on the images to embiggen them. Linda's and Angela's work is awesome plus. Go to their websites and see more too!)

BEST birthday card EVAH!