M is for...

M is for..., watercolor on mixed media paper, December 9, 2011

Maroon is a color that seems to have gone out of fashion. I still like it paired with deep blue and light tan, even if that combination is not fashionable. In our family, we believe that there is a movie line appropriate for any occasion. The one here is a favorite from one of the most quotable movies ever. In fact, we rank movies by how many good quotes they yield. When I left for art school, my parents gave me one of those clever wooden figure models. It felt like a rite of passage. "I have my art supplies; I am now an artist." It seems that no one is neutral about mushrooms. I like them. My husband and I went to Disney World on our honeymoon 25 years ago. My daughter said I must include the Magic Kingdom on the "M" page. A mere suggestion of that famous castle is all I could manage. I have a collection of canning jars, from antique to brand new. I don't actually can anything, but I do put things in jars. There is a difference. I thought it would be challenging to draw some money, but it wasn't. American paper money is boring and uninteresting. I don't understand why so much effort goes into making postage stamps beautiful even though they are largely disposable, while our money, which is meant to last, seems to be intentionally ugly. These are the things that try an artist's soul! Maps don't have annoying voices, but my GPS doesn't have to be folded. M is for maroon, movie line, model, mushrooms, Magic Kingdom, Mason jar, money, and map.