Dear Lilly Belle, 2019
I think this poem has been in the making for several years, now, but mostly as nebulous bits of thought on the topic of existence, self-awareness, and relationships. The celebration of my niece’s first birthday was something of a catalyst for its realization. There are few things more pure than the expressions of a child experiencing firsts, few things more beautiful than the joy and wonder she exudes after each of her tiny new triumphs.
Feathers and Further, 2017-2018
This was my first year participating in the Sketchbook Project. The way it came together was almost accidental. I originally had a different idea entirely in mind for a theme, but I kept drawing and painting pictures of my dog, Science (who doesn’t love a corgi?). In the end, there were very few images I’d worked on in the original theme, so I picked my favorites of what I did create and bound them together. The poem was an afterthought- I was listening to Sofi Tukker and I read somewhere that the name of their EP Soft Animals came from a Mary Oliver poem called “Wild Geese.” The words really resonated with me and despite my not actually having drawn any geese, there was a flow to the images that seemed to run somewhat parallel to the poem. My husband came up with the title to tie the concept together.