MardiArt: 2011

Monday, December 26, 2011

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Ta Da!

Buttercup's Big Fat Adventure
THE SHOW OPENS!

Today I hung my show with help from my wonderful friend, Eileen. There are 50 pieces on display, so it took us the better part of the day. Seeing all the art together, matted and framed, was very exciting. It looked so dressed up. This Saturday will be my first "Meet the Artist" event, which will coincide with a couple storytelling events for young children that are happening in the Children's Library. If you're in the area, stop by and have a look-see!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Say ‘Cheese’

Peet and Buttercup’s publicity photo

is all over the newsstands this week.
It was all Peet could do to not laugh ~
as Buttercup kept tickling him with her tail.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

IF ... Scary

The reality of my first show hit me when I received the promotional postcards
in the mail today. It's coming up fast! I look forward to the solo performance ...
but first I need to get over my case of the high speed wobbles.
Please join me at the show!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

IF … Hibernate

As you know, Peet & Buttercup have been hibernating for quite awhile now.

Truly, there's nothing better than a good, long nap.

A hot drink with a side of biscotti is always a welcomed interruption,
so long as it's followed by another nice nap.

• • • • •

Actually, the reason for my recent blog inactivity involves exciting news ~ I'm having a show in December! This will be my first solo performance and will feature Peet and Buttercup. Planning and prepping new pieces, developing a promo, and putting together a REAL website (so I can sell prints) is taking a lot of my time of late. The bottom line reality is, the weekly IF prompt may only get developed to the thumbnail stage, until time opens up toward the end of the year. To this end, I look forward to trying out a new, loose style for IF starting later this week. I hope you'll enjoy it too.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

IF … Mysterious

Were the stars aligned?

Did the forces collude?

What has brought our hearts together?

It's all Great Mystery and a blessing.

Monday, August 29, 2011

IF … Disguise

Ever since The Press got hold of our mug shots, we venture out only after sundown. Incognito, of course. Our sojourn in the slammer was far from SWELL, except for our matching black eyes, which 'poofed like soufflés'. (To quote an eggism of Peet's.)
At least these silly costumes mask our bruises –– although they seriously inhibit our Hop & Run action. All we can do now is shuffle along. And no, I'm not too big
to be carried.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

IF … Imperfect

   EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES.
   These two characters were nabbed outside the bakery after an anonymous caller
   reported suspicious activity. They call themselves Peet and Buttercup.
   And they say they have followers.

   The word on the street is that these two perpetrators have had
   free reign since first appearing on the scene, early this year.
   Proportionately speaking, they've been all over the map.
   It's high time to curb these shenanigans.
   The Design Police mandated a character study.

   Tough stuff.
     Or rather, tough fluff.
   From the start, the duo eluded capture. By the time I got footprints,
     they were both sporting shiners. The entire process bordered on obstinance
   and defiance. Look! Even now, they misbehave.
   Peet! Get your ears out of your eyes!
   And Buttercup … please … remove the finger from your nose.
   (They swear ~ they're not bad, they're just drawn that way.)

   ©2011 Mardi Speth All Rights Reserved • Watercolour & Ink

Saturday, August 6, 2011

IF ... Obsession

Yours, Mine and Ours

The stalker Buttercup really digs cheese

Oh, for the love of sweets!

Friday, July 29, 2011

IF … Perennial

And so it is, that little Mouse will be known forevermore as Buttercup.

~ The Buttercup is a perennial wildflower.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

IF … Gesture

I love my honey bunny.

He's so sweet and funny.

He knows the things

that make me sing,

And lo! Our days are sunny.

o o | |

( ) ( )

My cherry pie, in appreciation.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

IF … Stay (and Remedy)

Rabbit is forever losing his things.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

IF … Midsummer Night

The evening was ripe with wondrous floral scents riding on the zephyr. We followed, through endless groves of foxglove and faerie lore, towards Diego's. Light from the fireflies, like beacons from tiny lighthouses, guided our footsteps. Though we never caught a single one, the night pulsated with magic.

Monday, June 20, 2011

IF … Launch

Boys will be boys.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

IF … Swept

It was a perfect night for a drive. Clear and crisp. Or rather, clear and below freezing. So of course, we took the Beetle. After all, if you can't ride with the top down and feel the wind rushing through your fur, what's the point of having a head?

Monday, May 30, 2011

IF … Asleep

©2011 Mardi Speth All Rights Reserved • Watercolour & Ink

shhhhhhh!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

IF … Soaked

The waves were totally awesome.

We played until our fur could hold no more sea.

So we dragged ourselves to the blanket and fluffed.

The sun was nice and toasty, and we found the shells intriguing.

Although Rabbit preferred the kind with an egg inside to the sea variety.

Still, we were quite pleased with our collection …

… but others were not.

How does Rabbit know when I'm done with fun for the day?

It's time for a nap!

Right after carrot cake …

Monday, May 16, 2011

IF … Safari

Lets go surfin now

Everybodys learning how

Come on and safari with me

(come on and safari with...)

– BEACH BOYS • Surfin' Safari

Sunday, May 8, 2011

IF ... Beginner

         oooof!

            Being a beginner is definitely not easy.
            Rabbit, however, is a very good ender.

Monday, May 2, 2011

IF ... Lesson

Finally, I'm learning the Bunny Hop! The one hop forward step is going well enough. It’s actually quite exhilarating being airborne – once one gets beyond the sheer terror of it all. Keeping a solid grasp of Rabbit’s hips is proving to be a challenge – it’s rather like hanging onto the tail of a tiger. It’s the next step, one hop backward, that has me very worried …

Sunday, April 24, 2011

IF ... Bicycle

   Rabbit was fully energized and taunting, “Tricks are for kids – and kids, above all,
   know about fun.” It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Again and again, we practiced
   aerodynamic feats to the applause of the diners at Denny’s.
   Here’s our Happy Easter pose …

Monday, April 11, 2011

IF ... Bottled

One very tired and gloomy day last winter, Rabbit had the brilliant notion

to brew a refreshing, nutritional potion for the health conscious among us.

I kid you not. The first batch of this limited edition, sparkling ambrosia

was bottled today at our plantery in the Lapin region of France. Oui!

Monday, April 4, 2011

IF ... Duet

Misha's call came early Friday morning. He needed us on stage THAT NIGHT! The Minuet in Glee was a logical choice. It was a diminutive number from our world tour, filled with lots of toe pointing and forward balancing. And the audiences had loved it. Not that this mattered … our real hope was that Baryshnikov would overlook our fluffy form. But of course, he did not.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

IF ... Toy

Rabbit bought me a little something today. I just love it!

It has an interesting terrain for running and climbing.

And lots and lots of places for playing Hide and Sleep.

Come on, Mr. Buns! Let's go have some big, fat fun!

      Below is the illustration in it's entirety. I cropped illustration to create
      two images, with the goal of creating more storytelling drama by unfolding
      the visual gradually.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

IF ... Cultivate

TOGETHER is the only way to cultivate a relationship. Beyond the exchange of ideas and news, we want to know what makes each other tick. Rabbit and I thought a trip to the library might speed our understanding. We found these titles enormously helpful. Perhaps you will too ...

• Hip-Hop 4 Dummies

• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

• Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lagomorphs

(but were afraid to ask)

• Rabbits are from Mars, Mice are from Venus
• Who Moved My Cheese?

Monday, March 14, 2011

IF ... Stir

Toss in carrots and fears,

A few radishes and tears.

Add hopes and dreams,

And a few darker schemes.

Gently simmer this brew

(It satisfies two).

Monday, February 28, 2011

IF ... Swarm

We think we may,

We think we might,

Like dancing in the firefly light.

Monday, February 21, 2011

IF ... Layer

           Sweater, schmehter!
           There's nothing in the world that transcends the joy
           of being enveloped in Rabbit fluff.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

IF ... Sweater

©2011 Mardi Speth All Rights Reserved

Our paws met earth once again, but the flight had taken us quite a bit north
of familiar territory. We set out immediately for warm attire, as the chill
was advancing along with the night sky.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

IF ... Reverse

Perhaps Rabbit should've been warned about Mouse's balloons.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

IF ... Surrender

Oh, so sweet and tender

is how I will remember

the day in late September

when you gave your heart to me.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

IF ... Dusty

A light sugar-coating would simply not do. This job required the EXTRA STRENGTH rose tint, used liberally. Many incantations and applications of fairy dust later, there was still no Rabbit. When the dust finally settled, the sweeping began. In the final tally, the only thing conjured was one big dust bunny.

Monday, January 17, 2011

IF ... Chicken

Rabbit claimed they made a mean omelet, but I thought he was poking fun at my case of the jitters by suggesting we dine here. Well truly, if anyone knows their way around eggs, chocolate or otherwise, it would be he. Indeed, all was quite savory, with a few magical notes! Tales of valour and joy were exchanged well into the night. And after, in the wee hours of dark, we made a diagonal crossing ...

Monday, January 10, 2011

IF ... Deja-vu

... only this time, there came a flood of memories,

both sad and sweet, of prior crossings.

What!? You saw this before?

Your such a kidder.

Monday, January 3, 2011

IF ... Resolutions

#1 – FOLLOW YOUR HEART