In my illustration studio

What I'm currently up to... 

Reading

//

The Assassin's Cloak

, which has nothing to do with assassins or cloaks, but it's a pretty awesome title, don't you think?  It's actually a book of daily readings from famous diarists: Samuel Pepys, Anne Frank, Virginia Woolf, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Katherine Mansfield, and Noel Coward (for example).  It's divided into months and days, and there are five or six readings for each day ordered chronologically though history.  It's compulsive reading; voyeuristic; a bit like getting into the heads of famous people without them knowing.  I started off disciplined, only reading the excerpts for the current calendar day, but now I'm steaming through towards the end. December here we come!

Feeling Thankful For

//  Time to work.  A chest cold steamrolled me last week, and I spent all my time curled up in bed, drinking tea and feeling sorry for myself.  I woke up on Saturday morning and took a deep breath, the first breath in days that didn't hurt. You know that wonderful feeling when you've recovered from an illness, and life feels renewed.... fresh.... full of possibility... That's how I feel right now.  Which is good, because I have an awful lot of illustrations to finish before the end of the month.

Also, I'm so thankful for the amazing blogging community I'm rediscovering. My new blogging friend, Wendy, has featured me on her blog today.  Check it out here.... 

New Mom's Talk

.

Eating

//  Now that my husband is so busy with the business, I've become the chief cook and bottle washer.  He is a fantastic cook, and I'm constantly in awe of his passion for combining new flavours and discovering new recipes.  It's a lot to live up to.  I've been trying to make meal plans for the weekdays, but I'm getting bored with my standard recipes. Any recommendations?  We don't eat much meat (beef), but love chicken, fish and vegetarian meals...

Please send me ideas, and I'll try them out! 

Listening to

// I really love silence.  I was recently asked by a journalist what I listen to while I paint, and I didn't really have an answer.  I don't really listen to anything in particular.  But I love the sounds of the house: the traffic zooming down the hill, the neighbours doors banging, the birds in our garden.

Making me happy

// Lots of little things: hot chocolate, cadmium red, fresh air, sunshine.  Ellie (see above) is keeping my company in my studio today.  She's more of a fashionista than I am.  Underpinning all these little things is the the warm glow of progress. It really feels like things are starting to fall into place in many aspects of my life.

Take a deep breath

Whew!  

I've spent practically every minute either relaxing with my husband or curled up under my duvet.  

I'm not exactly sick, though I do feel like I'm fighting something that's gnawing at my lungs. Mostly I think I just need time to breathe....really breathe... deeply...  slowly... fully.  

I opened my day-planner on Monday morning, and was delighted to see nothing written in it for the whole week.  No deadlines. No meetings.  Just a page of days ready to be filled with enjoyment. 

And what is more enjoyable than breathing?  Fresh clear air (even in the big city) is so refreshing. And then there's the fragrance of blossoms and coffee brewing...Heaven.

I think I've spent three days sitting in my studio, pencil in hand, but not drawing at all. Instead of drawing, I watched the sun move across the white sketchbook page and the curtains dance in the breeze. 

That makes me sound lazy.  Which isn't true at all.  

In our rushed culture we forget that some of our best ideas come in idleness. Inspiration comes when your mind has space to breathe.  After all, the word "inspire" means "to breathe in".  (from in and spirare which is the latin for "to breathe"). I wish I could write a book about the correlation between inspiration and breathing deeply, but for now, let's just give that thought some space to grow in our minds. 

And while I was sitting and staring at the curtains in the wind some marvellous ideas for illustrations pranced through my mind.  Oh! I'm so excited to start drawing tomorrow!  

Life is busy. I'm constantly reminding myself to keep moving forwards, to push through the busyness, but also to take time to breathe deep and smell the roses.  

I think that's what this little illustration is all about...  

When life is flying at a fantastic pace, why not take the roses with you?   

And remember to breathe deep and be inspired

(which might be the same thing, after all). 

. 

I almost gave up

All that happens in London depends

more on you than you can ever believe.

Everything is created by the image you

carry within you. 

Anais Nin

I almost gave up. 

After years of rejections, I told myself that I would go to the London Book Fair one last time.  I would give it my best effort, and if nothing came from it, I would quit pursuing the world of traditional publishing, at least for a while. 

We've all heard those stories about how famous authors have wallpapered their spare bedrooms with rejections letters. I'm never sure if those stories are meant as cautionary tales or encouragement.  Certainly, when you're living it as a reality, it feels pretty hopeless. 

There's only so much rejection one person can take before they crack.  

I reached that point months ago.  But, I wanted to make one last effort, just to prove something to myself.  

So I printed my portfolio images on the best watercolour paper I could find.  I practiced my smile, which I would have to wear infallibly through good interviews and bad.  I filled my heart with hopeful thoughts, positivity, and (almost false) confidence. 

For three days I went from one portfolio review to another.  

You want to know the amazing thing?  

Suddenly people were noticing. They appreciated my illustrations.  They had constructive, even positive, things to say.  Some said they would call me back.  A week later, some of them did.  

And, dear readers, I signed with an illustration agent!  Advocate Art is now representing me as an illustrator. 

Signing with an agent isn't any kind of guarantee of success; I know plenty of illustrators who have agents and still don't get publishing contracts.  

But, right now, that's not the point.  The point is, I didn't give up, even when I was so close to throwing it all in. The point is, just when I thought all was lost, someone important appreciated what I had to say, and put their confidence in my talents.

Who knows where this will lead? I'm sure it will add interesting twists to this adventure! 

I saw this quote from Cheryl Strayed on

Meg Fee's blog

, I thought I'd share it here...  

Every last one of us

can do better than give up.

It may seem hopeless, but if there's a white fire of passion burning in your heart, there will be a way for it to become a reality. I'm sure of it.

Even if it takes more time than you think.

Oh My Heart!

{Image courtesy of Jill at

Lune Blog

}

Oh my heart!  

I think my heart is going to explode this picture is so beautiful!  This is what I dream of every single day in my studio: that my artwork will touch the hearts of little people (and big people), and make them happy. 

These gorgeous photos were taken by Jill at Lune Blog.  I sent her two prints a couple of weeks ago, and she's featured them on her blog.  They look so at home in her daughter Eve's bedroom.  Jill is a fellow Winnipegger (yay! for hometown pride!), and I've been an avid follower of her blog for years.  She writes about her family life and vintage style with quiet eloquence and stunning photography.  Make sure you check it out.

Seeing these photos this morning brought me to tears.

Truly.

I've been feeling quite small and vulnerable for the past few days. 

The London Book Fair finished last week. I spent the whole time tramping the exhibition halls with my portfolio. The meetings were very positive (More on that next week!), but it's still hard to open your heart and show your artwork to random people, hoping they'll have something good to say. It's like letting the whole world into that intimate place in your soul that houses your dreams.   

I heard so many opinions about what people liked or didn't like in my artwork. What they thought worked, or didn't work. And you know what?  Practically every editor contradicted the next.  Whom to believe? I was left spinning. Looking at my portfolio from the perspective of an editor removes me from the creation process.  By the end of the week I felt so far from what I love: the quietness of the paint and paper in my studio.    

And then I opened my email and saw these pictures from Jill.

They filled my heart with happiness until it was brimming with tears.  (yes, that's possible) 

These are the opinions that matter; these are the hearts I want to touch.

I hope Eve, Porcupine and Giraffe will become the best of friends.     

{Image courtesy of Jill at 

Lune Blog

}

I love London in the rain

{vinca (periwinkle), lavender, mint, icecream bush}

I had all sorts of plans for what I would blog about this week.  I had a sketchbook page scribbled full of notes, but I don't feel like writing about them today. And I have a biggish announcement to make about my online shop, but that can wait until next week.

It can all wait.

Right now the rain is playing the windowpane like a xylophone, and my fingers are full of ink.  All I want to do is dive into my paint palette and never surface.

I promised myself at the beginning of the year that I would blog once a week.  So here we are...  I think from now on I'll publish my posts on Wednesdays.  How does that sound?  Any thoughts? Would Thursdays be better, perhaps?

I like nice routines; they make life so comfortable.

A few little things about life right now...

The rain is London rain, soft and polite.  The droplets are soaking the tulips in my front garden, which will hopefully burst into bloom in the next few days. If the sun ever shows her face.

Next week is the London Book Fair.  A big, nerve-wracking event filled with editors, publishers and agents. I've been working hard to polish my portfolio and my elevator pitch.  It's one of those "tell me who you are in 20 seconds" kinds of events, and if people are bored, they will walk away with no apologies.

Yikes.

So there we are. That's life this week.

And here's my paint palette, don't you just want to dive in?  All that lovely colour.  Just add water, and you've got a masterpiece!

Tell me about your life this week... Do you have any big challenges coming up?

C'mon in! Let's have some tea.

Hello my friends!

Please come in!  

If you were joining me for tea (or perhaps you'd prefer coffee?) this is what I'd tell you...

Sometimes I wonder about all of you out there, reading these blog posts or following along on Facebook or Twitter.  I really wish I knew you all better.  You can read what I say, and understand an aspect of my life, but aside from the comments you leave, I don't know very much about you at all.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could all come 'round for tea, and we could chat in person about art and life and everything in between?  

Well, since I couldn't invite y'all down for a big blog tea party. I decided to invite a couple of my favourite characters instead.  Meet Anne (see above).  She loves nothing more than a great big party, and lots of drawing. So that's what we did!  (You can find her adventures in my book Magic at the Museum)

She likes hot chocolate with extra milk.  I like rooibos tea, brewed weakly with lots of honey.  Her favourite pencil crayon colour is Copenhagen Blue; mine is Process Red.  

And then after our wild rumpus with colour and paper, we both lay down for afternoon naps.  Yes, sometimes naps are the best. things. ever. 

So, won't you join us for this magical tea party?

In the comments below, tell me how you like your tea or coffee, and leave a link to your blog/facebook/twitter so I can come by and say hello.  (Or, if you're following via email, you can mail your comment to jane@janeheinrichs.com)

I can't wait to hear from you!  

Balance

I have a confession to make: I didn't do any drawing at the seaside.  I didn't even open my sketchbook or unpack my pencils from my bag.  

Nope. 

All I did was sit and stare at this... 

{that might be my special bench}

I soaked in the infinity of the sea, the slow pace, and the refreshing sleep.  My soul geared down to neutral and I coasted at the speed of the breeze and the waves.  

Sometimes it is necessary to do nothing, and revel in it.  

But now I'm back in the studio and working hard, or at least trying to.  Things seem to be happening a lot slower than I'd planned.  

But you know what? It's ok.  I don't mind working slowly.  That way I can really enjoy what I'm doing.  Good work shouldn't be rushed.  

Here's a little quote by the novelist Amelia Barr, who advocates doing things slowly...

"Everything good needs time. Don’t do work in a hurry. Go into details; it pays in every way. Time means power for your work. Mediocrity is always in a rush; but whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing with consideration." 

*********

Dream Big

"Now," she said, startlingly down to business, "tell me what you expect from life. Fame and fortune aside -- those we take for granted."  

Truman Capote 

(from the unfinished novel "Answered Prayers")

We have been dreaming a lot in our house these past few weeks, months even.  The days have been filled with possibilities, what ifs, wonderings, brainstorming, lists, and many, many unanswered questions.  

The other day I sat in the garden, I picked up a frangipani flower, and I looked at the way the petals fold towards the middle with such architectural precision -- almost like a Frank Gehry building --  and it got me thinking about the nature of dreams.

What do we dream of?  Fame and Fortune aside.  (for that's too vague, and too prosaic) It's much better to hone your dreams, until they have the precision of a laser beam, cutting through the murk. 

I dream of inspiring people.  I dream that what I draw, or what I say, might illuminate some of the wonder of the universe that people are too busy (or to preoccupied) to see.  

Of course, I also dream of money and of recognition (I won't say fame, I'm too introverted for that). But those are all things we can't just dream about, those are things we have to constantly and tirelessly work towards

The dream, on the other hand, is that little pilot light in the soul that is always in danger of blowing out.  Any rejection, any setback, and the light extinguishes. It's the small light that guides our hearts in the right direction, and gives us courage in the dark nights. 

So, to all of you out there, tirelessly working towards your dreams, guard that little light with your life. And then work hard; work harder than you've ever worked before.  Never give up.  

And when life seems overwhelming, and your little light is flickering in the buffeting winds of the world, go pick up a flower, any flower, and contemplate the miraculous universe that made it.  While there are flowers, there is always hope.   

So, what do you dream?  What is that small light that burns in your soul? 

Another Birthday

Another birthday. 

Instead of sharing all the highs and lows of the past year (as I did for the last birthday), I thought I might share a few little known facts about myself.  

1.  The first watercolour I ever painted was of the Dufresne grain elevator in Manitoba. It was a mess of wet into wet washes, but I loved it.  It ignited my passion with watercolour.  This was in my teens; I don't count elementary school tempera paints applied to printer paper with frayed brushes as starting with watercolour.   

2.  I play the piano (almost) every day.  This doesn't mean I'm very good at it, as I don't play for perfection.  No, I play for expression. At the moment my favourite composers are Debussy and Mendelssohn, but I'm gaining affection for Bach. A Bach fugue is complicated, with lots of themes intersecting, rather like life. Sometimes, when I'm upset, I'll wait until everyone is out of the house and then play really loudly.

Fortissimo!

3. My bangs are often too long.  I trim them myself, and it is such a chore that I try to wait for the last possible moment. I almost did it before painting this self-portrait.  But then I thought, "I should do the portrait as I am, today, no pretending." So there you go, long bangs. 

4.  I used to have a birthday tradition of reading "The Little Prince."  The story is full of wisdom about life and love.  Eventually it got to the point where I'd read it so many times that I had the book memorized.  So, now I've started the tradition of portraits.  This is inspired by Rembrandt, who painted 90 self-portraits of himself over his life.  They are like an autobiography in art, recording his changing moods and appearance as he aged. Maybe I can do the same, in a very small way. 

5. A friend once told me that the constellation of freckles on my cheek looked like the big dipper.  Sometimes when I look at them now I think they look like the southern cross.  I'm not sure.  Any other guesses? 

6. I'm ever so grateful to all of you readers and your lovely comments.  I haven't blogged much in the past year, and the other day I checked my stats and realized that there are a lot of you out there! Thanks for reading, and thanks for being such an inspiration.  

So there you are, a series of random facts.  I'm sure, if you keep following this blog, there'll be many more to come!  (and please share some random facts about yourself in the comments, I'm very curious...)

Follow your effort, not your dreams

Follow your effort, not your dreams.  

This is a truth that has been resonating deeply with me lately.

We often focus on what we dream for ourselves. In my case, it's dreams for my career as a writer and illustrator.  Where we are in the present moment is never good enough, there's always more to achieve, a farther star to reach.

This month (February) I have an illustration exhibiting at Foyles Bookstore in London.  It is an exhibit of the most promising up-and-coming SCBWI illustrators from 2012, and I'm very (very) proud to be included.  I'm excited because I'm in this amazing exhibition, hanging with all the other amazing illustrators, but also because Foyles is the best independent bookstore in London.  It's like a literary mecca for bibliophiles.

A few days ago I went to see the exhibition.  I admired all the amazing illustrations, and then I sat in the bookstore cafe and thought about life.  You see, several years ago I had a meeting in that exact spot with two editors regarding a children's book project for a major cultural museum in London.  I wanted that job so badly, and I was so nervous as I was pitching my portfolio.

Did I get the job?  Yes, I did.  But... the project fell through due to funding and other bureaucratic nightmares.  It was going to be my first major break, and I fell apart when the bad news came.

Sitting in that cafe, several years ago, I never could have imagined that my illustrations would one day be hanging on its walls.  

I never would have dreamed it could be possible. 

So you see?  It was all those days of effort, working for the sake of working, and trying to open doors whenever I found them, that led me to where I am today. (Not my dreams)

I still have far to go; and I'm still dreaming.  But I'm also so grateful for how far I have come. And I'm not going let setbacks keep me from working hard, for it's the hard work that will get you to where you want to go in the end.

What do you think?  

Looking through old sketchbooks

I used to do a lot more sketching than I'm doing now.  Yesterday, I was sitting in Johannesburg airport, bored out of my tree, and I started drawing.  I drew whatever I saw: the strange space-station-style architecture, the flat horizon, the huge thunderclouds.  And as I was drawing, I remembered how much I love it. It was like meeting an old friend, and realizing when you see their face how much you've missed them.  

I don't draw, really draw, nearly enough any more.  There always seems to be something else to do, even painting can get in the way. (because we all know that painting isn't really drawing)  

Yes, I'm an artist, and I don't draw every day.  It sounds terrible to admit it. 

This afternoon I had to open up the storage box that held all my old sketchbooks.  There was a client in the States who wanted a scan of a sketch I'd done at a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition a few years ago.  I didn't know exactly which book it was in, so I had to thumb through all of them.  

I hardly wanted to look; I wanted to cover my eyes and only peak through my fingers.  Sometimes I don't want to see my old illustrations, because I'm not happy with them.  Wouldn't the sketches be even worse? 

But I've decided that the only way to move forward is to be vulnerable. So I looked...

...And guess what!  I loved those old sketchbooks!  I loved how much I was experimenting; trying to figure out how to see the world on paper.  I loved that I made mistakes, and then drew more to figure out why something worked or didn't work. I loved how I could see the progression in my style and confidence.  

How do you feel about old work?  

I've posted both of these sketches on this blog before, but I thought I'd share them again.  

Here is one of the sketches of Joburg airport.

A peak in my studio

Here's a little glimpse into my studio.

Life has been quite busy these past few weeks.  I have soooo many new ideas for illustrations, but I'm keeping them all behind the scenes right now.  Lots of sketching and dreaming, and playing with coloured pencils.

I seem to get my best ideas when I'm thinking of other things.  I might be washing dishes, and suddenly *pop,* there's an idea floating in my head.  Is that normal?  I guess it must be.

That little meerkat with his pile of books is actually a fairly old illustration.  But, as I don't think I've shared him here before, I thought I'd let him have his 5 minutes of fame.

He just loves books.  Don't you?

Those were the days

I'm having one of those "Anywhere-but-here" days.  You know the ones.  When things suddenly pile up and it feels like it might be easier to escape rather than face the immense to-do lists.

A lot of times when this happens I imagine myself escaping to somewhere I've never been.  Shall we follow Gauguin to Tahiti?

But this time I decided to imagine myself in a place I've been before; someplace where I was really happy.  I scanned through my travel pictures, and hit upon Tuscany.  Our time in Italy was filled with autumnal sunshine, wine, olive oil, and lots and lots of happiness.  (That's where we got engaged, after all!)

So here we are, an antidote to the to-do lists: a sketch of the many towers in San Gimignano, Tuscany.

What do you do, when you feel the to-do lists towering over your head?  I'd like to know!  

Spread the Love: Valentine's Printables

The shortest (and in many places, the coldest) month of the year is almost here.  And we all know what that means!  It's time to spread a little love!  

Just for fun... I designed two printable Valentine's cards.  One for girls and one for boys.  

And they're so easy!  Just pop some paper in your printer, set it to "high quality print," print the page, and then cut along the dotted lines.  Hey, presto!  It's done!  

I'm definitely going to be giving these to everyone I know, complete with little messages written on the back.  

.  

Swoon

It's summer in Cape Town and there's a Christmas beetle lazily buzzing against my studio window. If I slouch in my chair (as I often do), I can see the top of Table Mountain peeking above the roof of our house.  It's shimmering in the heat today.

It's so hot that I think the paint is melting on my palette before I can even get my brush into it.

The heat brings out the diva in my characters; they always seem to have minds of their own.  This little girl was frustrated that I wasn't paying enough attention to her heat-induced swoon, so now she's doing it over and over and over again.  Ad infinitum.  

The grass is always greener on the other side isn't it?  I envy all you readers who are cozily cocooned in  winter.  Oh!  For the snow and the hot chocolates and the great big fuzzy scarves.  Enjoy it while you can!

{Note:  I'm not sure if the animated illustration works for email subscribers, so you might want to click through to the blog to see it.}

Have a great weekend!

I'm off to my creative cubbyhole to work on my stories and characters. I will sharpen my pencils, put on my writing and illustrating hoodie (I really do have a writing hoodie), and see if I can make any progress with the characters that have been living in my head.  

Have a great weekend, dear readers!  See you on Monday!  

For the Love of Books: A Reading Challenge

One of my goals last year was to read 52 books, that's one book per week.  It doesn't seem like that much, but with a busy work schedule, travels and a few weeks lost to bronchitis, I didn't quite manage.  Instead I read 49 books. Though, for a person whose passion is making books, you'd think I would be able to read more!  (I don't count picture books in this list, and if I did, I'd be in the hundreds of books per year). 

I read whatever I can get my hands on, and in Cape Town, that can sometimes be a challenge.  In Canada and England I take books for granted; they are cheap, easy to get (via amazon, the library or my local bookstore), and I always seem to have a larger pile of unread books than read ones. 

Finding books in Cape Town is a different story.  Books are almost double the price here, and if you want a specific one, it takes weeks to order one in from your bookstore. I had to wait a over a month to get Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge" shipped in from the States.  

I thought I'd make a list of my top 10 books from 2012.  This is completely subjective, and I wouldn't say they're favourites, just books that make me look at the world in a different way. All books, whether you enjoy them or not, are someone's effort to light a candle in the darkness.  

So, here are my 10 thought-provoking books for 2012 (in no particular order):

1.

Cocktail Hour under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller

 (a witty and honest biography of the author's mother, coming of age in Kenya, Rhodesia and Zambia)

2.

The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster

(a futuristic short-story about a world where all the people are plugged into machines and have no human interaction, sounds familiar, no?)

3.

The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield

(absolutely divine writing....)

4.

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman

(A spiritual and metaphysical adventure for children)

5.

The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

(A coming of age tale about Larry, drifting through post-war Europe, trying to find the meaning of life, and going against the expectations of his peers, who seem to value money and power more than spirituality. A life changing book.)

6.

The Story of English in 100 words by David Crystal

 (100 words, defined and explained from the first word ever written in English "roe deer" to modern words like "webinar."  A must read for all language lovers.)  

7.

Goliath by Tom Gauld

(best graphic novel I've read all year, and a new way to look at a Bible story)

8.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

(two young spies, trying to save each other against all odds in WWII France.  And who is telling the truth?)

9.

All's Well that End's Well by William Shakespeare

(Not your typical love story, Helena hoodwinks Bertram into marrying her: she's happy; he's not. How will it end?)

10.

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

(an adventure in an alternate reality Portland, where two children have to unravel the political and environmental conflicts of a Wildwood populated by talking birds, an army of foxes, other fantastic creatures.  A romp of a read.)

If you want to join me in the reading challenge, you can find me on

Goodreads

.  

And, do you have any recommendations for books I should read in 2013?  Leave a comment and let me know. :-) 

PS:  I have an e-reader, but I'm such an old-fashioned old soul that I find it difficult to muster enthusiasm for reading on it.  I'd much rather have books in my hand and on my bookshelf.  :-)  And, just look at this library, isn't it stunning?  

My new favourite place in Cape Town.... the Central Library!

Out with the old

Goodbye 2012, you were a good companion for 366 days. And welcome 2013!

This morning I pulled out my new day planner and flipped through the pages, wondering what might fill them.  Switching to a new notebook is difficult, I become good friends with my day planners.  They're never far from reach, and I often use them almost like a journal, not only recording my appointments and lists, but also recording how I feel about life, and what my goals are each week.

This new notebook has no dog-eared corners, no scribbled-out appointments, no to-do lists or hastily scrawled reminders.  It's fresh and clean, like newly ironed linen. It will take a while to feel completely at home within its pages.

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, except maybe for the constant resolve to keep pursuing my dreams without losing courage. (and we all know how difficult that can be on a daily basis).

Having said that, one small resolution is to be more active on my blog.

I've let the blog lie dormant for the past year, which was completely necessary.  I needed quiet time (read: offline time) to gather my thoughts about who I was creatively.  I felt quite vulnerable, and giving too many glimpses into my studio felt too exposed.  This time apart has been invaluable, and I feel like I've reached a kind of creative epiphany in the past few months.

But now I'm ready to share more of what I'm doing and my creative process.  I've missed all you readers and bloggers!  And thank you for all your lovely comments, it means a lot that you take the time to leave messages, and they always help to inspire me.

And, to start the year off right, here is a little peak at what's on my studio table at the moment.  It makes me think of London, and cosy cups of tea while watching the rain lash against the windowpanes.

Christmas in Cape Town

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

Let's make a joyful noise and sing a new song, and all that jazz.  It's Christmas!  

I have managed to accomplish the impossible (almost) and gather my dearest family in Cape Town for the holidays.  My mom travelled half-way across the globe!  

Christmas here is very different to the Christmasses I grew up with.  My Canadian Christmas is: white snow, cold air, sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and caroling around the neighbourhood while bundled in every layer of winter-wear we could find.  This year Christmas is: beaches, sunshine, barbeques, and open air carol concerts that start as picnics in the park. So very different, and so very enjoyable!

So, wherever you are in the world, dear readers.  I wish you a Merry Christmas!  

And remember: 

1) Stay close to those that you love; for love is the most important thing in the world. 

2)  Laughing makes you live longer, so let's have some fun!

3)  And lastly, but also very important, make sure you eat lots of Christmas goodies, for they're only available once a year!  :-)  

Adventures in.... Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls

So, here I am in bed with some sort of tropical fever; at least, I have a fever which I acquired in the sub-tropics.  It's actually just some sort of pesky ear/nose/throat infection, but it sounds much more dramatic to call it a Zimbabwean Fever, don't you think?  It was well worth it as I got to see the largest waterfall in the world: Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean and Zambian borders.

I resolved on this trip that I was going to keep a travel sketchbook.  As much as I love sketching on location, I often find it difficult to achieve on holidays because I'm always rushing around trying to "see" everything, so I don't take the time to stop to draw.

This trip was different... there isn't much to see in the small town of Victoria Falls, except (you guessed it) Victoria Falls.  There is one mostly paved road with a bank, a few tourist shops, a grocery store and a police station; then there are several amazing four star resort hotels, and the Falls.  And all of this is surrounded by impenetrable bush.  So, there wasn't much else to do but stare at the falls and sketch, which suited me just fine.

So here we are, a few sketches of "The Smoke That Thunders" and the mighty Zambezi River.  Aren't hippos cute?  Don't be fooled!  Which animal kills more people than any other in the world (aside from mosquitos?)  Hippos!  They're the most dangerous vegetarians in the world.  Which is a shame, as they look so cuddly and cute.

And now, back to bed, so that I can recover from the Zimbabwe Fever before Christmas.