Dear influences,

I made this book during spring break retreat a few weeks ago, and I'm particularly fond of it.  By no means do I think it encompasses all of my influences, but they were what came to me in the moment, and I'm curious about what made it into the book.  And, I think it's really beautiful and I want to share it, because I don't know how to easily bring into conversation so that I could show it to someone.  So instead, I'm showing it to the blog. 

The cover.  See? Sea and space.  And my heart, somewhere in the middle.

This is a doodle I came up with, at camp, to represent my face with as little detail as possible.  Somewhere I have a mask of this.

Water. (You can see the horizon through my eyes on the page before) I love water

To the Tree!

I've been a part of the Young Artist Program for four years as a student and then two as a mentor.  YAP lead me to some very important friends and teachers, and shaped how I make art and friends.

Sweet home

Chicago (in color!)

A doodle developed in high school that I draw all the time.  All representative of lots of different directions and confusion. 

I loved fairies as a kid.  Loved em.  So while they mean less to me now, they found their way into the book.

Another fairy page.  This time with the phrase "First we form the world around us, and then it forms us." For we have powerful imaginations, but we can forget that.

As a classic Libra I struggle to find balance and make decisions. 

Jellyfish freak me out.  Big time.  But they are also some of the most beautiful creatures.  I just don't want to get too close. 

Jellyfish as a skirt.  I only wore skirts until third grade.  In fact, it was so intense that I wore a tutu over my pajamas every night so that I was always wearing a skirt.

From my mother I've inherited a love of cowboy boots, even if we aren't in the right region. 

The stage!

How I see the stage: less formal.  Lots of yes and. 

The blue doors of important places I've lived.

The Doctor, the flies and Berk Berk; a brief homage to the last four years.

My camel obsession.  Recent but important.

My heart broke open...

and history fell in.  This line is from my favorite book, The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie.  The personal history: I save all of my fortune cookie fortunes, hoping that one day I will look back at them and they will all make sense. 

love,
hannah