Sweet ‘Art @ the PMA

Cabin fever from all these blizzards has left a pile of hand-made valentines, all red and pretty for this week’s First Friday Sweet Art @ the Portland Museum of Art.

My first batch is 20 one-of-a-kind, signed on the back cards, made beside a crackling fire with love.

After the storm, it was back to Maine College of Art, where the entire Illustration Department, students, alums, and faculty are also crafting feverishly towards this First Friday. But first, an island car must be dug out.

What?!! The town car, too? A double whammy when there is no island garage or you had to park on the roof at the city garage.

Can you see why we need sweet distractions? While in town, I stocked up on glue sticks and a few more pounds of paper. Here’s another round.

I also chose a batch for scanning and printing, which needed cutting, folding and trimming…

And stamping…

Now I have volumes of valentines!

Working in a sweet sweat shop demanded treks in the new snow. Our intrepid observer Daisy found the loveliest shade of strawberry in nature.

I cribbed some of my illustrations for a few wild valentines. This bear and bee are from Nest, Nook & Cranny by Susan Blackaby.

And this happy turtle swam right out of my illustration from Caroline Arnold’s A Warmer World…For those who knit, this yarnish heart sailed out of Stephanie Pearl McPhee Casts Off:

This one’s in honor of the first day of February, and our household tradition of yelling Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit!

Calling all you hotties, come catch the fever at First Friday at the PMA with Illustration MECA!