2020 The Year of the Great Pause
The year of the great pause. That’s my nickname for 2020. The year the world stopped and took a deep breath in fear. The year we decided it was okay to slow down. A year of mixed emotions. Yet, for me, also a year of creativity and artistic growth.
It is the year I achieved a long worked for goal of completing a certificate in nature illustration from the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. I did miss the graduation ceremony and accompanying exhibit due to the lockdown; but told myself, “Oh well, it can’t be helped, you still earned it”. A year of personal transition, when we decided to sell our house in the Sonoran desert and build a new one. (Yes, you can sell and move out of a house in another state without being present) A lonely year of personal isolation. Oh how I missed my artistic friends, the classes and open studio sessions. A year in which I caught the dreaded COVID, yet managed to recover. And, the year I unexpectedly became a children’s book illustrator.
Like many, I herald from a European heritage. My mother is a proud Italian peasant. They are hearty, emotional, and long-lived. My mom is 94 years old and continues to live in her own home in the country. She doesn’t get out much, especially this year, but found she could amuse herself by looking out her kitchen window at a fun and lively ground squirrel. She named him Benny. She then made up stories about Benny, and sent him on exciting adventures. One day in May, on one of our telephone calls, she told me about Benny and the story she had written. She asked me to illustrate it for her. I wasn’t too thrilled about the idea as I had other artistic goals, like working towards the upcoming pastel society exhibit. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to turn down your 94 year old mother.
So, I decided 2020 being the year of the great pause I could take a detour from my artistic goals and illustrate a book. Why not? How long could it take? (Six months working about 30 hours a week) There would still be time to prepare for the exhibit, right? So, I set about learning how to illustrate a book. Oh, but I was so naive and ill prepared for the artistic road ahead. I stubbed my artistic toe, fell into ditches, went off the trail into artistic bushes where I had to cut my way out with a sharp paint brush. But, in the end I learned so much! The artistic growth is almost worth the effort. Almost. Now, it would be fabulous if I wanted to be a book illustrator. Because with all these new skills I could publish books. Instead, I fancy myself a pastel/oil/acrylic/colored pencil fine artist. And, here I was working in watercolor for the past six months. Yes, I may struggle with media indecision.
Yet even with my artistic indecision, I achieved a book. It is a beautiful thing. You can hold it in your hand and flip the pages admiring all your beautiful artwork. Children love it. A few of my friends have purchased them. All my children and grandchildren were gifted a copy. Did I mention my mother has now written three sequels to the original story? In November she asked me when I intended to get started on the next book. I replied, I’m taking a pause Mom. This is the year of the great pause and I need a break. It’s now 2021 and I’m expecting a call from her any day…
I’m offering a free PDF version of Benny’s Adventures to all ASA members. Please contact me if you would like a copy. You can purchase a softcover or e-book version at: www.blurb.com When in their store, just search for Benny’s Adventure. You can reach me for your free copy at StephanieReitmajerArt@gmail.com
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