Every year I paint a new series of Affectionate Animal couples for Valentimes Day, and every year I base this series off vintage photos of homosexual and lesbian same-sex couples. It’s important to remember that “being gay” isn’t a fad or a phase… queer folk are a part of history. If my art can celebrate LGBT history in some small way, if my art can help LGBT+ people see that they have a lasting and meaningful place in this world, then I will have accomplished everything I hoped for. (more…)
A few months ago, I invited people to tell me about their invisible selves, and I said I would paint them.
The concept of an “invisible self” comes from The OA by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. It is not the self that we present to the world, but our inner self, our true being, the core of who we are underneath all our masks and barriers and defenses. It’s the “you” that stays with you when you close your eyes, the part of you that aches and dreams, the part of you that no one can ever take away from you. (more…)
The past two years, I released a series of paintings for Mother’s Day, and both years they were a huge hit. You can see the collections here and here.
I will make a new series of original paintings for Mother’s Day next year. Would you like me to use your photo as inspiration? Email up to three (3) photos to hello@darlingillustrations.com with “Mother’s Day submission” in the subject.
The deadline for submissions is 5/30/2019. (more…)
This is a guest post by Justine Done. She is a single mom of two children. When she submitted her photos to me last year to be considered for my Mother’s Day series, she sent a heartfelt email along with the images. Her words are as follows.
I recently went through a divorce (“recent” meaning two years) but it still feels recent, and when we parted for the last time, I sent him all the pictures I had of him and the kids. Probably a few hundred. Candid. Beautiful. Every bonding moment between my children and their father.
He had none of me and the littles, which I expected. No candid pictures, no random snippets he thought worth capturing behind the scenes, not even from the day our daughter was born. (more…)
Last year, I put out a call for submissions and received dozens of heart warming snapshots, expressing moments of motherhood. One year later, these paintings are now complete just in time to share with you for Mother’s Day! (more…)
I was supposed to rest today; but, when I awoke, I emerged from fitful sleep.
In my dreams I had been painting. (more…)
I use vintage photos as the source images for my annual Affectionate Animal series. I believe the vintage photos add a bit of nostalgia that blends well with my contemporary animal characters. Here are my source images for this year’s series of characters. (more…)
I am not ashamed of getting divorced. Divorce has been a winnowing experience for me.
First, I cleared physical clutter from my life, giving up things that I did not need in order to stay close to my girls. I budgeted carefully, gave up my car and simplified my spending habits so that I could stay home.
Then I cleared out emotional clutter, letting go of relationships with people who did not believe in me. I was told to get a real job or to stop homeschooling or to parent differently. I was told that everything bad that was happening to me was my fault.
But there were other people, people who stood by me, and I couldn’t have made it through this year without their support. (more…)
I am making two new series of original paintings: one for Mother’s Day and another one for Father’s Day. Would you like me to use your photo as inspiration? Email up to three (3) photos to hello@darlingillustrations.com with “Mother’s Day submission” or “Father’s Day submission” in the subject. (more…)
