5″x7″ acrylic on canvas, 2013. Amy’s little girl is turning one this coming November, and as a birthday gift Amy decided to honor the stuffed bunny blanket that has brought her daughter so much comfort throughout her first year. The bunny is known alternately as “Bunny,” “Nappy” (due to his magical sleep-encouraging powers,) and “Foo Foo” (as in the pursuer of field mice, I assume.) The baby chews on his ears to fall asleep, and when she learned to crawl, she made her way to the nursery, pulled herself up at the crib, and reached through the slats to grab him! By my count this is the tenth pink bunny “blanket-head” I’ve painted!
Tag: pink
Kaci’s Bunny
8″x10″ acrylic, 2013. It’s a beautiful and rare thing when a child appreciates a gift in equal proportion to its significance! In this case, “appreciates” would be an understatement. Kaci’s mother Karen received this bunny blanket at her baby shower in 2003 from a dear, lifelong family friend. The bunny was placed in the crib and baby Kaci immediately became attached to it. Karen tells me that bunny is present in nearly every photograph of Kaci ever taken! The bunny is now so worn that any snuggling at all would cause it’s head to detach, so a backup “Bunny 2” was purchased to sleep with Kaci while Bunny sits close by on the nightstand. This portrait will be given to Kaci on her upcoming 10th birthday.
Reclining Ducky
9″x12″ acrylic, 2011. Whenever one-year-old Sydney sees her favorite stuffed duck, she smiles and presses her forehead against its head in a gesture uniquely her own. Sydney’s doting uncle Nate tells me that it is not something she learned from anyone around her — it is a spontaneous, specific greeting just between Sydney and Ducky! Nate tells me that this languid pose (which he amusingly described as “Odalisque”) is most expressive of the duck’s general floppy demeanor. This portrait will be a Christmas gift for Sydney from Uncle Nate.
Tito and Tito The Other One
5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. When five-year-old Elsie was born, she was given an Angel Dear giraffe blanket-head by her grandmother. At least it started as only one giraffe, and he was named “Milton” by Elsie’s father. Elsie is now five, and of course she has discovered and claimed Milton’s “back-up.” Also, Elsie has rejected the “Milton” moniker in favor of the fantastic “Tito” and “Tito The Other One.” Check out Elsie’s little sister Kit’s monkey blankets called “Fritters” and “Fritters The Other One” here, and another portrait of an Angel Dear giraffe here.
Bryn’s Elephant
8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. I was beyond excited when Bethenny Frankel’s very nice assistant contacted me! Bethenny, the hilarious entrepreneur and former Real Housewife of New York City, asked me to paint her daughter Bryn’s pink stuffed elephant. As far as I can tell from the Bravo show “Bethenny Ever After,” adorable one-year-old Bryn has an enviably placid and easygoing demeanor. And it’s a good thing, because she has one busy mama! I hope that this portrait of a beloved toy in a sunlit chair adds to the atmosphere of calm in Bryn’s nursery.
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Olivia’s Bunny
5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. Well, I’m pretty sure that this is the fuzziest bunny I have ever painted! I got lost in it’s pink fur for hours and hours, and enjoyed almost every minute of it. The bunny and the nubby blanket beneath it belong to Olivia, who turns one in October. Olivia has kept both objects close to her day and night ever since she was born. She especially loves to rub the bunny’s ear on her face as she falls asleep, to chew on its feet and arm, and to play with the all-important tag. This portrait will be a birthday gift for Olivia from her parents.
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Lily’s Bunny
5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. The many well-intended gifts we recieve for our newborn babies can be overwhelming… this bunny blanket was stashed in a closet when Lily was a few weeks old, but would later prove to be very important. After battling a tongue-thrust issue as a baby, it was recommended that Lily be given a substitute for her binky in order to aid her developing speech. The bunny was swapped for the binky, and has been her companion ever since. Lily’s mother Emma points out that the left ear, Lily’s favorite, is dirtier than the right, and that the nose is a bit unraveled. After many near-losses of the bunny, it was decided that it would “live” in Lily’s bed only! This portrait will be a gift for Lily’s upcoming third birthday, immortalizing Pink Bunny… just in case.
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Gigi Giraffe
9″x12″ acrylic, 2011. I absolutely love the design of Carter’s stuffed toys, and I’ve had a blast over the past few weeks painting several adorable specimens. They have such amusingly exaggerated proportions and that sweet, rather blank expression often seen on contented babies. The simply-rendered eyes and lack of a mouth borrow from the Sanrio school of less-is-more. This portrait of Gigi the giraffe, commissioned by Bill for his little daughter, will be an Easter gift. And here’s a watercolor sketch I did a few years ago of our own “Jingle Giraffe.”
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Sophia’s Bunny
8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. I just recieved an adorable photo of 4-year-old Sophia holding this painting. Her mom, Dawn, tells me that Sophia looked at it and, after a slow moment of recognition, smiled and said “LOVEY!!” Dawn ordered this portrait after Lovey the bunny blanket had been lost and found for the millionth time, the better to preserve it — just in case. To see more of the many blanket/animals I’ve been painting lately, click here, and for more bunnies, here!
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Emilia’s Bunny
5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. Colleen found me via a local Etsy search, and since she lives mere blocks from me, I had the pleasure of meeting this bunny/blanket in person! Not wanting to separate it from 2-year-old Emilia for any significant length of time, Colleen and I worked together to take a nice photo for me to use. The family does have a “back-up” bunny which stays at Emilia’s daycare, but I suspect that there is no substitute for the home bunny. In this portrait, the bunny is arranged on top of a green blanket that is a another favorite of Emilia’s.
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More info about prints here.