Tales

These drawings are little sketches drawn on envelopes and scraps of paper while sitting in waiting rooms or in the car or on hold or during other bits of time not being otherwise put to use. A sort of story line gradually developed, based on real and imaginary events in the life of my family my mind. It is developing into a series with slightly more refined drawings, but the following are the original sketches, dug out from under the seat of the car.

Design for Mankind had a link to an artist who sketched an entire year of her life and it gave me the idea to put up my own graffiti here.

Introducing the cast so far:

Arturo (otter)
Arturo is a scholar/athlete. He divides his day between thinking deep thoughts and bounding about a soccer field (football pitch to the rest of the world). He prefers Modern Art to Impressionism, Spinoza to Descartes, and dogs over cats. He is fluent in seventeen languages and unlucky in love, despite his sweet nature and devastating good looks. He is so laid back as to appear lethargic, but his mind is always busy unraveling some dense and difficult theory. Nothing can faze him as he reclines listening to Schuman cantatas, but he will be up in a flash to defend the poor and protect the weak. He enjoys diving for sponges and can hold his breath for twenty minutes. He is the philosopher of the group. He is always consulted when decisions are to be made and can find solutions where others are confused.

Little (bear)

Little is a priestess of fashion (a fashionista! everyone says so), smart as a whip, and throws frequent tantrums. After a few minutes of stomping around in high dungeon, she will quickly forgive any (real or imagined) slights and smother you in kisses. She is extremely accident-prone. When not in the actual emergency room, you will generally find her with a cast on some part of her body. She values independence over all else; curfews never work for her. She is utterly loyal and loving when given free reign over her life. But stubborn as a mountain! She adores her brother, Arturo. She is magical and can see the light in flowers and other living things.


Bear (dog)

He doesn't talk much. He doesn't tell jokes. He has no use for banter. But his trenchant observations may surprise you, and he is an excellent listener. Despite what he may lack in superficial social graces, he more than makes up for with an enormous capacity for understanding and love. He is shy and sensitive and tends to flee when alarmed. Consequently, he has built up his speed and can now run faster than anyone else, even Arturo. He is artistic and has beautiful hands. A solitary nature-lover, he can often be found sitting on his own, gazing intently up at the sky. Perhaps he is searching for signs of a rescue party from the home planet...

Lucy (fox)
Lucy is rather quiet, but not so much shy as stealthy. She likes to lay low until everybody has forgotten she is in the room, then she will steal away and reorganize the spice drawer. Deeply affronted by criticism, she dreams of sword fights in which she successfully defends her wounded dignity with panache. She knows how to drift, which gives her a coolness she would otherwise lack. Well-meaning and wanting to be helpful, she often messes things up. Nurturing is her strength and she will never judge you. She is the mom of the group and is an excellent cook.

London (lion)
London is very inquisitive, constantly learning new things, always wanting to know what is going on. Wise and insightful, he is the healer of the group, miraculously managing to find the precise thing each one needs. No one knows exactly how he does it, however, he is skilled in alchemy and other mysterious arts. Warm and kind, he specializes in hugs. His heart, as they say, is as big as all outdoors. His favorite food is yogurt and his eyes are his best feature. He is Bear's older brother.