Private Commission: The Kitten Circle

After Twist Collective went online, an extremely lovely knitter contacted me through Ravelry, asking if I would make a painting for her. I asked her what she had in mind, and she explained that she wanted a knitting circle of cats.



It's hard for me to rank my pieces, but this illustration was one of the most fun to do. I had a lot of reference material--pictures for two of the cats, plus a huge sampling of knitting projects to choose from--as well as a lot of freedom. I'm quite happy with the gesture and character in the piece, and, again, it was simply a blast to paint.



I spent a lot of time at RISD resisting a natural inclination for cuteness. I know it's force that I could easily succumb to, and it's still not what I like about my successful pieces. (I like narrative, if you must know. I'm an illustrator. I like to illustrate things. Seriously.) I know that it's important not to get too comfortable, but I'm also learning that trusting my own instincts on style and design can result in some really pleasing pieces.

I'm working hard on reforming my portfolio. I should have more to show soon.