Angel's Kiss

Our baby son has a cute little freckle behind his right ear. Our friend Laurie told me, "Oh, that is an Angel's Kiss!" I close my eyes and imagine this scenario taking place before our son was born:

MAX: (to his angels) Okay, you guys. It's my time to be born - I better get ready!

ANGEL: Wait, wait, I want to give you a kiss.

MAX: Okay, but please hurry up, will you? I have a mother waiting for me on earth.

ANGEL: (kisses him) Enjoy your journey, Max. We'll be guiding you the whole time.

If I allow my imagination to take me even further, I wonder who his angel(s) are. Is it someone my son shared a past lifetime with? Did they have fun playing together in another "dimension" -- before he was born? I just love to ponder the possibilities!

Barn Robins

A baby robin had fallen out of its nest at the polo club. It was a poor, helpless little thing - still featherless and blind. We quickly scooped it up before it became the barn cats' dinner(!). My husband got a ladder and I gently placed it back in the nest - and I saw there were two other siblings, also featherless and blind. A few weeks later, my husband hears some chirping -- we both look up and see three little feathered faces looking at us. I almost wept with joy. (Yup, call me overly sensitive but I can't help it!).

ABILITY Magazine Article

A while back I was featured in ABILITY magazine.  This magazine highlights the abilities of people with disabilities.  I am humbled and proud that they chose to feature a story on me!  To read the full story, please go here:

http://www.amyduarte.com/ability_01.html

Czardas - Hungarian Dance

I took ballet for many years since childhood (Whether I succeeded in mastering ballet or not, is another whole story...). A part of our curriculum was to study dances from different parts of the world.  I have always loved watching the Hungarian Czardas.  From their colorful costumes, the well-choreographed dance steps, and their catchy music -- the Czardas is always fun to watch.

Bonus:  I found an old, black and white photo of my mother in her younger days when she was a ballet student - and she was performing the Czardas as well!

Here is my illustration to honor the beauty of the Hungarian culture/dance.

Merry Go Around

I was inspired by It's a Small World to draw this Merry Go Around.  I love drawing our international friends and their native pets!

Second Drama Queen...

Here is the second set of the Drama Queen series... the Queen of Diamonds.

Drama Queens! Presenting the first queen of the series...

A fun twist to the traditionally stoic (and somewhat boring) queen in the classic deck of cards. I wondered what it'd be like if I added a bit of drama into it... making them "Drama Queens" instead of just queens. Please stay tuned for the next queen (there are four of them, after all) in the series!