Quebec forest

As a sixth grader in Montreal, Quebec, my classmates and I hiked through the woods. We came upon a grassy knoll where we had to swing on a rope from one dock to another. Lisa – with her big glasses, red pigtails, and a squeaky voice – was the last one to swing on the rope. She said:
“I am scared.”
We all egged her on. She tried, and boy did she try. While in mid-air, she let go of the rope way too early and landed under the dock. Thank goodness she was not seriously hurt. I am not one to laugh at her mishap, but there was something so endearingly cute about her – I wanted to draw this memory.

Brazil - Rio de Janeiro

One of my favorite cities to visit is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  In the heart of the Ipanema section is a street filled with shops and cafes.  I love to sketch people as they browse the stores, nibble on "sanduiches" and sip"cafezinhos."  It is one of the rare countries where I felt truly at home!

There is a Brazilian saying: "Eu sou americana, mas meu coração é brasileiro" -- which translates to "I am American but my heart is Brazilian."

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!