Who's watching the Children? I mean, who's Really watching the children. Is it the person who shows them what to do and how to behave? Or is it the outsiders who just get to see.

It's fun to see what goes on in front of me:

And here's another one. What I see is what you get. I can't help it. I only have a few minutes to draw a picture that looks like the person sitting in front of me, a person I have never seen before:

what an artist does while relaxing on her time off

Middle of the night. I feel so tired. So many exciting things I do ~ And I'm only showing my Professional life here. Oh it's all so exciting.

This week I drew Caricatures at two different College Openings in Suffolk County, one Corporate event in the Theatre District, an Engagement Proposal Caricature in Manhattan, and I did Face-Painting at a Nursing Home in Harlem for Grandparents' Day.

Last week it was Caricatures and Balloon-twisting at a 3-year-old's Party uptown Manhattan and another College Opening in Suffolk County.

The week before, it was 3-days of Face-Painting at an NFL event ~ Manhattan Theater District, 60's style Caricatures at a Retirement Party in New Jersey, Caricatures at a Sweet 16 in Yonkers, and Face-Painting at a 5-year-old's Party in Suffolk County. And while I was at it, I took a workshop in Manhattan for Painting Tribal Face-Paintings. The Life of a Freelance Artist.

I'll frequently have people ask me - "Sooo, what you do is.... to take one feature and make it real big......"

"Yes, yes", I mindlessly say ~ because I'm busy drawing and I can't really interrupt my experience to start teaching and explaining ~ or else I wouldn't be doing it anymore. I would be talking instead.

When I'm really in my game, when I'm really 'in the zone', I'm feeling the expression that I'm seeing. I'm feeling it. So I know what the different 'parts' are doing. I might be 'dancing with the long curly hair'. Or or puppy-dogging my eyes. Or nervously looking around (I don't like when my subject does that ~ It doesn't feel good for me to have to feel it) ~ that sort of thing. And this is imposed upon the shapes that initially Wow me as the person approaches. My first impression of what the person looks like.

Here are some simple pictures that I drew at a child's party. I'll try to remember my main impression of what I saw at that moment so I can tell you about it now:

It was the narrow triangle on the bottom of the face which repeated the shape of the smiling mouth ~ ........ ............... Oooh ~ I felt scared to do this one ~ The girl's mother told me how they're both professional models because she's so pretty and all....... ........... ........... Smooth sleek hair ~ 'Tut-tut-now' lips .............. ..............

Aaaah ! that debonair glance ~ Those luscious lips .............. ............ I wish I could touch that haircut ............. .........

wide-eyes, led around as a little girl ~ reminded me of myself when I was little and didn't have a clue as to what was going on ............... .............

those teeeth. not aware of that suggestive look in his young eyes. Boys. ............... ..............