Now & Then ... By Amy Connolly 2J

Very often I am asked how long I've been an artist, and my answer is always the same, "forever". In my heart I know this to be very true. I remember loving everything about art from a very young age, and in that regard, not a lot has changed. A brand new box of crayons is still one of my favorite things. As someone who doesn't like to talk the talk unless I can walk the walk, I thought it was time to start proving that I was born a Creative Soul. So please welcome my newest series: "Now & Then" 

Before we get any further, I have to say that while the original artwork you see here was created by my 7 year old self, the follow up craft was handmade by my best friend Joanne. As a gift, Joanne wanted to recreate a piece of art that I made in my childhood. She went to the source of all refrigerator-worthy artwork, my Mom, and found this little gem. Luckily, construction paper somehow stands the test of time, and Joanne set to the meticulous task of bringing this cat to life. I love looking back at my old artwork, so I was thrilled to receive such a unique and thoughtful gift. If you're stumped on a gift for a close friend, this creative idea is highly recommended by yours truly.

Joanne did a great job capturing every single detail. I think my 7 year old self would be thoroughly impressed with the craftsmanship seen here, and I am too. 

Speaking of details, let's talk about what's going on here. First things first, "Amy" in case you forgot who the artist was ... "If you don't Look sometimes a cat will kiss you with there nose." Punctuation, grammar, and spelling aside, I obviously knew my facts. You really can't argue that statement. I wonder if this sentence was my artists statement. It had to have been, because it clearly explains the whole piece.

I would really like to call attention to the placement of the alphabet on this cat. I feel like I was really thinking outside the (litter) box (eww) with that one. I can only imagine that this was provoked by an early love for typography, resulting in my current career as a graphic designer. As for the pumpkin - an obviously brilliant touch - I would have to assume this was made around Halloween time.

Joanne really captured the spirit of this drawing. I'm still so impressed...

One thing that hasn't changed over the past 20 years is that I'm still very proud of the work I produce. If I could, I would slap that "By Amy Connolly 2J" on all of my work. And yes, I'd still do it 3 times if necessary, just in case there was any confusion as to the the creative mastermind is...

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