by Matthew | Dec 11, 2015 | Bobbledy Birthdays |
This is Hope. Hope recently experienced the singular thrill of celebrating the anniversary of her birth. Note the festive pink hat. This girl knows how to party. We are flattered and delighted that in the midst of the jubilee, she took a few moments to draw us a picture.
And what a drawing it is! We challenge you not to be riveted while examining this scene in which the Kitty Sheriff (his earnest, crime-fighting intentions are evident in his expertly-drawn eyes), rides bareback on a muscular steed in hot pursuit of a cat robber with the ill intentions of stealing something, presumably Hope’s birthday cake. Because it’s Hope’s birthday, if you didn’t catch my earlier meaning.
What do I love about this drawing? Perhaps the better question is what I do not love. And the answer to that question is “nothing.” Because I love it all. The crescent moon. The sheriff’s neatly coiled (rope? lasso? Indiana-Jones-style bullwhip?), the lovely architectural detail of the the sheriff headquarters’ roofline, the look of grim determination on the eyes of the robber in question.
The scene suggests a grand finale — the forces of darkness and light in collision. How will it end? Which cat will prevail? We do so hope that Hope will draw the next scene, if only to sate our curiosity.
Perhaps at her next birthday? Or perhaps (hopefully) even sooner.
All of this is to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE! Thank you for sharing your drawing with us! WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE MORE.
by Matthew | Aug 27, 2015 | Bobbledy Birthdays |
Another birthday, another amazing drawing. This time, Julia L. is the artist in question. We are so glad she took the time to send us her drawing.
Let’s have a look. Great artistic expression calls for deep consideration.
As you can see, this horse is named Rane Bow. Because this is a blog that anticipates the needs of those who do not like to read words written in red marker, I am happy to share that “He is jumping fire because it is for a competition.” If you sense a certain frothy determination in Rane Bow’s manner and bearing, it is because, “He would like to win.”
From the looks of things, Rane Bow is well on his way to victory? Do you see any other horses nipping at his heels? Do you? Be honest? Invisible horses do not count. If I had a trophy, I would give one of them to Rane Bow at this very moment. And I would give the other one to Juliette. The one for Juliette would be a birthday trophy. Because, as we have already established, she has just gotten another year older.
Thank you for sharing your drawing with us, Juliette. And happy, happy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
by Matthew | Jun 10, 2015 | Bobbledy Birthdays, Reader Submitted |
There are at least 347 things I like about kids in the Bobbledy Club. I like that they like books. I like that they ride bicycles. I like that they eat carrot cake occasionally. But one of my very favorite things is that they keep on having birthdays. And that, when they do, they make drawings and send them to us.
The most recent birthday kid is Orin Z. I have it on good authority that he just turned seven. Here is his card, a single-panel allegorical comic detailing the epic adventures of a horse named Max.
The tree on the left hand side of Orin’s drawing is most certainly the Tree of Life. Max (a young horse, just getting started in the world, as evidenced by the glee-laced exuberance with which he is leaping literally over the rainbow) is making his way to the Purple and Orange Palace of Destiny, as pictured on the right hand side. The place is a place of great danger, but also great opportunity. It is here where Max will face challenges and meet them, growing from an optimistic young colt to a wise and worldly stallion who prefers to go by his given name, Maximilian.
There is also an astonishing amount of ice cream in the palace. And a roller coaster.
Thank you, Orin, for sharing your wonderful drawing with us!
And a very happy birthday from all of us here in Bobbledy land!
by Matthew | Apr 10, 2015 | Bobbledy Birthdays |
Someone has turned 5. To celebrate the occasion, we sent him an unfinished picture. Lucky for us, he did a bit of drawing and sent it back. Lucky for you, we have posted it below.
This someone’s name is Roan, and he has an extraordinary imagination.
Let’s take a close look.
In case you are the sort who doesn’t like reading handwritten words, I will transcribe the caption for you here.
The horse is sunset; one cowboy is making him jump over a log.
Am I the only one who recognizes the delicious dramatic irony of Roan’s drawing? While most cowboys ride INTO the sunset, these cowboys are riding on top of one. While jumping over a log! Not only is Roan an outstanding illustrator (don’t tell me you’ve seen a finer drawing of the sun today), but he has a flair for verbal wit and a true understanding for the power of the red magic marker.
Consider me very impressed. If Roan can do work like this as a five year old, I can’t wait to see what the next five years will bring.
From all of us at Bobbledy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROAN!!!
by Matthew | Mar 5, 2015 | Bobbledy Birthdays |
Today I have the distinct pleasure of sharing with you a drawing and story by Bobbledy Club member Julie, who recently had a birthday.
You know how when you go to a museum and there are a bunch of plaques next to the paintings that tell you way too much about the paintings and you wish the plaques would just leave you alone and let you look at the painting and decide for yourself how you want to feel about it?
Keeping that in mind, I am going to let Julie’s amazing story/drawing combo speak for itself.
You know how, after you leave the museum and you can’t get a particularly compelling piece of art out of your head and so you go to the internet and google “MIND BLOWN” to try to learn more about it?
Well that’s what I just did, and here’s what the leading art historians/literary critics have to say about Julie’s work “Fiesta.”
“This delightful illustrated panel (circa late winter 2015) evokes a pleasing blend of paleolithic cave painting and early 20th Century Dadaist poetry. The “crown in the flood” is a metaphor for the threadbare trappings of post-consumer ennui. Fiesta, in her sprightly vigor, represents the hope of a new generation, laughing at the tragic debris of her forbears. Gamely, she evades the “flood,” and canters on to forge a better tomorrow on the other side of the troubled, bloated waters.”
Indeed! I could not have said it better myself.
Thank you, Julie, for sharing your impressive work (and utopian vision) with us.
VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY from all of us at Bobbledy Books!
by Matthew | Jan 30, 2015 | Bobbledy Birthdays |
We have been treated to a delightful offering from club member Sebastien C., who took a few minutes out of his recent birthday celebration to make the following drawing. And (thankfully) a few more minutes to share it with us.
Sebastien’s drawing came with no explanation, which is good, because so much of the fun of looking at a piece of art is deciding what it means. And the best thing is, the same drawing or painting or sculpture or inadvisable performance art piece can mean different things to different people.
To figure out what Sebastien’s drawing meant to me, I sat down and looked at it for a few minutes. I “took it all in,” as they say. I let it wash over me.
And here’s what I saw.
A family consisting of one tall person (a father) and three small people (his children, Janet, Hortence, and Ivor) were surprised when their wife/mother decided to celebrate her 34th birthday by taking a hot air ballon ride without them. She loves them, mind you, but frankly, she just needs a day to herself. In the balloon she will read a light novel and eat olives. She is so happy with the sudden peace and quiet (other than the blaring of the open flame that keeps her craft aloft) that she cackles to herself in a way that might be described as slightly unhinged (at some point, it seems, she starts cackling in Mandarin or possibly Sanscrit). Her family, distressed at the implications of her sudden departure, feels a little yellow (this is a metaphor; Sebastien is clearly comfortable dabbling in allegory). The cryptic words on the balloon are meant to be confounding. Her actual destination is Arby’s (she does love a good roast beef sandwich), but she wants her family to believe that she is going somewhere more exotic. Their best attempts to find her using Google Maps is thwarted when no destination matching “TROTAIN” is found. Oh, and it’s sunny.
That’s what this drawing means to ME. But what does it mean to you? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
And THANK YOU, Sebastien, for drawing it and sharing it with us.
And HAPPY, HAPPY birthday to you.
