I win!

Quail-Mart

I entered a contest on Portfolios.com and I won the bronze in my category! The announcement will be on the site the first week of July. I will have a link to my portfolio. I'm really hoping this will increase my exposure and hopefully land me a job or two. I'm also in the process of mailing out self promotional postcard again. I'm much happier with the printing on these. I used overnightprint.com and they turned out great and only cost me 30$ because I had a coupon.

rain

No matter where I go I have to draw. I drew these pictures on the beach at Pictured Rocks in Michigan's upper peninsula. It had rained shortly before we arrived and shortly after we left. I hope a few people got to enjoy them at least before they were washed away by the rain.

Dance

Some oldies. I don't have time this week to do a new illustration I'm currently packing to go up north for a week. Just me and my husband in a little cabin on a lake. I'm excited I don't even have to take any work with me.

Jungle

I hate shopping at those huge chain stores. I can never find anything and I get lost. It's like a jungle!

In other news I found out my cards will be out in select Target test stores from August 7 to Sept 2. They can't tell me which stores are test stores so if anyone finds a store carrying my cards let me know! If my cards do well they will go in to the everyday line. I may also get to make more cards for them. That would be exciting.

In related news I updated my website. Several of the images from my cards are on there. Everyone should check it out. cbeckwith.com

Portrait

This is a quick portrait of the girl that was shot last night in a drive by just down the street from my house. She was hit in the neck. My husband is an army medic and he rushed to the scene and held her head until the ambulance arrived. She told him she was four months pregnant.

I don't understand things like this. Why shoot innocent people? Why shoot anyone at all? In all irony the shooting occurred at the corner of Martin Luther King Park. Martin Luther King, the man who lead a people in a great movement of non-violence and unity. It is a shame that his legacy is that the places named for him witness violence and murder among the very people he sought to bring to greatness. The world needs another Martin Luther King, someone to breathe hope in to the dying youth of our urban streets. Someone to promise them a future that is not lying on the pavement in a pool of blood.