Blast from the Past #333: Cover art for Smith College Alumni magazine

I think this one was drawn in the late 1970's… possibly 1980 or 1981. It was a job I got through a woman I'd met while she was working at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, and when she moved over to Smith College to be the editor (I think) of their alumni magazine, she remembered me and hired me to do a few gigs for the alumni magazine. Several of the drawings were pretty straightforward, illustrating various stories or articles in the magazine. I only got one job doing a cover for the magazine, and this was it.

And it was kind of odd, especially for a publication from Smith College -- a spectral woman walking through an ivy-covered brick wall. I know that I drew this to symbolize something in the magazine, perhaps the theme of that particular issue -- I don't recall. I do remember that it was fun to draw.

Here's the (very rough) rough drawing I did for the piece.

I have a vague -- and quite possibly flawed -- memory that the woman who gave me the job was shortly thereafter let go from that position, and I always felt a little guilty that maybe this slightly strange drawing had something to do with it. If I am remembering correctly, and that did indeed happen… I'm sorry! -- PL

Colors of spring

Over the last few weeks, we've been seeing a lot of wonderful spring colors in the form of blossoming trees and bushes. Most of these I don't know the names of, except for forsythia. But they sure are pretty to look at.

I did a nice bicycle ride yesterday down the river path to Smith College, where I stopped to take a couple of photos of Paradise Pond and a beautiful flowering bush to later stitch into this little panorama.



And, having just recently discovered a very handy "macro" button on the side of the lens of my camera, I took this closeup shot of the blossoms. -- PL