Well, the holidays are almost over.  I won’t say they’re officially done until today is over (New Year’s Day), as all the stores in my small home town are still closed.  I REALLY wanted to get these pictures completed to a final finished product BEFORE Christmas so the story had more resonance.  Alas, I cannot predict when my dad will pass.  And as I had to pack in a hurry, I wasn’t able to bring all my art supplies with me.  Finishing up one picture here and there in bits and pieces is one thing.  This last picture is another thing all together when all I have is my favorite blue pencil and regular printer paper.  SO I did a very rough sketch for this last piece of what I had envisioned.  It IS drawing and arting after all, no matter what the finished state.

Maybe if there’s time, I will get to do a complete color version so the chosen color palette for this series is finalized.  And the perspective (from the mantel over the fire place) will be much more obvious.

I think my favorite part is the bunny Madonna and little angels.  They were based on a set my mom had as a kid.  Trying to track down reference photos of that set has been a bear, but we found them.  They are a Blue and White Vintage Lefton set from Japan my mom got in the early 70s as near as we can tell.  Not sure on the exact date though.  And converting them into bunnies gave me a giggle (and fits too).  Just a fun little homage to the song, as well as a fun inclusion to wrap up the “story” within this series that I set out to tell.  It’s not a perfect finish (in fact, it still doesn’t feel done to me), but it is what it is.  I will be getting back to town almost right as work is starting back up and hitting the ground running.  We shall see if I get to finish it as soon as I’d like.