I’m lucky enough to have extremely talented friends. You’ve read about the film folks but there is another crew that are illustrators (at least I think that is the title they would be okay with). My connection to the “illustrators” is my friend Martha. Martha is an inspiration who quit her corporate job and went back to school graduating from the Art Center College of Design and went on to get her Masters at Philadelphia University (at least I think that is where she went … I’m sure she will correct me if I’m wrong. I was wrong. It was University of Pennsylvania. Which is what I originally wrote and thought it was incorrect). She is a ridiculously talented artist. I am so lucky to own a number of her original pieces and prints. I just adore every single one of them. It’s hard to say which of Martha’s pieces hanging on my many walls is my favorite. The two that come to mind is a corset that she had done for an invitation to some art something or other. It hangs in a “cluster” that includes the page from Rolling Stone that featured a drawing she did of Loretta Lynn. I also really love a colorful daisy. It is really pushing the bounds of “normal” Martha style but at the time she was doing a piece of art a day as a project, and the daisy was done specifically for me (since she knew I would love it) and has my birthday date next to her signature (I don’t think it is one of Martha’s favorites.). Of course I also love the men and women underwear pieces, the pictures of breakfast sandwiches and many more.

One of Martha’s good (and very talented friends) is Esther Pearl Watson. I own a few of Esther’s prints and I love each and every one. Esther and her equally talented husband, Mark invited me to their X-Mas party last year. It included a white elephant gift exchange of handmade items. It’s a little overwhelming to go to a “handmade” gift swap with actual artists! Needless to say my little necklaces that I had put together did not stack up to the creativity and awesomeness everyone else’s gifts showed. I was horrified (since I certainly didn’t deserve it) and ECSTATIC to walk away with a Gary Baseman original sketch. I’m in awe of the talent that covers my walls and I’m so happy to know such wonderfully talented people.

The last time Martha was in town (she still lives in Philly) I met her and some of her friends for dinner. I was the only “non-artist” and, of course, a small sketchbook was making its rounds (I think it belonged to Mark and Esther’s adorable daughter). Since I have little to talk about in the art world the conversation made its way around to Riggins (which is to be expected). The folks around the table (all of them very talented illustrators in their own individual right) sketched their interpretation of “Riggins.” They hadn’t seen a picture of him, the drawings were simply their interpretation of what they thought he looked like.

OF COURSE I framed them! I actually just got around to doing that this past weekend. Isn’t it amazing???? It’s so “super cool!” I gotta figure out where to hang it. There has got to be some empty wall somewhere in a premium spot!

Check out Martha and friends sites:

• Martha Rich
• Esther Pearl Watson
• Mark Todd
• Frieda Gossett (I’m pretty sure Frieda is the owner of the Riggins peeing on a tree sketch. Sadly I don’t remember the rest of the folks at the table to identify who drew the others.)