Hostelling International Chicago

The Hostel is on the corner of Congress and Wabash, a well-appointed place, welcoming an international crowd.  It was a party for the guests, a mixer, with a band on one side and that famous caricaturist on the other.  I was set up near a huge mural of the map of the world.  My spot

was right at the tip of Patagonia and from there I drew these diverse faces. Everybody spoke English, of course.  You can try to match the face with a spot on the globe.  Hint: Ireland, Argentina, India, Japan, China, Tibet, Russia, Iran and the US and more. Thank you, Sharday!

All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

www.khilden.com

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://artamaze.wordpress.com————————————————

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Montessori School

The third end-of-school event last week was at a Montessori School in a far northern suburb. I was set up on the stage of the sunny auditorium with high windows that gave to the lush green school grounds and an expanse of rainy sky.  It was an international crowd, with names for children that were translated for me as “goddess of education” and “mountain peak and sky.”  Everybody was gentle; nobody was frantic or competitive, as happens sometimes when things are given away free.  I drew thirty kids in two hours during that Saturday brunch.  Loved every minute!  Thank you, Brooke, for choosing me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.

www.khilden.com

http://facefame.wordpress.com

http://artamaze.wordpress.com

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International Family Festival

The recent International Family Festival at the McGaw YMCA in Evanston featured music, dance, all sorts of freebees  from  local businesses and organizations, face painting and—ta-tah—caricatures by me.  It was an honor to be chosen from the list of Chicago area  caricaturists.  Thank you, Lawrence and Mary!

One boy’s father told him to get in line to be drawn, but instead of getting in line, the boy stood behind me to watch.  Grayson  was fascinated and asked good questions.  His father came back to tell him to stand in line, but Grayson preferred to learn. He is among the few who “get” it.  He wanted to know how I learned to draw so good, and I explained that you have to keep practicing.  He was eleven, the age when kids who love draw often trade in this solitary interest for more gregarious, conformist peer activities. Grayson was  delightful and good company, but I finally said he deserved to be drawn and he agreed to sit.  Thank you Grayson!

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TWIRLING

We’re in the party room in a downtown Evanston high rise, spacious, with leather seating arrangement and wall sconces.  Pink table cloths and balloons for a three-year-old’s birthday.  She’s dancing in her pink and white dress and looks puzzled when the CD momentarily stops. Dad is handling the pizza in the well appointed kitchen. Mom is serving drinks and catching up with the friends.  All together there are six adults and five children, all girls.  I’m doing my thing, drawing everybody and enjoying the company. Takes about an hour.   So simple.  So cozy.  So much fun.

When I drew the birthday girl, finally, as the last one, she was very exited to see the drawing.  I drew her dancing in her magical, whirling way and then, in her excitement, she resumed the twirling right away.  No time for the camera.  Oh, well. I’m there to make people happy and if I get some documentation of the work, that’s fine, if not, not.  I left, quite inspired by that family.  The birthday girl’s name was Havana.  She was born in Sidney, Australia.  Father, South-African with a Dutch name;  mom, Swedish, willowy and blond.  Evanston may be some sort of crossroads of the nations,  always interesting.

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Some more pictures:

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