Statue of Liberty, "Mother of Exiles," 9x9 Pencil Drawing

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We are all familiar with the words," "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...," but here is the whole poem, identifying the Statue of Liberty and America as Mother of Exiles:

THE NEW COLUSSUS

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
MOTHER OF EXILES. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

--Emma Lazarus 

In view of recent events, this is my interpretation of the Mother of Exiles.

Carmen

O My Papaya, 5x7 Oil on Canvas, Landscape Daily Painting

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If you want something easy to grow, buy the biggest, nicest papaya you can find and plant the seeds. Just throw them down if you want, some will sprout. I ended up with too many trees, and let them get too tall, and I had fruit I couldn't reach. If only I could grow tomatoes that easily! I am a complete failure with tomatoes.

I like the light in this painting; there was a storm approaching and the sun was shining on the trees, making them a very bright light green. 

Carmen

Home from Vietnam, 9x12 Graphite Drawing, Portrait of Father and Child

This was absolutely a labor of love. Our dear friend Ben was terminally ill, and his daughter Debbie posted this photo from her childhood, taken when he had just returned from Vietnam. I loved everything about the photo and just had to draw it for her. The week I finished, Ben left us. I'm so glad I could portray this happy moment in the life of this wonderful man.

Carmen