“Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss”
Oil Pencil, pastel, and watercolor
2021
NFS
This portrait, which i did on this surprisingly springlike day, is of Melanie Morgan. I’ve known her since she first came to Sewanee as the date of a friend of mine. I’ll admit to having thought she was quite pretty and funny in 1980…..but I’ll also admit to having never thought of her again until we became friends on Facebook a couple of years ago…….and I thought “Good Lord, she’s one of those women who were pretty as the day is long at age 20, and she still is….”. I’ve gathered that she’s been married, has had children (all quite grown by now), is a busy lawyer in Texass…….and all sorts of fine things…..but I’ve also noticed that she has the same genuinely happy/pretty smile she had thirty-nine years ago. I also know that she LOVES her chickens (she’s on Facebook; “friend” Melanie Morgan). This is taken from a photograph she sent to me of her and two of her chicks. I love it annd had intended to paint it one day, which i just did……and it will be a gift to Melanie. I like painting things that make me happy. The title is, of course, taken from this jolly song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY-9N9fDUEQ