Pleasant Surprises

1992
Pen and Ink
4.75" x 6.75"

In 1989 I decided to make my own Christmas card. Because color reproduction was expensive, I created a black-and-white line drawing. The card proved to be a hit and it started a tradition—I've drawn the artwork for my (now our) Christmas card ever since. Initially my cards featured anonymous, fictional people—mostly children.

In March of 1992 I met a girl and fell in love. By August we were engaged. I wanted my card that year to somehow reflect what was going on in my life and how I felt. But I also wanted to continue using my children-in-humorous-situations motif. I hit upon the concept of mistletoe, and the piece just fell into place. It was the fastest, easiest piece I have done in the series, and still one of my favorites.