Acorns, Then and Now (September Patron Sketch)

This post has a fair bit  more history than a lot of the art I put up here.  It also comes with a quote from the squirrel herself (Written by September's Sketch recipient, Mr. Rancourt).

The character, Amanda, dates decades back to 1996, just after I dropped the moniker 'Ravenwolf' and started using my own name (Though I often do ponder going back to a 'pen name' sometimes).  The original art featured a far more erotic bent than I usually take these days, and sadly the scan is quite small, being that it's quite ancient by today's tech standards of scanning everything at 3.5 billion dpi.

I also got to do this sketch in a 'finished pencil' style which I admit I really do love doing.  I've forgotten how much less I obsess over details when using a more 'rough' standard like pencils.  Going forward I'm going to offer this to folks who would prefer it as their sketch.  I'll happily still do the inks, as always, but this is a really nice alternative and gives a more real-media feel.

Amanda, our squirrel protagonist endured, her life evolved, as did her soul.  My art still features those wobbly, gnarl-barked trees, so perhaps I've evolved less in a sense. :)

The original 'Then' image will be below at the end of this post.  

And without further delay, a quote from Amanda herself:

 "Jeez, let one wolf guy nail you to one tree, one day, and next thing you know, you're the 'shake those nuts' squirrel mama all over the internet, huh? Heh! Fine...fine. So that's my fifteen minutes of fame, Mr. Warhol. That was my closeup. Just 'cause Tom and I aren't still a thing doesn't mean I regret a damn thing, and that includes one of you takin' a picture and turning it into the next viral cat video, or whatever. Yep, Tom can has cheezburger. What? You aren't doing cheezburger anymore? Pfft. Whatever. He wasn't complaining, so don't you start, either.

Yeah. That's me. What? Yeah, so...sixty pounds, thirty years, the blonde's gone more-than-half-silver...what's your point? Age is beautiful, honey, I got it, and anyone who says otherwise is sellin' you some kinda Gwynyth Paltrow jade hoo-hah egg or Grecian Formula, or some crap like that. It's not about hiding from time...time'll find you, trust me.

So, what do you want to know? Yeah, Tom and I broke up. No drama, just...he wanted puppies and I don't know if you noticed, but I ain't the puppy-making sort of critter. Nothing personal! I love kids. Just, if they come out of me, they're squirrel kids. Pffft. Okay, fine, if they come out of me, they're probably some kinda Cathooloo thing...I have no idea how you say that, pronounce that, you know what I mean, right? Tentacles. Like those Japanese cartoons. You know what I'm talking about. Hell, you're internet people, you probably drew those Japanese cartoons! Heheh. That's cool. Weird. But cool.

He's doin' great, don't worry. Back on the mainland, got himself a fancy puppo wife and don't tell anybody, but I kinda lost count of their kids and I just sent them big old care packages of the stuff I make for Christmas, and hope it's enough for however many those two have cranked out. Hmmm? Oh, I do all kindsa stuff, hon. Shampoo, conditioner, body butter, I make stuff that'll calm your scent glands, take the edge off of hunger pangs, I'm workin' on this amazing tea that's really good for upset stomach but it's not packaged yet and I don't have the art for the tins. You want some, long as you're cool with the limited-edition deluxe Ziploc baggie, you just let me know how much you need and I'll bring it to the next farmer's market for you.

Mmmm? Oh, yeah, so I sell out of either Upcountry or Kula Farmer's Market, but if you need it sooner, call me, I'm in the book under Rhiannon Grove Farms, right on Piiholo Road, just south of town, past the Stanshalls' place...you know where...so okay, past St. Joe's, like you're headed makai, like, to the Buddhist Center, but almost immediately, you turn mauka, head past the zip line, past the B&B, past Jillian's stables and the Ho'omana Spa...and then there's that S-curve, and then the C-curve, and RIGHT past the C-curve, look on the right for the little wooden sign for Rhiannon Grove's driveway. If you get to Aloha Honua? Turn around! You went too far!

Call me before you leave, and tell me where you're comin' in from, and I'll try to have some pants on by the time you get here. Or not. 

So...yeah. It's me, my farm...five acres, plus I picked up two more on the back that I need to figure out what to do with. They're still pretty wild, an old overgrown guava grove and a little new-growth koa that'll be somethin' in another few hundred years. Most of the time it's just me an' Beau here...he's a good boy...but my wolf guy flies in every now and then and then we're three for a while. It's a good arrangement...I get to missing him and he's planning his next trip out to Maui, he helps me out around the place, and he leaves again before I have time to get sick of him. Hmm? No, not Tom. Different wolf guy. Heh. Looks a lot like Tom, though, if Tom had a beard, now that you mention it. And yeah, I've introduced him to the oak tree, since I knew you were gonna ask.

Nice of you to check up on me. Yeah, I'm doin' just fine. Here. A little something to remember today by. No, no, compliments of the Farm, it's on me. Not acorns, no...macadamias. I've got three trees, two of 'em producing like there's no tomorrow, and when the crop's out of the ovens and roasted, spend thirty-five or more at my stand in one pop and you get a bag of 'em, first come, first serve, and yeah, they sell out quick so don't snooze if you want more.

And go ahead. Shake 'em. You know you wanna. "

-T.J.