Dedicated to Willie Baronet

I wanted to start the new year off with a new look. Thus, I enlisted the help of my new friend, Mr. Baronet.

I discovered him through a link on Spinning Girl's site, and quickly fell in love. His entire blog is dedicated to his sketches. As he calls it, encouraging others to express themselves by putting himself out there.

Much of his work is reminiscent of exercises I did in art class, where you draw without picking up your pencil, or without looking at the page. I hope he doesn't take that as an insult, for I always loved the sketchy look it created. Other pieces are much more detailed, using a complex mix of pattern shading. The hatching and stippling may be simple lines and dots, but they come together to create depth and detail in wonderous fashion.

Admirers of his work have compared it to artists ranging from Pablo Picasso to Paul Klee. His work can be both playful, and deeply emotional. Anything and everything is ripe for his imagination. And he does indeed inspire others to express themselves, as his comments testify.

So of course, I had to ask this wonderful person to find inspiration in my site and create me a new banner. I assumed he would say no, as he is a busy man running a company of his own. But it never hurts to try, and this time my efforts were rewarded. Though it is a small return, I'm giving him a free ornament (if I ever get them all done) as a token of my appreciation. One good turn deserves another.

To you Willie Baronet! And thank you :)