Amuse your friends! Confuse your relatives! Send Groundhog Day Cards this year!
I got in the habit of sending these several years back, when I once again missed the deadline for sending out Yule/Christmas cards. As an artist I always felt like an idiot buying cards, when I knew I could make perfectly pretty ones myself; but I never had the spare time lying around in December (really, who does?) So I hit upon the idea of Groundhog Day cards, which, if I do say so myself, is freakin' genius.
On my end it means I have the entire month of January to do the art, and on the receiver's ends it is unexpected, silly, and just the thing everyone needs by that time of the year, when more than likely the winter has dragged on and on in its dreary way; and whether my relatives get it or not (probably not, honestly) it does at least provide an amusing diversion. What's not to love?
So over the past few years I've been uploading each year's art to The Cat and Cauldron so that you too can send Groundhog Day cards if you like.
This year's is a pastel painting done in the style of Paleolithic cave paintings, and shows a groundhog advancing towards a primitive sun symbol. Alas, CafePress does not allow for printing on the back of a card (don't ask me why; it's been an issue with them since like forever); which means the paragraph I usually write establishing the art's (fake) provenance has to be left off. But for your amusement, here's what this card should say on the back:
Groundhog and Sun Symbol. Detail of a cave painting; Iberio-Cantabrian, Upper Paleolithic period (late Aurignacian-Perigordian), epoch of higher figurine culture, 15,000-10,000 B.C.E. Right wall of the so-called "Gallery of the Sun" in the cave at Cuevas de la Araña (Province of Valencia), Spain.
Should any of you out there wish to start a Groundhog Day Card tradition of your own, I feel I should let you know that the official color scheme I've chosen for the holiday (in the way that Hallowe'en has orange and black, or Valentine's Day pink and red) is of white (for clouds and snow), blue (for the sky), gold (for the sun), and groundhog brown. I mean, for what that's worth.
Ha!
11 comments:
this is tooooo wonderful! so does the groundhog see it's shadow and go back in the cave or what?
I don't know. We'll find out February 2nd, I guess!
Wow, I just love the cave art look. It really looks and feels authentic. Very cool.
Also, I was wondering if I could feature one or more of your images on my tattoo site? It would be an image that features body art. If not, that's okay, but I wanted to ask.
Tee hee! What a great idea. And I love all the thought you put into making it fun - the color scheme, the fake history... fabulous! :)
I love the Groundhog Day.
Here in Brazil, people do not have the smallest clue of what that is, but as I lived in the US in 2000, I know all about it and LOOOOVE it.
My dad and I stay connected to the Groundhog website to know if (in our case) Fall is comming a bit faster lol
Livia Indica, sure, that's fine; thanks for asking.
And OMG, Pietra, there's a groundhog website? Of course! But how come I didn't know?
Have you ever thought of doing a package of all the groundhog cards? Like 2 of each design?
Thank you for these beautiful cards! I just placed my order. I have long thought that Groundhog Day should be a national holiday,and celebrated accordingly. 'Tis my favorite!
Green, I've had a thing for Groundhog Day since forever; when I was in sixth grade I made a stuffed critter groundhog and brought it with me to school for the day.
Kim, I'd love to be able to do something like that; unfortunately CafePress won't do more than one design per box.
What a great idea, they are really cool :-)
I just ordered my Groundhog Day cards too -- what a spectacular idea! And so lovely!
I ordered a bunch of Goddess note cards as well. Like Kim, I wanted a sampler pack, but since Cafe Press doesn't offer that option, I "cheated" and order five sets to mix and match as five new sampler sets (one for me and four as b-day gifts for my four luckiest friends).
Such beautiful work! Makes my day, every day.
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