I came across this photo of artist, Rafa Macarrón in his studio and I was intrigued to see more. His mixed media canvases have all the colour, naivety and whimsy I look for in a painting. I see elements of Klee, Miro, and Matisse. I think his style would lend itself beautifully to a children’s book. “Through his colourful palettes and pseudo-cosmic narratives, Macarrón attempts to capture the world’s innocence, and the beauty and surprise of everyday life.” Take a look if you have a moment today –– his skinny legged camel and peculiar giraffe will make you smile.

It was this beautiful pair of gloves that first caught my eye. And once you enter Bunnie Reiss’ world, you’ll find it hard to leave. From cosmic costumes to richly patterned quilts to murals adorned with peacocks and moons and evil eyes, Reiss’ universe is pure magic. Doesn’t everyone want a tent atop their car? And what kid wouldn’t go bonkers building an art fort? I’ll take one of her nature paintings –– Charlie Harper meets early Kandinsky.

Please take a look at Claire Oswalt‘s beautifully simple collages in black, white and inky blues. I find them so soothing to look at. Her website spotlights her process –– the places where inspiration springs from –– a rose or an orange peel, or a smattering of nude toned knickers sitting on the dryer. They’re quite lovely, no? Oswalt makes simple, graphic quilts, also, which is no surprise.

“Look at all these thousands of people,” I said to Iole as we stood among the crowds of men and women and children in Queen’s Park  last Saturday. “They’re all here because they believe in something.” I’m not sure how much she grasped of what I said to her as we walked from home to Queen’s park and down Univeristy Avenue, but the fact that she was there, the fact that we were there together, meant a lot to me, and I hope one day to her. “This was the coffee shop I came to in a nightie and ballerina flats while I waited for labour to kick in,” I told her as we stood in line for the loo at Tim Horton’s. And here you are, all grown up, and marching with your Mama down University Avenue. That standing up for what you believe in can look as positive and peaceful and unified as Saturday’s March, is just the sort of message we want for our children. “We’re doing it,” Gloria Steinem said in Washington. “Pressing send does not allow us to empathize with other people. … If you hold a baby you’re flooded with empathy. If you see somebody in an accident you want to help them. I love books, but [empathy] doesn’t happen from a book. It doesn’t happen from a screen. It only happens when we’re together.”