Athena/Athena by Molly Crabapple
Posted on August 7, 2013 Posted by John Scalzi 37 Comments
I’m a big fan of the artwork of Molly Crabapple, and so when I recently decided that I would like to commission a portrait of my daughter, she was the artist who immediately came to mind. Fortunately for me she had time on her schedule for the work, and was came up with something that I think is simply wonderful. Take a look at it (please note it’s still in its travel wrapping, so you’ll see bits where tape blurs things and/or there’s reflection from the mylar). I’m calling it “Athena/Athena” for reasons I think will be immediately obvious.
(click on the picture to go to a larger version)
And now, a quick detail:
(click on the picture to go to a larger version)
Honestly, I don’t think it would be possible for me to be much happier about this portrait than I am. It really is gorgeous. And even better, my daughter loves it (it was a surprise to her). Many thanks to Molly Crabapple for the work. I love that I know such talented people as she.
That is absolutely gorgeous! I am glad Athena likes it because it looks just like her.
I will most certainly be taking a look at the rest of Molly Crabapple’s work.
So awesome.
Nice! I really like the way she incorporated the owl.
Marvellous! and what a fantastic thing for Athena.
Awesome! I will definitley need to check out Molly’s work after seeing that.
What a beautiful, amazing thing to do for your daughter. I love Molly’s work, and it’s just a lovely piece. Well done.
Love it. Absolutely love it.
No, I’m not crying…there’s…lots of dust in these here archives.
That is beautiful.
Looks like artist did watercolor/colored in wash over paper first and then ink and high lights? Is very cool looking!
Wow, that’s fantastic!
The top picture has a ‘this image or video is currently unavailable.’ Perhaps because I’m in Canada?
I can see the bottom picture just fine. It is very good.
Jreynolds:
Fixed.
Jesus. That’s amazing! Wow!
This is beautiful–almost Egyptian, with the bird-as-headdress. Your daughter is lucky!
You have talented friends.
Gorgeous piece of art! And glad your daughter liked it, it would have been a shame if it hadn’t been fully appreciated
I love how, even with the fanciful elements, it is so clearly a picture of her. What a lovely surprise!
Wow! So gorgeous. Glad Athena likes it.
I must have posted a spammable reply. This should fix that. Very cool portrait.
Beautiful! Love the mythic elements with the owl.
Like JReynolds, I couldn’t see the first picture when I opened Whatever in my inbox. Had to click on it to get it to open up in Flickr. When I came directly here, it opened up just fine.
Beautiful picture–as others have noted, you have very talented friends!
:-)
Wow. That’s incredible.
That’s stunning!
Beautiful!
Oh how very cool!!!
Gorgeousity-in-yum-yum! I love the detail and the mythological imagery.
Great portrait. Such detail. Love the owl, the mythological feel, and while I don’t know Athena I think it captures her personality from things you’ve posted. Glad she likes it. Wonderful artist.
Jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
This is beautiful!
Oh, that’s a beauty! Such talent! I would suffer from giddy palpitations if my dad gives me something like that. Another + points to you.
That is most wondrous!.
Absolutely gorgeous…
…And I hope Athena fully appreciates how lucky she is that black velvet is soooo 2008.
Wow. Amazingly beautiful artwork.
That. Is. Gorgeous.
I’d say it not only looks like Athena, it gives a kind of shivery foreshadowing of what she’ll look like as an adult.
Very cool.
That is a wonderful portrait … it’s like a fairy tale come alive.
You’re one cool dad.