Boas

I'm illustrating the phrase, 'Sometimes I wear them to Lunch' for an SCBWI contest.

As a kid, I would watch after my high school art teacher's house while she was on vacation with her family. I was to water the plants, feed the birds, and look after the snake. Preferring I not have to feed live mice to a snake, the family put two small white rodents in the snake's cage before leaving--one for each week they were gone. They figured the serpent would attack when he got hungry. Unfortunately for the snake, two mice were more than he could handle and I spent the next two weeks feeding mice after burying a snake. I felt horrible, of course, but I secretly rooted for the mice.

As tribute, I've painted an Annie Oakley-esque class pet with complete control over her natural enemies. It's the way to be.