Watercolor on Strathmore Vellum Bristol Sheet
24"x18"
Cecily Willis is an MFA graduate of Otis College of Art and Design and has been a professional artist for over 50 years. Throughout her distinguished career, she worked as a graphic designer for the Los Angeles Times and Farmers Insurance, and shared her expertise as a Desktop Publishing instructor for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Now retired from teaching and dedicated to full-time painting, Cecily has called Port Hueneme home for the past nine years.
Artist Statement:
"In 1988, when Pee-wee's Christmas Special first aired, I shared split custody of my 12-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. A major highlight of our weekends together was watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse—my kids and I absolutely loved it, and that Christmas special was the absolute cherry on top of his terrific programming. It was the most wonderfully fabulous holiday show we had ever seen, and we adored every single person in it!
With this painting, I wanted to capture just how joyous that special was for us, packed with one incredible and beloved guest star after another (I still laugh thinking about him making Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello work in a sweatshop making Christmas cards!). My two children grew up to be incredible, productive human beings, and I like to think that sharing Paul Reubens' humanity, humor, and progressive programming with them every Saturday morning had a lot to do with it."
Watercolor on Strathmore Vellum Bristol Sheet
24"x18"
Cecily Willis is an MFA graduate of Otis College of Art and Design and has been a professional artist for over 50 years. Throughout her distinguished career, she worked as a graphic designer for the Los Angeles Times and Farmers Insurance, and shared her expertise as a Desktop Publishing instructor for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Now retired from teaching and dedicated to full-time painting, Cecily has called Port Hueneme home for the past nine years.
Artist Statement:
"In 1988, when Pee-wee's Christmas Special first aired, I shared split custody of my 12-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. A major highlight of our weekends together was watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse—my kids and I absolutely loved it, and that Christmas special was the absolute cherry on top of his terrific programming. It was the most wonderfully fabulous holiday show we had ever seen, and we adored every single person in it!
With this painting, I wanted to capture just how joyous that special was for us, packed with one incredible and beloved guest star after another (I still laugh thinking about him making Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello work in a sweatshop making Christmas cards!). My two children grew up to be incredible, productive human beings, and I like to think that sharing Paul Reubens' humanity, humor, and progressive programming with them every Saturday morning had a lot to do with it."
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