I initiated a long-term project with my art students, whereby we made homemade, DIY art journals, and worked in them throughout the year.  I then embarked on a project to create a guest entry into each one of my students' journals.  This particular piece was for a the journal of a 10 or 11 year old girl, and was just really painted all in good fun.  In seeking out something that could connect me personally with this student, I recalled one of her previous projects earlier in the year in my class when I introduced the art of papier mache to the kids.  She had sculpted a cute little bird in a cartoony, caricature-like style.  I decided to follow her lead and create in her journal a funny little anthropomorphic owl bird of my own.  Meet "Owlie".....