This mixed media art started as a pen drawing I made of my wife on the paper table cover while at a nice Chinese restaurant on Chicago's north side back in 2016. The hair on the right panel is lightly colored using tea. Rediscovering two in-progress photos of the artwork--nearly 10 years later--I turned the tasteful occasion into a two-panel comic. What some might call a mess to be cleaned up, I believe turned into an entirely appetizing comic.
The artwork reminds me of the paradoxical nature of life: the tablecloth is long gone, as is my being a Chicago resident. Yet I still love my wife, Chinese food, and drawing.
Drawing and still life photos by Joe Chiappetta, 2016-2025
