Last night, I was watching an old movie, and Robert de Niro, as one of the stars, held an egg in his hand and said:

“You know, some religions think that the egg is the symbol of the soul,
did you know that?” – Angel Heart

I immediately thought about a picture book that I admire, First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro.

“First the egg, then…

The premise is simple.

The Rooster, who is the world’s alarm clock, has had, since the dawn of history, |
the task of  “Waking Up the Sun.”

And that is the premise of my own picture book, Waking Up the Sun.

The Sun Needs to Rise, but the Rooster’s in Bed – Jacki Kellum Illustration

Even when the Rooster is tired and sluggish, [paraphrased]

He can be counted upon – Jacki Kellum Illustration [paraphrased]

To wake up the Sun – Jacki Kellum Watercolor

Because of his job to be the ever-renewer, the Rooster is a symbol of hope, of faith, and in a way, a symbol of survival. 

Little Napoleon the Rooster – Jacki Kellum Watercolor

When I draw or paint a rooster, I try to capture him as a tough and determined little bird. In my painting, Little Napoleon, I am making a tongue-in-cheek comment about the fact that although he is small, he stands puffed out and proud.

As they say in the quote, “This ain’t my first rodeo,” my hero in my picture book Waking Up the Sun isn’t my first rooster. I have drawn other roosters, and I have painted them, as well, and now, I have painted a rooster in embroidery:

Chanticleer the Rooster Drawn in Embroidery by Jacki Kelllum

Embroidery was actually my first art form. It is the stuff that I cut my artist’s teeth upon–even as a tiny child. I am currently researching and writing several books about embroidery. Be watching this space for more about that.