This was a preliminary sketch for a painting I did for my newborn nephew for Christmas. His name is Spencer Hammond Hayes, and there was a big fuss over the fact that he could be nicknamed "Ham". So to pour gasoline on the fire, I decided to paint this pig for his room. When my sister unwrapped the painting on Christmas Eve, she yelled, "It's Milk Pig!" And I had no idea what she was talking about. She explained that Perry, my brother-in-law, had been calling him "Milk Pig" because he's a very messy eater and goes after his bottle like a pig. Now I don't think anyone worries about the "Ham" nickname as much as they do the "Milk Pig" one.

© copyright Clay Meyer Illustration, Jackson, MS USA 1999. All rights reserved.