Route 66
I’m on pins and needles right now. This election is beyond nerve-wracking. So, here’s my report on the road trip from which we returned a week ago. Our trip was less about destination and more about friends we haven’t seen in too long. Does it feel like our friendships withered during the pandemic? With me turning 66 last month, my rabbit illustration on the first of October made use of my Batman pencil case as a vehicle for adventures on Route 66. We had first planned to connect with folks on both coasts, but realized that plan was not realistic. And yet a certain urgency about seeing people while we still could took hold.
We headed out on October 14 for Putnam, CT, to visit our dear friends, Annie Gusman Joly and Dave Joly. Upon arrival we set out on a walk about their town, where I met my spirit animal, the Bear.
Not far was another group of sculptures by Dale Rogers.
So good to catch up with Annie and Dave! Annie gave me my first teaching gig at the Art Institute of Boston decades ago, long before it became Lesley University. She and Dave now teach at QVCC nearby. Lots to discuss!
On October 15, they had appointments so Marty and I took a field trip to the RISD Museum. It looks different than when I was a student there, but I found a piece by Louise Nevelson.
It had the same impact as a black bear. Bold and brave. We saw incredible art, and also this piece hanging in our guest bedroom, made by RISD alum, Eric Spenser.
Their cat, Creamy, took up the center seat for eavesdropping on our conversation.
We got silly taking bad selfies.
On October 16 we landed on Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn for a sweet visit with my RISD classmate, Madeline Sorel.
Madeline’s husband, Dror Kahn, mixed cocktails for the guys before we headed out to Rocca, a local seaside place where I spied a swan swimming between the boats under an almost full moon.
In the morning, before everyone was up, I drew a still life on their dining room table, and later added Madeline and some collage to the teapot.
On October 17, Madeline gave us a tour of Kingsborough Community College where she has taught illustration for many years. She pointed out a detail in her collage in the Art Department’s Faculty Exhibit. She made this work during a collage workshop in Scotland.
Madeline headed to another teaching destination and Marty and I took another walk at the beach before hitting the road for Baltimore.
We checked into a hotel at Cross Keyes, where we’d stayed during our daughter’s years at MICA. It’s been five years since we were there, but still it’s still Charm City and the home of Nattie Boh.
We spent the morning at the legendary American Visionary Art Museum, one of our favorite places anywhere. Andrew Logan’s Cosmic Galaxy Egg beckons reflections on beginnings.
There’s always surprises here, and yet we were delighted to stumble upon an exhibit of Judith Scott’s work, the subject of a recent picture book biography illustrated by our Maine neighbor, Melissa Sweet, Unbound: The Life and Art of Judith Scott.
Our eyes melted, yet the view of Baltimore from the American Visionary Art Museum was clear as a bell.
We walked around the city before stopping at another favorite spot, the MICA store, where the Print Department had signs galore.
We topped off the evening at Cosima, where we visited with Donna Crivello, executive chef.
These two were once design colleagues at the Boston Globe, where I met them both! A very sweet circle to be served a signature Donna dessert.
On October 19, we drove to Virginia Beach where we looked up my cousin Barbara Byrd and her husband, Jim. Our mothers were sisters, growing up in Norwalk, CT. We had not seen each other in about 14 years, and Barbara shared this vintage photo of Jeanne (my mum) and her sister, Dorothy (Barbara’s mum.)
Jim and Barbara treated us to dinner at their favorite Mexican restaurant nearby and we caught up on family history. There’s way more stories to tell!
They gave us a little sailor ducky for Daisy, remembering her rubber ducky collection. Barbara and Jim met in the Navy:)
After breakfast on October 20, we hit the road again, fortified by family ties and strong coffee.
The landscape turned into rolling fields of cotton, open skies, and then we saw this. Had to stop and say a prayer.
We landed in Carolina Shores at the home of Fred and Sue Scheetz. Marty’s known Fred since grade school, so catching up on news from Cuyahoga Falls, OH was front and center. We walked with their dog, Holly, at Sunset Beach.
Fred and Sue moved to the southern edge of North Carolina many years ago, and live between golf courses, beautiful beaches, and ALLIGATORS.
We saw a few lolling at the edge of a golf course, looking lazy but watch out. Instead, we fed ourselves at the local Boundary.
It was fun to be around Holly, a Sheltie they rescued from their neighbor who died. What a sweetie!
Fred and Sue brought us to a favorite place where they take Holly for walks, Vereen Gardens in Little River, SC. The serene marsh reflections were like medicine for the soul.
Before departing, we mailed our postcards in their mailbox, an old Harley tank, a vestige from Fred’s riding days.
On October 22, we turned north again, without an itinerary. We landed in Washington, NC at a quirky inn, When Pigs Fly Inn, where the flying pig theme was strong. I had time to sketch one of the many pig items in our Red Room.
The inn is a short stroll to the harbor, as well as an Underground Railroad Museum, and a park where I found another bear spirit.
Everywhere there were large crab sculptures, decorated in different designs by local artists. Of course, I favored this mosaic blue crab, which is considered invasive in Maine.
On October 23, we continued north by way of the Outer Banks in search of this iconic light house on Bodie Island.
Marty had traveled this area decades ago with his surf buddy, T Scully. We found a friendly surf shop for souvenirs.
After grabbing lunch we came upon a public access to the beach for a quick picnic watching a surfer ride his skim board.
After crossing long bridges and driving through tunnels, we landed at the Charlotte Hotel in Onancock, VA, an historic little town on the shores of Chesapeake Bay.
Everywhere we stopped, Halloween decor was on display. In Onancock, it was all about bicycles.
But look! I spied a Star Bear in a mural!
We headed out on October 24 for a day of driving. A stop at this Waffle House was the highlight.
We found a hotel in Fort Lee, NJ for the night and rested up for the next day at the New York Botanical Garden!
I read about this show in April in the New York Times and vowed to see it. We caught it on the next to last day, but what a day! This exhibit curated by Jennifer R. Gross is a lovely trip through a magical portal of curiosity.
We paused inside the Haupt Conservatory, where the exotic plants and fountains begged to be sketched. The warmth and burbling water soothed my road weary nerves.
We toured the Rockefeller Rose Garden and considered our next move in Yoko Ono’s oversize chess set, “Play It by Trust.”
We spied some cosplay as we meandered along trails, past a waterfall, and over bridges lined by blazing foliage.
We went down another rabbit hole in the Mertz Library, where ephemera of books, art, and music inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland were on plentiful display.
By late afternoon, our eyeballs were full. This show had all my favorite things: a bold and curious girl, fungi, card games, and botanical surprises. Here’s an illustration I did years ago, part of the Wake Up, Alice! exhibit at the Portland Public Library in 2015.
We spent the night in Norwalk, CT so in the morning we could find the address of where my Mum grew up. On the way there, this skelly’s wide open arms was a good sign.
We found the house, looking probably different than 100 years ago when she was born. This mural at the corner of St. John Street was another good sign.
We stopped at the Village Green and happened upon a labyrinth at the St. Paul’s church. I felt love at every turn.
From there we headed to New England, with an impromptu detour at Carr’s Cider House in Hadley, MA.
I sketched one of the nearby goats, Haydari.
We looked up our island neighbor, Rob Leiber, and his new bride, Shira Neumann, who bought an old house in Turner’s Falls.
We met a stone carver in our tour of the town. Here’s a detail of his public art downtown.
As the sun went down, we found the French King Bridge Motel, a vintage reminder of my childhood at the Red Doors Motel.
On October 27, we blasted back to Casco Bay Lines, just in time to pass Daisy and Bryce heading out on their own road trip to California. Fare thee well, Peaks Island Dreamers!
Our neighbor’s skelly was a nice welcome. Rake nevermore!
It was time to create my November rabbit, and of course, it’s inspired by the New York Botanical Garden’s topiary White Rabbit by Mosaicultures Internationals de Montreal.
May November bring all the good luck! Thanks for following along our Route 66 trip of reconnecting to friends and family, nature, and art.
Ferry catching with Island Readers & Writers
I’m back from another school tour with the intrepid organization, Island Readers & Writers. Visiting island schools is a marvel. They’re the heartbeat of island communities and the future of island sustainability. I came back to Peaks Island expanded by gifts large and small.
Ferry catching with Alison Johnson, Director of School Programs, kept us both on our toes! We met in Lincolnville last Sunday night at the Spouter Inn Bed & Breakfast, where the whale theme is strong. After dinner at the nearby Whale’s Tooth Pub, we walked to the ferry landing as the twilight set in. We departed Monday morning too early for the Inn’s famous breakfast, but they packed us a little feast while we greeted the morning from their porch.
We caught the 8 am boat to Islesboro, and I was surprised by how many students and teachers were heading out to school.
I learned there’s a Magnet Program for grades 6 through 12. The ride is about 20 minutes, similar to the trip to Peaks. One could spend that time in traffic elsewhere, but on Monday the seas were serene in Penobscot Bay.
A school bus met the boat, and dropped us at the Islesboro Central School where Laura Read, Art Specialist, welcomed us. This poster in the hallway says it all!
Island Readers & Writers provide learning guides and copies of Skywatcher to teachers prior to my visit, and it’s super fun to see what students have created in advance, like these colorful constellation paintings.
We gathered in the Art Room, where I made a presentation to several grades, and answered questions. Then each group arrived for a drawing session.
Working on black paper with chalk pastel can yield vibrant drawings and messy hands. There is a direct and tactile satisfaction blending colors and shapes. This small turtle swims bravely in a wide sea!
The day was warm and lunch was outside, where Laura Read caught us up on island news.
We met with the 2/3 class followed by 4/5/6 graders. Getting the proportions right on a critter as complex as this crustacean deserves applause!
I love the proportions and personality of this lively moose!
Thank you, Islesboro Central School for sharing your sharp-eyed students!
Alison and I took the ferry back to Lincolnville and stopped at the Camden Hills State Park for a peaceful hike.
After a night in Rockland, we caught the ferry Tuesday morning to Vinalhaven, a longer trip of an hour and fifteen minutes. But what a spectacular ride!
Librarian, teacher, and soccer coach, Robbie Brooker, gave us transport to the Vinalhaven School on the clearest of days.
Principle Tara McKechnie introduced me in the auditorium where I had great questions from students. Q: Is it fun being an illustrator and author? A: Absolutely, especially when I get to visit an island school like yours! We settled in the library, a central hub filled with fantastic art.
I bring a collection of life-like animal toys for the purpose of observational drawing. It’s a stretch for most, but a worthy activity in slow looking, eyeballing of shapes, engaging fine motor skills, exploring materials, and also a great story starter!
The best part: each student receives a signed copy of Skywatcher! Thank you, Island Readers & Writers!
We had a break between classes so I went outside with my sketchbook. Here’s the Vinalhaven mascot that I spied on the scoreboard at one end of the field.
Our last group of second graders shared a short story about what they drew. Thank you, Vinalhaven School, what bright stars you have!
Robbie delivered us to the Tidewater Motel, where you can’t get much closer to the water.
Later Alison and I enjoyed a delicious potluck at second grade teacher Missy Anderson’s house. Her duck, Firecracker, greeted us in the yard. I inexplicably didn’t get any photos, but the sights and smells of Anderson Farm deserve a picture book of its own. Many thanks to this incredible group of educators and cooks!
Wednesday morning’s sky could be a pastel drawing.
Robbie dropped Alison and I at the dock for a water taxi to North Haven. I am so grateful to these dear hosts!
We crossed the Fox Islands Thorofare between Vinalhaven and North Haven in about five minutes, where author/illustrator Stephen Costanza met us. Hooooraaay! He’s a former colleague of mine at Maine College of Art & Design and though we are separated by oceans now, IRW brought together. Woot.
I shared my Stardust and Sketching story in the main hallway of the North Haven Community School with the sounds of music coming from the gym. Groups of students drew from observation.
The ample natural light allowed one artist to draw the shadow of his moose. It’s the creation of shadows that
caused me to begin collecting small animal props. A convincing shadow from an object quickly conveys form and can also suggest a time of day, an element that becomes sequential in a story. I liked seeing the tracing, it could now be a distorted moose character in the making!
This work in progress shows how quickly line can become form with just the right touch of shading.
And look how she added a habitat for the octopus!
Whale skeletons abound at this school! This one washed up in Wooster Cove in the summer of 2016. Informational signage nearby detailed the work done by the community including Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic. A necropsy was done and the bones were buried in a local sand pit. But a couple of years later, the bones were excavated by North Haven teachers and students. Yes, NHCS is also a magnet school offering an Offshore Program for grades 9 – 12. A science elective class, the Marine Mammal Articulation, applied and received grants to fund the articulation project. By late October of 2020, a timber frame pavilion was completed, with the whale’s skeleton on display. That is some epic expeditionary learning!
After the break, I met with grades 1 and 2. They asked if I had put eyes on the birch trees in Skywatcher on purpose. Why, yes, thanks for noticing! Have you noticed that birch trees are watching you?
I like the meteor showers in this elegant drawing of a caribou!
Look, a budding astronaut like Skywatcher!
Thanks, North Haven Community School! Your students shine in all the best ways.
Steve Costanza gave us lunch and a tour of his studio. He will be doing school visits with Island Readers & Writers soon for his latest brilliant book, Sole Man!
We stopped at a pretty beach for a quick picnic of strawberries, cookies, and farewell hugs. Thanks, Steve!
Alison and I boarded the ferry back to Rockland. Like Tamen in Skywatcher, I will carry these memories with me. You can call me Ferrycatcher, though. I caught 8 boats in 5 days.
Thanks to Island Readers & Writers and all the folks who support the mission of bringing excitement to literacy, engaging young readers with art and story. Thank you for reading here, and keep looking UP!
Greetings from Beals Island
I’m back from a splendid visit to Beals Elementary School on Beals Island, Maine with the wonderful Island Readers and Writers program.
I love seeing art on the walls upon arrival! These incredible dioramas were created by Laura Fish’s eighth grade students for permanent display. Beals is reached by a bridge from Jonesport, about four hours Down East from Portland, Maine.
I met students from pre-K through eighth grade in the gym when Principal Christopher Crowley introduced the project: to create art and text for a story walk on the school grounds!
I began with a slide show, drawing parallels from my island to theirs, and discussing the points of view that only their sharp eyes can bring.
I did a quick drawing demonstration and we offered up paper and oil pastels.
It doesn’t take kids long to make their mark!
They took a slow art walk to see what everyone had drawn. There were lots of boats and crabs, animals and the sea.
A show and tell of my sketchbooks, children’s books, art supplies, zines, and calendars prompted some questions.
Teacher George Crawford asked students to say what their drawings made them feel.
We began lists of words and ideas, asking What is the story of this place?
I learned a new verb: wrinkling. Have you heard of it?
Principal Chris made us a hearty lunch that included his own strawberry shortcake and molasses cookies! He does it all for that sweet school.
Next we met with the 5 – 8 grades.
We prompted the older group to add words or phrases to their drawing. Jason wrote “The fierce eagle perches as we learn.”
We headed outside to walk the circuit of the current Story Walk that wraps around the school field, from the book by Anna Crowley Redding, Chowder Rules.
I met a fellow Thing Finder, Julianna, who showed me a crab shell and feather she’d spotted. She later gave me a drawing, a shell, and a paper puppet! Eric gave me his lobster drawing.
After school, Program Assistant Lisa Herrington gave me a tour of Beals and the nearby Down East Institute, where Beals students head for field research.
DEI serves as the marine science field station for the University of Maine at Machias. We got an impromptu tour of the touch tank and the lab where baby lobsters are studied. This one, less than an inch, is two months old.
We were told there was a beached whale around the bend. Here is Lisa on the lookout at DEI’s shore.
We stopped next at the Wild Blueberry Heritage Center, where I got some blueberry goodies, and learned that wild blueberry farms deserve research and preservation. Stay wild, Maine!
A display of vintage cans caught my eye, and I sketched one later.
On the second day at Beals, students brainstormed more of a story as they drew on black paper, using bold strokes and contrasting colors.
Program Director Alison Johnson asked students to describe their drawing. List making is an essential tool in this collaborative project!
Drawing a beaver takes concentration!
For the pre-K and kindergarten students, a little Duck, Duck, Goose goes a long way.
The 5 – 8 students drew again, after collectively brainstorming the story arc.
As the story began taking shape, Alison typed up the text. The creative process can be messy and a bit chaotic, but that’s how it comes alive. I asked students to guess how long I take to make a book. One said, two days? Nope. Two weeks? Nope. Two months? Nope. I spend at least three months creating final illustrations for a book, with many more months polishing a manuscript prior to submitting a book proposal. It takes time.
Bravo to Beals Elementary for an epic effort in two school days!!!
The whole school was called back in for a reading of the final story. Applause! There were title suggestions, a vote, and school was done.
That’s when we discovered our trickiest of tasks: finding a drawing from each student, with a class list, and placing them on the boards that will be installed within frames outside.
Principal Chris Crowley will announce a public event when families and students can see the Story Walk of A Day in Maine, so stay tuned!
Hats off to my generous and gracious host, Alison Johnson and her adorable Pip:)
Thanks to Beals Elementary and Island Readers and Writers for an incredible project! It was a blast to meet fellow islanders in this sweet community. Keep those eyes and pencils sharp!
Sketching with Renoir
This Friday, July 12, the Color and Pages of Peaks will be held once again at the TEIA. At 6 pm, meet the makers of art and books in one of the best spots on the island!
Peaks Island resident and author Nicole d’Entremont will be there signing her novel, Sketching with Renoir. I met Nicole many years ago, introduced by Eleanor Morse during a Sudden Fiction class. Although several years apart, we share the same birthday and have become close friends. I illustrated the covers of her novels, City of Belief and A Generation of Leaves. When she asked me to tackle her third and most personal book, I readily agreed.
This morning I asked her what drove her to write this story, more than five years in the making.
“I wanted to explore the period of time between 1947 and 1948, when suburbia was about to change the life I had as a child,” Nicole said. “Everything fiction is auto-biographical in some way. You thread your life through it. I lived a very rural life. Art was very important to my mother. Now that I’m older, I especially realize how deeply important art is and was for my parents. Both were artists, and I can appreciate the struggles they had. Once you’re in the world of your art, you want it to be as true as it can get. Artists understand that.”
Nicole’s parents met on a double date in Philadelphia, when her mother, Grace, was 19 and in her first year at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Her father was studying to be an architect, when only a rigorous exam was required.
“Architecture was his living, but he was not a university man. He drew all the time. I grew up with it, and always drew. It was a solace and a pleasure,” she said. Nicole went on to study writing, but continued to draw.
“My characters don’t lie. I might lie or deflect, but my characters don’t. When drawing, if you put a line down that isn’t true, you erase it, right? My characters let me know if I have them saying something that sounds phony. I listen to them.”
For the cover of Sketching with Renoir, Nicole envisioned a scene of a woman painting a tree, that would cross the front and back as well as the front and back flaps. We discussed this in May 2023, before she headed to the d’Entremont ancestral home in Pubnico, Nova Scotia. I began as usual with very loose sketches.
I got my daughter, Daisy, to pose.
I could see a problem immediately: how to allow for text on the flaps? How would I draw around it?
In the book, Ev is a young mother, too busy to paint, yet driven by an urgency to create. The scene involves a painting that Nicole remembers hanging in her childhood home. She imagined the setting, the wind in the tree, Ev’s absorption in capturing the colors with her brushstrokes, while her daughter, Cleo, plays nearby with the dog.
As we began the project, Nicole found a CD waiting for her in the mail. It was a home movie made by a friend of her mother’s, in which Grace gives a little retrospective of the art hanging in her home, a few years before her death. This was like her mother coming through the veil between worlds, just before Nicole embarked on her final draft. “It was spooky,” Nicole told me. When I saw the film, I was moved to tears to see and hear an ardent artist discuss her work, from paintings and drawings to textile wall hangings, like in this screen shot.
In the film, Nicole spotted the very painting she had written into her story! She hadn’t seen it in decades, after the family home was sold. What had become of it? Upon seeing the painting, she asked her family: who has this? Turns out, a niece in North Carolina, who sent a photo of it. I used that image, adding a hand-lettered title. Picture this folding over a book.
Nicole returned early from Canada, her plans upended by the wildfires there. I showed her my sketches but suggested she consider simply using the painting as cover art, with a hand-lettered title.
She needed to think about it. During a meeting in early July 2023, we arrived at this. Nicole didn’t want to cover the painting with text, but instead bring out the yellow focal point.
About two months later, she proudly held a first proof from Maine Authors Publishing.
She read excerpts from the book at the Peaks Island Branch Library in November 2023 to a robust audience.
In April this year, the original painting came into her possession at last.
Meanwhile, Nicole continues to draw and share what she calls “Trumpoons.”
She’s currently in a figure drawing class at Maine College of Art and Design, strengthening her skills and enjoying working with other artists.
Nicole’s dedication to her writing craft and her drawing inspires me greatly. Here’s a review of Sketching with Renoir, but take it from me, it is a beautiful read!
Summer Bats
Author Rae Chalmers wrapped up an award-winning Oxbow Island Gang series with her fifth and final title, Summer Bats. We met at the Peaks Island Library last fall sporting our Moonbeam Children’s Book award ribbons while I was in the middle of illustrating bats galore.
The story takes place at this point in the summer: when Peaks is swarmed by visitors and the car ferry lines swell. As a busy traveler, it’s not Rae’s favorite time of year. The big mystery is: will your vehicle get on the boat or not? Cruise ship passengers can be entertained as they look down on our daily dramas.
Here’s my chapter one opening illustration.
Things can and do get heated, chaotic, and confrontational. Rae is explicit with her art direction, and wanted to show a familiar and fierce CBL deckhand putting a snarly tourist in his place.
We have encountered similar episodes in the vehicle lines leaving Peaks, with visitors who just don’t know how the line works. How could they? There’s no ferry personnel on the island except when the boat pulls in, and by then nerves have been frayed by trucks and cars jockeying for a spot on Welch Street. If you find yourself around the corner in front of Down Front, you probably are on the NEXT boat, sorry. There will be another one, just wait. You’re on island time🙂
Does anyone recognize Claw Island? It bears a close resemblance to another island down the bay.
A new character appears in the story, Sojourner Truth Yeats, sister of the Professor from previous books. She goes by Sojo, and as an artist of renown, she captures island wildlife. It was fun to draw island deer, who we rarely spy these days.
Another Peaks Island tradition every summer: jumping off the dock. I leave it to the kids. I went down to document the dock for reference in October, imagining the clusters of wet teens.
It’s a big moment for Bear to give it a try for the first time.
One scene takes place in Battery Steele, which can seem creepy even on a good day.
Built as a fortification during World War 2, the Battery is now owned by the Peaks Island Land Preserve. I borrowed books about bats from the library and lots more from my neighbor, Doug Smith, an illustrator who is a big fan of bats. This illustration required equal parts reference and imagination, in which Bear startles a swarm of bats. Beware: bats do inhabit this place in real life, and are an endangered species!
I had even more fun inventing a bat circus, something Bear imagines to dispel his fears.
Rae’s environmental mystery series has many elements of authenticity. I got to draw from her collection of bird houses, which in the story are made by Olivia’s father.
This is the first illustration in which I inserted a Rae look alike, on the left. IRL she is the grandmother of a boy named Bear. The wave goodbye here signifies more than a fictional ending.
I like to leave the cover for last. After a couple rounds of rough ideas, Rae chose this one.
Rather than throw a book launch in late spring, Rae was inspired to give back. She said, “Inspiration for the whole series came to me while I was walking Fiona, our beautiful chocolate lab, on the PILP trails every day.” She announced a portion of her proceeds up through Earth Day would be donated to the Peaks Island Land Preserve. Here she presents a check of her donation to Marty Braun, PILP board member.
It’s been a fantastic run, working on a book series with an author who has such clear ideas and passion for the natural world. Thanks for the mysteries and marvelous friendship, Rae!
Bird Land
Wherever you live, you live in Bird Land. Isn’t it glorious to hear bird song every morning and evening? I learned today that the Portland City Council unanimously passed New England’s first bird safe building ordinance, with great work on behalf of Maine Audubon’s Bird Safe initiative, a statewide collaborative to document bird strikes during peak migration. If you find a dead bird on the sidewalk, take a picture and send it to birdstrike@maineaudubon.org. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife estimate that somewhere between 388 million and 988 million birds die from building collisions. Glass is the problem. The reflections confuse birds. There are solutions, though!
Since moving to Maine, I have learned so much more about my habitat and the species I share it with. As an illustrator, drawing birds comes with wonder, research, and insights. This was my first book jacket for author Mary Atkinson, about a girl who discovers an owl one summer visiting her grandparents.
Cormorants are possibly my favorite birds to spy on the back shore of Peaks Island, hanging their wings out to dry. I designed this t-shirt for PeaksFest many years ago. It’s happening again this very weekend, woot!
I grew up near Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, and loons remain a favorite as well, their haunting warble is so distinctive. A loon appears early in my book, Skywatcher.
I learned much about the intelligence of crows working on Winter Crows by Rae Chalmers.
Learning all about chickadees, the little acrobats that dart to our feeder all year round, was a fun challenge when working on this non-fiction picture book. Author Jennifer Jacobson and I won a Lupine Honor for Oh, Chickadee! and what a sweet moment that was.
We shared our rough dummy with Nick Lund at Maine Audubon to check on the accuracy of text and drawings. It proved very helpful, since we are not experts or even devoted birders, to be honest.
What a delightful surprise when Maine Audubon approached me about being an art advisor for a student intern last winter. I met weekly with Emerson Frost, a junior in Illustration during their spring semester at Maine College of Art & Design.
I truly met my match in Emerson, who is a dedicated birder, much more knowledgeable than I am about birds, and whose detailed paintings impressed everyone! When we had our first in-person meeting at the Portland Public Library, Emerson had nearly completed several paintings of loons, each one a different season and age. Bravo!
You can read more about Emerson’s internship HERE.
We met virtually sometimes, but during their spring break, I visited Emerson’s studio in the Illustration Department at MECAD.
We headed to Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm in Falmouth for some bird sketching together. There’s plenty of taxidermy there and drawing together is a fun way to catch up. I also saw Emerson’s wonderful sketchbook full of birdy wonders.
We both drew a barred owl.
The farm has terrific trails so we wandered to the shores of the Presumpscot River beneath tall sumac on a gorgeous March day.
During another meeting, I visited MECAD while Emerson’s Merit work was on display that included some of the internship work and another project for the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
The last paragraph of their artist statement reads: Birds have been an incredibly important part of my life, as they are in many people’s lives, and though they are often overlooked in discussions about the effects of climate change, they’re in immediate danger. If nothing is done soon, we will see many species go extinct in our lifetimes, something that is preventable through direct action, and especially through supporting organizations like those mentioned above. In my work I hope to highlight how amazing birds are, to bring awareness to the plights facing these animals, and show that they are worth protecting.
Kudos, Emerson!
During the last month of the semester, Emerson turned to painting insects and plants found in the marshes that support bird life. Look at the incredible detail! Emerson is also a fan of bugs:)
I invited Emerson to visit me on Peaks Island, which is something of a bird sanctuary. At least Patty Wainwright, a devoted birder who blogs for the Peaks Island Land Preserve, thinks so. She has spotted well over 100 species here.
We picked a sunny day in early May after Emerson’s semester was done.
We hung out at Picnic Point near the edge of low tide where duck families were bobbing in the waves. We walked to Battery Steele where we heard red-winged blackbirds and spotted a yellow warbler. We sketched on the beach where a pair of osprey flew right over our heads. Emerson enjoys the lineage between dinosaurs and birds.
I sketched the nearby TEIA and the gulls that visit the dock.
Try this sometime, it is remarkably relaxing! Slow looking at nature feeds the soul, whether you have a pencil or not.
Emerson saw my cluttered studio and then caught the ferry home with their little dog, Moxie.
After Emerson got home, I received a list of all the birds we had seen or heard:
– common eiders, surf scoters, long tailed ducks
– common loons
– double crested cormorants
– ring billed, herring, and great black backed gulls
– great egret
– ospreys and a red tailed hawk
– red bellied and downy woodpeckers
– eastern phoebe
– American crows
– black capped chickadees, house finches, gold finches
– gray catbirds and a northern mockingbird
– robin
– song sparrows
– red winged blackbirds and common grackles
– northern cardinal
– yellow warblers
That’s 28 species and overall 100 plus individual birds, since many of them flock together:)
Many thanks to Maine Audubon and Maine College of Art & Design for this memorable opportunity to mentor such a talented and caring artist as Emerson Frost. We had some birdy fun. Get out there, wild ones, and you can, too!
Lupine Land
It’s been two weeks since the Reading Round Up, the annual conference of Maine Children’s Librarians held in Augusta on May 1. This event brings together those serving youth in a Maine school or public library and celebrates children’s literature while honoring individuals who have made significant impacts on the literary landscape.
I drew this for my Rabbit rabbit rabbit good luck post before heading out the door wearing my best purple attire.
A few weeks before the conference scheduled for April 4, I got a surprise phone call from Camden Public Library’s Children’s Librarian and Lupine Committee Chair, Amy Hand.
She told me I had won two Lupines!!! I am still floating, doubly blessed with such recognition. To be a winner in the league of Maine’s children’s books, among so many that are deserving, is a BIG DEAL.
Miss Amy is truly my Lupine Fairy, because I met her in 2008 at Reading Round Up when I won my first Lupine Honor for Rickshaw Girl. I made this ode to her in my recycled sketchbook.
A spring snowstorm bumped the conference from April 4 to May 1. That’s so Maine, keeping us on our toes! It was a hearty crowd gathered at the Augusta Civic Center.
The Lobster Lady written by Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs and illustrated by me won the Lupine Award in the Picture Book category. Alex and I met for the first time last year at Reading Round Up, a month before our book’s publication date. Getting to meet Virginia Oliver was a high point of the whole endeavor, my heroine for keeping going, and always with a salty laugh. Alexandra later gave a brilliant keynote address using curve balls as her metaphor for what life has thrown her recently as a mom, librarian, and writer. (True fact: she took a baseball in the face right before our interview on 207.)
Oh, Chickadee! by Jennifer Richard Jacobson and illustrated by me received the Lupine Honor in the Picture Book category. I’ve been a fan of Jennifer for many years, and more recently we’ve been critique partners. It was absolutely delightful collaborating about chickadees with her and Stephanie Mulligan of McSea books.
I gave thanks twice to the Lupine Committee, although I barely remember what I said, oops. Just getting to illustrate these fine stories by Alex and Jennifer is a win win.
Many thanks to the publishers, Charlesbridge and McSea Books for pairing our talents and producing worthy books. Also, a big round of applause for Kristen Nobles, the acclaimed designer for The Lobster Lady who shuffled so many layers of illustration, ovals, and text. And another round for illustrator/designer Jill Weber for Oh, Chickadee, keeping the edits straight and colors as chirpy as could be.
I had one heck of a summer in 2022, juggling both deadlines for non-fiction stories that required considerable research, accuracy, and consistent portraiture. The hustle was worth it! I’m also grateful to my family, Marty and Daisy, for bearing witness to all that mess.
The mighty Matt Tavares scored the Lupine Award in the Juvenile category for his graphic novel, Hoops.
In his acceptance speech, Matt shared two Lupine facts: One: Hoops was sparked by a story from fellow Lupine winner Phil Hoose. Two: For the author bio in Hoops, Matt illustrated a self-portrait in his studio with two lupine plates behind him.
We were presented with paintings done by Portland Public Library’s Children’s Librarian, Sarah Cropley, as well as sundial lupine plants which are native to Maine, courtesy of the Bar Harbor Garden Club.
The legendary Lynn Plourde was presented with the Katahdin Award, which recognizes outstanding bodies of work in children’s literature. She gave a rousing acceptance speech through happy tears, saying “Maine chose me.”
Here we all are, proud as punch!
After the awards presentation and keynote address, we signed books and chatted with librarians, my heroes. It was also a chance to catch up with fellow esteemed book creators. I caught a selfie with two of my mentors in kidlit: awesome Anne Sibley O’Brien and Charlotte Agell.
Congratulations to all the winners, and everyone creating on behalf of children’s literacy. I am humbled to be in the Maine league.
I wanted to rearrange/clean my studio to make room for the new awards. I found this illustration done several years ago after my first Lupine Honor.
It took an entire Saturday to de-clutter, but look quick before my studio is a mess again:)
How about this from my daughter, whose Mother’s Day card features her drawing of a lupine queen!
THE BEST!
I will savor these blessings always.
News flash! The Lobster Lady is a finalist for the Maine Literary Award! Whaaaat?!
The awards take place on May 30. Fingers crossed til then!
Howdy, Austin
I’ve known my dear friend, Kathy Mahoney, since our early days freelancing as illustrators in Boston in the 80’s. She’s been inviting me to her new place in Austin for almost four years. Instead, I’ve caught up with her when she’s in Maine every summer. Opportunistic, I know.
This year felt like the right time to go, and coincide with the total eclipse.
Last Saturday, we caught the 7:15 am ferry from Peaks and arrived at Kathy’s house on the edge of downtown Austin by around 9 pm. Ample lulls between each leg of the journey were good for sketching while staring out at the clouds from our plane.
Even a random drawing is a good diversion, try it.
On Sunday morning, we strolled around her sweet neighborhood and through the nearby Oakwood Cemetery.
Had my eye out for vernacular delights, the more rusty the better.
We found our island neighbor, now Austinite, at work at the lovely Paper & Craft Pantry. Howdy, Olwyn! Marty is sporting Olwyn’s t-shirt design for a local band with a hot new release, Bear on Bear.
This place is an irresistible candy store for a paper person/snail mailer like myself. C’mon, April is National Letter Writing Month!
I was in my sweet spot, and a bit matchy matchy too.
During siesta time, I sat in Kathy’s backyard full of wildlife, watching grackles take splashy baths and squirrels scamper in the pecan tree.
Later, we headed to the University of Texas to see The Color Inside, a Skyspace by James Turrell. It’s a naked eye observatory with an oculus in the center.
Within a small oval room, we watched the colors of the sky above and interior below transform, a live optical excursion in color theory. The best viewings are at sunrise and sunset when the sky shifts in hue and the color contrasts are profound.
A woman played a hand pan continuously for the hour of the performance. It was hypnotic and sublime.
Afterwards I was drowsy with delight. We strolled around campus, spying public art like this piece by Nancy Rubins, titled Monochrome for Austin.
On Monday, April 8, the local forecast was not promising for the total eclipse. Still, we got giddy in our safety glasses and souvenir t-shirts by our island neighbor, Alfred Wood.
Intermittent views between clouds were spectacular!
The two minutes of totality were not visible, yet we felt them in the cooling darkness that set in, which triggered the streetlights. Not exactly the rapture that was had in northern Maine, but still surreal. I’m happy that fellow Mainers had the best weather after what our state has been through lately!
On Tuesday, we visited the Blanton Museum of Art where the free admission day drew crowds of art seekers like us.
I was quite inspired by the elaborate fashions in The Floating World: Masterpieces of Edo Japan. I sketched this later during siesta time.
The collection is vast, each wooden block print more dizzyingly detailed than the last.
My eyeballs melted and I moved on to a refreshing exhibit, Anni Albers: In Thread and On Paper. She knew how to make the most of simple shapes and repetition, fundamental elements in Bauhaus thinking. This metallic piece caught my reflection.
I’m known as a cryer; this tear drop kinda choked me up:) in a good way. By Gyula Kosice, Persistence of the Mobile Drop of Water burbled and bubbled, a hydrokinetic work that captures “an architecture of water.” Like a lunar galaxy into infinity, I was mesmerized.
There was more than we could possibly see, this place deserves multiple visits. Even the exterior is dazzling.
We ducked briefly into Austin, by Ellsworth Kelly. He gifted the design concept, his last monumental work, to the Blanton in 2015. It’s a hushed chapel that baths you in color. Amen.
The afternoon forecast called for a tornado watch. Marty and I went in search of a local paper on foot, but the black sky sent us back empty-handed. The weather held on through happy hour, and then we ventured over to the Congress Avenue Bridge for the infamous flight of the colony of Mexican Free Tailed bats who live beneath the bridge. What a crowd in waiting!
Unfortunately the sky finally let go, and severe thunderstorms began, sending us and many others for cover. No bat sightings this trip.
On Wednesday, we bid Kathy farewell and made the long trek home, where my stash of her colorful block prints will keep her close.
I painted a spread in my recycled sketchbook in her honor. Kathy is a walking hootenanny and terrifically talented to boot. Thanks for hosting our giddy up good times in Austin!
Skywatcher school visits with IRW
I was delighted to visit three schools this past week at the invitation of Island Readers & Writers, a wonderful non-profit literacy organization centered in Mount Desert Island!
On St. Patrick’s Day I drove three hours down east to Birch Harbor where this sign greeted me.
After a warm welcome from Alison Johnson, the IRW school coordinator, at their wonderful farm house, a rainbow showed up. A lucky sign!
Their frisky dog, Pip, inspired this sketch.
On Monday, March 18, we arrived at the Ella Lewis School in Stueben, Maine. After reading Skywatcher to a group of Pre-K students, I gave a talk in the gym to all students. I talked about what inspired me to write the book, and shared the process of developing the story with multiple book dummies. Following that, I met with each class.
I answered questions and demonstrated my drawing methods with a quick sketch of Tamen from the book.
I brought my collection of small life-like animal toys.
Lisa Herrington, Program Assistant, let students reach into my grab bag of surprises. No peeking!
Students were given paper and pastels to begin their observational drawing.
I invited them to add an environment for their animal and any details they wished. This artist drew the large tree first, and then perched her eagle on the branch. A striking solution!
One feature of an IRW visit: every student receives their own signed copy of my book!
I love this moment!
After school, Alison picked up Pip and gave me a breathtaking tour of the Schoodic Peninsula.
On Tuesday, March 19, we headed to Trenton Elementary School. Here be wolves! Arrroooooooh!
We followed the same agenda, reading aloud to the PreK students followed by a presentation in the gym, and then sessions with each class in the library. I began by drawing a wolf, of course!
I love witnessing how young artists begin. Any way is a good way!
How about this awesome caribou under a crescent moon?
I love the energy and mark making of this eagle drawing.
Many students did multiple drawings. This one wore her stars!
This student was super into drawing the whale, and so proud of his efforts. Shine on!
At the end of a very busy day engaging with students with sharp eyes, I headed to Blue Hill. First stop: the lovely Blue Hill Books, where a nook like this was so inviting.
After I checked into my sweet room at the Barncastle Hotel, I headed to the trailhead on Mountain Rd.
Man, what a view!
I slept well and on March 20, I drove to Deer Isle in a little snow squall. What?! There’s nothing like the Deer Isle Bridge, though. Once you cross that, there’s a winding causeway that was submerged not long ago in the January storms that ravaged the Maine coast.
I was eager to be at an island school. A much bigger island than Peaks, mind you. A mighty island, in fact! The Deer Isle Stonington Elementary School is full to the brim with art, both commissioned and by students. They have a big theater space where I presented to several grades.
I met classes in the library. Many thanks to Alison and Lisa, and the teachers in charge, who kept the noise level to a dull roar:)
I drew a humpback whale, in honor of the Mariners, and invited students to add some details to its environment.
Don’t you love the strong proportions and textures of this drawing of a goat?
This artist added some narrative context for her drawing of a raccoon.
This artist had a lot to say about orca whales and the damage some have done recently to boats. Drawing is thinking, visual commentary, and story all in one.
I realize it’s a big ask, for students to draw from observation. Many of them balked: this is HARD! Yes, it can be challenging to draw from life. Yet before the internet, before photography, drawing was standard practice in education and science. It takes slow looking. It takes starting over sometimes. I make the point over and over that I draw OVER AND OVER. I find drawing an absorbing practice. It can calm me. It’s not about perfection or glory. It’s about discovery every time. I am so proud of all these students, willing to draw with me!
I am deeply grateful for these encounters. I have yet to meet a drawing I didn’t love. Thank you to Island Readers & Writers for this chance to connect story with drawing, visual vocabulary with vigor and all in the stellar landscape that is Maine. Thank you for reading!
Skywatchers Downeast
These have been heavy times, for Maine and for the world. I hope you’re holding on OK, dear readers. The natural world has been a tremendous solace. It’s a privilege to find sanctuary there.
It lifted my spirits to see my book, Skywatcher, featured in Waterville’s Story Walk along the Messalonskee Stream. Serena at Waterville Creates, Miss Liz at the Waterville Public Library, and Amarinda at the Children’s Discovery Museum combined talents to create the catchy text that accompanies the book pages. It was a much needed exhale, to stroll along outdoors and read my book in the context of flowing water and falling leaves. Thank you, Waterville.
On November 6, I headed way Downeast to Dennysville for a school visit swing with Island Readers & Writers, an incredibly passionate organization that “brings book-centered educational experiences to children, grades Pre-K-8, living on Maine’s coastal islands and in remote communities in Washington County. These experiences are designed to stretch imaginations, encourage curiosity, develop creative and reflective thinking skills, and expand perspectives through hands-on learning in natural history, science, literature, writing, and art.”
YES! Hands on. Count me IN.
After a four hour drive northeast of Portland, I was warmly greeted by Ann Luginbuhl, a retired teacher from the nearby Charlotte Elementary School where I visited the following day. She hosted me and IRW’s Alison Johnson and Lisa Herrington, who guided me through the next days from auditorium to classroom after classroom. How lucky am I?!
On November 7 at Charlotte Elementary, I was joined by Sarah Raymond-Boyan from the Challenger Learning Center, who brilliantly covered the topic of light pollution following my talk about book development and the illustrations for Skywatcher.
Every student received a signed copy!
Sarah showed how our map of the United States glitters with brightness as seen from space.
After our presentations, the students split up to work directly with each of us. Sarah challenged students to engineer a shade that would lessen the light pollution of a small lamp, using a light meter to measure the results.
Meanwhile I did observational drawing with the other group. The naked eye is a powerful tool in astronomy and art, for eyeballing measurements, proportions, patterns, and placement. Students picked from life-like toys of animals plus actual nature objects and experimented with my pastel pencils. I’m always amazed by what details young artists notice, how they instinctively use materials, find marks for texture, and compose their drawings.
The younger kids also colored star party masks, like Brooklynne, whose use of primary colors is quite striking. Super owl wisdom at your service!
After school, we drove to nearby Lubec. I do love a good hand painted sign.
There was a mighty blow at the West Quoddy Lighthouse, the most eastern point in the contiguous US, and I sketched it later from my photo.
On November 8, we visited the Sipayik Elementary School at Pleasant Point. What a beautiful school.
The halls were bursting with art inspired by the night sky!
After an all school presentation in the gymnasium, we visited classrooms where eager students were ready to draw with sharp eyes and sharp pencils.
Turtles suffer from light pollution; upon hatching and searching for the sea, they become disoriented. The urgency of these bold marks and colors suggests that drama.
Students had already done some impressive constellation drawings like this one!
Students teamed up to work on their light blocking solution.
Many thanks to Ann Cannizzaro, Sipayik School Coordinator, Alison Johnson and Lisa Herrington of Island Readers & Writers, and Sarah Raymond from the Challenger Learning Center for all the support.
After school, we toured Eastport where you can’t miss this salty guy.
Snow was in the forecast. Yet during the night I saw a gorgeous waning crescent moon glittering next to Venus.
I drew my memory of it upon return to my studio.
The views from Ann’s house were always changing, ever stunning.
On November 9, we found a colorful welcome at Pembroke Elementary.
The whole school had prepared various projects for display. Teachers, IRW has a fantastic Educator Guide here.
It’s beyond gratifying to see all the art inspired by Skywatcher. Look at this Eagle Pride!
Have I ever met a drawing of a loon that I did not love? Nope. The confident simplicity here is so direct!
When drawing anything at all, one’s point of view is key. Choices must be made, angles determined. Sometimes it helps to have a handy hand holding your humpback.
Some of the older students drew imagined constellations with myths to go with them, like this Winter Moose by Hailey. In her narrative, the constellation has been put into the stars by a girl accused of being a witch.
In another classroom, lo and behold: ZINES! Yes, small informational nuggets about wildlife. Bravo!
After school, we rested up for the Star Party at 6 pm, rain or shine. A dusting of snow arrived but nothing could stop us from the celebration to come! Kelsey Buckley from IRW manned the zine making station where kids could tell their own star story.
Jim Tyson from the Challenger Learning Center set up a constellation making station near the Shadow Puppet station.
Teachers had installed drawings from the classroom sessions, a bounty of blue pages featuring goats to puffins to moose.
Alison even brought a tent for story time inside!
Teachers were all in, serving Moon Pies and hot chocolate.
I made friends with so many Skywatchers! Thank you, Pembroke Elementary for your stellar enthusiasm and dedication to learning.
On November 10, I walked with Ann through the Cobscook Bay State Park.
Just what I needed before the long drive back to Portland. We had the evergreens and dappled coves all to ourselves, raw beauty that lifted my soul.
Thank you, dear readers, for coming along on this stroll through the stardust that we carry. Thanks to Tilbury House, Island Readers & Writers, and all the sparkling students and teachers at Charlotte, Sipayik, and Pembroke schools. Keep looking up!