papermaker
Growing up in a mill town brought resonance to my illustration for Papermaker by Monica Wood, now playing at Portland Stage Company. J. E. Henry built his mill in Lincoln, New Hampshire back in 1892, but it was in decline by the time I was in high school in the 1970’s. Still, our team was the Lumberjacks. My most vivid memory was of those smokestacks, a recurring element in all of my rough sketches. It seemed necessary to collage some newspaper in there somewhere, too. After all, I began my freelance career in newspapers, namely the Boston Globe. The play is set in a fictional Maine...
Read MoreGo, MECA illo Class of 2015!
Maine College of Art is in celebration mode as seniors prepare for tomorrow’s commencement at the State Theater. We’ve been putting our illustration majors through their paces over the last month. Along with portfolio reviews, each student is required to write a thesis paper, make an oral presentation in Osher Hall, and install a visual display of work. During his talk, Paul Gray said he left behind his horrible angsty drawings from high school to concentrate on illustrations that bring happiness. This bear and fox are featured in his thesis display emphasizing moral values via...
Read MoreMECAmorphosis!
Maine College of Art’s third annual Fashion Show on First Friday was a spectacular feast of fiber and fun. An eager crowd filled the ICA Gallery, where Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Ian Anderson made the rounds with his partner, Kari Radasch. President Don Tuski opened with thank yous, especially for event maestro Erin Hutton, who “can build a rocket and launch it.” Chair of the Textile and Fashion Design Department, Anne Emlein, talked about the emphasis on traditional hand processes. I was super excited to see Illustration student Catherine...
Read MoreB is for Brooklyn
Hi Ho, it’s on to another college tour we go! Brooklyn was the final destination last week of the accepted college visits: Pratt Institute. We only glimpsed Manhattan from afar. Hotel le Bleu is not kidding. We found warmer lights at Rachel’s Taqueria on Fifth Avenue, plastered with vintage ephemera. We made it to the information session next morning at Pratt, barely, but enjoyed touring campus among the tulips. Pratt’s 17 acre campus is it’s greatest asset. Who doesn’t love paper fashion, on display in the library? A dispenser of pens caught my fancy. I dawdle...
Read MoreTiger Boy launch
I waited years to illustrate Mitali Perkins‘ book, Tiger Boy. How proud I am to celebrate it’s recent publication! We gathered at Newtonville Books yesterday, home of many of Mitali’s book events during her years living in Newton, Massachusetts before moving to California. The retail counter is cool. Mitali talked about the evolution of her story, thanking Charlesbridge editor Yolanda Scott for her steadfast nurturing of the book. The plot, people, and place Mitali created were inspired by her father’s youth, travels and research to the Sunderbans, and her own abiding...
Read MoreA is for art school
Is it wise to pick a college during Senior Slump? We shall see. Going to Accepted Student Day events is both entertaining and loaded with portent. As a RISD alum, it was pure nostalgia for me. And there were daffodils! Mosaics are all over the freshman dorm complex. The Met dining hall is more chic than it was in the 70’s. Before the official presentation, we stopped at the Nature Lab, scene of many hours of my studies. I couldn’t resist sitting down to sketch this specimen, the tragulus javanicus. Here Marty takes in the creaky ambiance. The Waterman Building is home to...
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