circus of wonders
It must be spring. Illustration 2 students are warming up for their final project: a circus poster. With the Shriners Circus due in town next week, we drew from a model who was a ringmaster, a clown, and strong man in the eyes of the class. I made the above drawing pretty quickly. Chris Snowman drew this on a Wacom tablet, upon being handed a small plastic animal toy. I asked students to incorporate one somehow in relation to the figure. Here’s a drawing by Morgan Cremins: Below, Lucas gets loose with brush and ink, and the idea of looking but also imagining. The model didn’t...
Read Morebetween deadlines
I’m in that delicious place I call “between deadlines” during which I get a teeny bit more sleep, and fill my well. Recently, this meant spending more time in Portland, drinking in the vibe there and being inspired by art and artists. My illustration class enjoyed an engaging visit from Mike Gorman, who previously taught illustration at Maine College of Art. Now he does web design, and maintains a prolific freelance career. He shared his formative years working feverishly for multiple regional papers, as well as the process from preliminary sketches to final art for two...
Read Moreon the Illustration 2 trail
My amazing troupe of sophomore illustration students at Maine College of Art are stretching their skills in many ways. Recently, they invented 3 dimensional characters drawn from fables and folklore. Here is a sculpy Baba Yaga in progress, made by Shannon Owen. Now, she’s dressed and ready for a good story by the fire. Isaac Atkins decided his character needed a glossy coat. Hana Firestone made resourceful use of paper and plastic for her Fox and the Crow. Beware, Eric Wilbur’s Hydra fiercely guards Casco Bay. Molly Steinmetz’s Leshy found his way to the woods in the...
Read Morebequeathing books
There’s been a harmonic convergence of vintage books coming into my possession lately. Perhaps it’s the advent of e-books, or the passing of an era, or the legacies that books can bestow that explain this phenomenon. Nobody wants to just throw away a good book. Here are some old books that have lovingly exchanged hands recently. Kirsten Cappy threw a little mid-week frolic at Curious City around a musty box she received from a beloved professor in need of letting go her collection of children’s books. Fruit, nuts, and a zesty zin rounded out the occasion. Mary Anne Lloyd...
Read Moresuessian school visits
Thank you, Dr. Suess, for your brilliant birthday and Read Across America. In your honor, I was invited to two schools to read and draw on March 2. First stop was right down the street, to the Peaks Island School, where I was greeted by the cheery principal, Cindy Nilsen, sporting her Suessian best. I met with 4 classes during the morning, each as eager and energetic as the next. We began by singing happy birthday to Dr. Seuss and then I read one of my favorite stories, Yertle the Turtle. This parable about a bossy turtle never goes out of style, and ends with the line that all creatures...
Read Morepaper theater
It’s been my good fortune to work with Portland Stage Company, a highly original and energetic group of amazing creators. Here’s the process for my latest poster for the production Marie Antoinette: The Color of Flesh, which I began last summer. For efficiency, the entire season’s marketing needed to go to the printer well in advance. The play opens on May Day. Of all the offerings, I seized on this one. Fashion, history, flesh…what’s not to love? I dove in by reading a couple of books, watching a couple of movies, and reveling in the realms of Versailles. I did...
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