bequeathing 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 Moreboston blast
The whales have made their journey to Charlesbridge at last. If I didn’t deliver my illustrations for Here Come the Humpbacks a minute sooner, I might still be obsessively redrawing them all. There wasn’t even time for me to lay them all out together until I arrived at their offices. I’m proud of these! I have the dusty blue sneakers to show for it, too. I wasn’t at the publisher long enough to take off my coat. But I sported my whale t-shirt by Miles to Go with pride. With business complete, we visited my nephew, Garrett, who graciously gave us his two cent tour of...
Read Morethar she blows
I am feverishly fussing over the last touches on my illustrations for Here Come the Humpbacks by April Pulley Sayre. Above is a detail, since the art’s all too large for my scanner. Here’s a humpback spouting, just as I’ve been blowing blue dust all over my studio for weeks (cough, cough..) Ahoy, thar be a whale in Casco Bay this morning? Oh, what fun! I just came across a very life-like toy by Schleich that I had to play with. If only I’d had this at the beginning of this project! Here’s another detail in which I got to draw other sea creatures, a welcome...
Read Morelovey dovey loot
O how I love this day. It’s full of all of my favorite things: paper hearts, doilies, pink icing, and a swelling love for everyone. I should be working, but I can’t seem to pull away from the glue sticks and scissors. I’ve been making valentines galore. Here’s a few. First, for my man. Vroom vroom valentine. Our romance began with letters. Next, for my sweet daughter of moonlight and magic. I also send love to those I am fortunate to work with. Like the hotties at Curious City, who unlock the mysteries of literacy. Like the Maine Magazine. Groovy folks there....
Read Moreword.
Fun things are happening in the Teen Zine Factory over at the Telling Room. I’m leading a workshop on making zines with a group of very fresh kids, thanks to my fanaticism about the punch that can be packed in such little paper vehicles. Zines are any kind of self-published statement, maybe words, maybe pictures, ideas made real. I’ve used them as an ice-breaker assignment many times, and have quite a collection. Here’s just a few of my favorites: At the Telling Room, everybody spreads out and gets into their creation. Some were sketching, like Elias, who drew a favorite...
Read Morewarming up
It warms me no end to see another illustration of mine in Maine Magazine. This one’s all about the health benefits of sweat. I’m also pleased to share the pages with my MECA student, Spenser Macleod. He did an illustration for the poetry page. No sweat, Spenser. Cool. For awhile, it didn’t seem very wintery, but then, brrrrrrr, we had a good cold snap. I posted this cardinal on Facebook in honor of National Bird Day. The very next day Mr. Cardinal was in the branches during a long-awaited snow blast. Was my art the draw? A friend gave me some paperwhite bulbs. Not being...
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