learning moments
I’ve never met a library I didn’t like. When I arrived at the Patten Free Library in Bath, Maine, I knew I was in for a marvelous time. It was too good to be true: a model of a boat from Time of Wonder, by Robert McCloskey, begged to become the backdrop for a slide show of my illustrations for Ice Harbor Mittens, shown while author Robin Hansen read the book, to a small but appreciative audience. Robin led an orienteering activity, in which pretend sailors could find little lobster trap clues throughout the room. Her brother, Scott, shared some knot-tying techniques. The library...
Read Morewhale spotting
This impromptu gesture made by my daughter while we were browsing at Artists & Craftsman Supply made me think about keeping our eyes open. Since starting on Here Come the Humpbacks for Charlesbridge in June, I’ve been spotting whales everywhere. First I found them in our own toy bin. And this little life-like model pairs well with cocktail napkins found at Take a Peak. I couldn’t resist this platter from Velocity Art and Design. Perfect for a Sunday morning of warm scones, yes? And while traveling through Wiscasset, I had to stop and buy this porcelain white whale found at...
Read Moreforces of nature
The tsunami in Japan and it’s aftermath remain unfathomable. I walk around my little island and say prayers to the trees, for recovery, for renewal. The sump pump burbles incessantly in the basement, as the snow melt runs down to the sea. I’m happy to have more studio time, for illustrations for a book project. This week, oddly, everything was under water. First, a spread about coral. This is a detail. Next, four species of fish, affected by warmer temps: trout, salmon, bass, and carp. This is a detail of the bass and carp, plus their tags for labeling. Then I drew a loggerhead...
Read Moreseen and noted
For a small rock, Peaks Island can be quite the draw. In a most rare event, Charlesbridge designer, Whitney Leader-Picone, trekked out here to connect with several islanders who are creating books for them. It was my good fortune to play host, and here we are in my cluttered studio, looking over a color comp for a non-fiction picture book about climate change. Here’s a rough of a spread about the golden toad. I still need more reference on cloud forests and toad eggs, but it’s a start. Here is a comp for the title page. I found an old snapshot I took at the Boston Aquarium...
Read Moreyay for Pub Day!
Yes, today is the publication day for Ice Harbor Mittens! This book was illustrated during the frosty months, starting in January. If the art makes you need a pair of cozy mittens RIGHT away, then I did my job. Rather fitting that today is pretty darn brisk. The boat that plays a role in the book is seen out in the bay, on the distant left in this photo I took last week, on a foggyish morning. My pastels lent themselves to the ethereal blur between sea and sky. I’m looking forward to teaming up with author Robin Hansen soon, at a bookstore hopefully near you. Details to...
Read Moreopen house hoopla
Three cheers for Charlesbridge! I buzzed down to Boston on Wednesday with fellow island illustrator and diva, Annie O’Brien, to celebrate our favorite publisher’s 20th anniversary. We shared good parking karma all day, and schmoozed with a bevy of creators, staff, and bookhounds. I’m not new to illustration (egads, almost 30 years!) but am relatively new to this children’s book world. It was a surprise to encounter some familiar faces from my distant early days, such as Leslie Evans, Robin Brickman, David Biedrzycki, and former student (from my brief chapter teaching...
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