Children’s Book Illustration

Eyes open wide

Posted by on Nov 24, 2015 in Children's Book Illustration, Collage, Drawing, Illustration, Maine College of Art, Travels | 2 comments

When my Illustration MECA cohort Mary Anne Lloyd asked me to drive senior students on a field trip, I didn’t even blink. Tony DiTerlizzi?!!! Mary Blair?!! Beep beep beep beep YEAH! The closer you get to Amherst, MA, the more you feel in the middle of the woods. It’s a serene feeling, honest. Meeting House roads are all over New England, as my passengers noticed. We arrived at the home of Tony and his partner, Angie, right on time, and were in for a major treat. This pretty much captures the wonder we all felt. Angie made us completely welcome as our jaws dropped at the sight of...

Read More

Wake up Alice!

Posted by on Nov 17, 2015 in Children's Book Illustration, Collage, Drawing, Illustration, Maine College of Art, Portland Public Library | 1 comment

I am thrilled to have this piece in the current exhibit now in the Lewis Gallery at the Portland Public Library, Wake Up Alice! I love adding collage bits, and photographed cards for inserting into my drawing done with charcoal pencil and pastel on cut paper. I’m pleased to see my fierce little Alice hanging among such esteemed company! To the right, my former MECA student, Declan McCarthy, created a corner chock full of the entire adventure told in comic vignettes he drew on the wall. Here he is before his arm fell off. To my Alice’s left is MECA faculty Judy Labrasca’s...

Read More

RISD by Design 15

Posted by on Oct 16, 2015 in Book: Here Come the Humpbacks, Children's Book Illustration, Illustration | 2 comments

There’s no harder evidence of time flying than considering your 35th college reunion. Whaaat? Upon finding my RISD 1980 yearbook, I wondered if I’d find any former self at RISD By Design 2015. I headed to Providence in time to meet up with classmate Rika Smith McNally. Hadn’t seen her in five years, since the last reunion. We headed over to the Inauguration of Rosanne Somerson, the 17th President of the college, and the first alum. What a graceful, thoughtful, and moving ceremony. I was delighted to spy MICA’s President, Sammy Hoi, in the throng of Visiting Delegates...

Read More

crossing waters

Posted by on Sep 8, 2015 in Book: Tiger Boy, Children's Book Illustration, Collage, Illustration, Pastels, Peaks Island, Portland Public Library | 2 comments

Great news! Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins is among the books chosen by Waterbridge Outreach, a non-profit literacy organization dedicated to providing both books and water development to under-served areas around the globe. How cool is that? The original illustration for the book jacket is in the exhibit The Storybook Waters of Illustrator Jamie Hogan, in it’s final weeks at the Portland Public Library. If you haven’t seen it yet, please do! Thanks to Fran Houston for this panorama of the show, 20 originals from 7 books, and all involve water. Waters run through much of my work,...

Read More

drawing Miss Daisy

Posted by on Aug 14, 2015 in Book: Island Birthday, Book: Seven Days of Daisy, Children's Book Illustration, Collage, Illustration, Maine College of Art, Peaks Island, Publisher: Tilbury House, Sketchbook Project | 3 comments

Our daughter Daisy has always had a keen eye. And she’s provided infinite inspiration over the years. She’s front and center with her tribe of island peers in Seven Days of Daisy. This original hangs now at the Portland Public Library in my exhibit, Storybook Waters. Peaks Island has provided a spectacular background for visual stories. This image of Daisy dreaming helped me land my first children’s book from Charlesbridge. Daisy’s love for Moonrise Kingdom found it’s way into my Sketchbook Project Shop Walk, many thanks to Find for the vintage dress....

Read More

Celebrating summer reading

Posted by on Aug 10, 2015 in Book: Island Birthday, Children's Book Illustration, Illustration, Peaks Island, Publisher: Tilbury House | 1 comment

I was honored to be the guest at the final Summer Reading Program led by veteran story time maestro Pat Crowley-Rockwell at the Peaks Island Library last week. She introduced me with great flair, and I shared details of creating my illustrations for Island Birthday by Eva Murray, from story board sketches to final art. Pat’s Story & Craft program meets every Tuesday evening all summer long, pairing books and activities for a dedicated troop of island kids and visitors. Following the reading, she demonstrated the craft of folding paper planes. This artist is drawing a decorative...

Read More