Storybook Waters
The Storybook Waters of Illustrator Jamie Hogan opened last week, with a swell flock of peeps gathering to see my originals from 7 picture books, and hear Eva Murray read Island Birthday. It’s not every day two island girls make a book. We both deal with crossing water; I was delayed leaving Peaks Island because of capacity crowds on the Casco Bay Lines ferry. Eva flew from Matinicus, thanks to clear weather. Smiles abound when serendipity brings us together, in the Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library at the Main Branch of the Portland Public Library....
Read MoreIllustrationland
Today’s rain is a welcome break in the action. June’s been a swoon of events involving illustration all over the Maine map. Things began with a bang on First Friday with the opening of Cathryn Falwell’s exhibit in the Children’s Room at the Portland Public Library. My show is up next, so I needed to see How It Is Done. Bravo, Cathryn! Besides showing the original illustrations from her latest book, The Nesting Quilt, she also made it real. As well as a big nest for little peeps to play in! From the library, I flew to Pinecone & Chickadee, where I am part of a...
Read MoreBloomin’ books!
This is a super duper first: I have 3 new books recently published! They are written by different authors, and have very different stories to tell. BUT, they have a few things in common, besides featuring my work: Each book has lots of blue on the cover, yup! And there is water involved. And the moon plays a part in every story. Here’s a list of bookish events coming up: June 27 at 10 AM Hello Hello Books Rockland, Maine Author of ISLAND BIRTHDAY, Eva Murray, and I will have our first book event together. Two islanders’ ferry schedules converge, watch out. Eva will read and I...
Read MoreOceans away!
Today is World Oceans Day! Now’s a good time to share my recent visit to Portland’s Reiche Elementary School at the invitation of Side x Side, an arts integration program. I felt right at home upon seeing this lively mural: I came to draw ocean creatures with three second grade classes, and talked about using the long horizontal for this illustration in Here Come the Humpbacks! by Caroline Arnold. I brought along my handy humpback toy for reference. This artist made great use of his page area, lower left. Everyone was provided with a line drawing of their chosen creature to look...
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 Moresketching natural history
What a thrill when a box of new books lands on your doorstep! Yesterday was Publication Day for John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall by Julie Danneberg, my first book illustrated with colored pencils. Charlesbridge Art Director Whitney Leader-Picone had seen my Sketchbook Project postings, and wanted to mirror the pencil sketching Muir did in wilderness travels. You can read more about that meander here. I’m all for drawing directly from nature. Last week I brought Maine College of Art’s senior illustration majors to the Harvard Musuem of Natural History in Cambridge, MA. With over...
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