Kidlit Con Providence
A week ago today I was in the thick of children’s books everything at Kidlit Con Providence, and I’m still unpacking all the goodness. I checked into the Hotel Providence with my travel mates, Lyn Smith and Kirsten Cappy. Author and illustrator Jarrett Lerner joined us in the hotel bar for dinner. He got our robot groove going. This year’s organizer, Charlotte Taylor, gave welcoming remarks and thankful applause to author and blogger, Mia Wenjen, who gathered the panel participants last fall. I learned about the conference via her @Pragmatic Mom. LeUyen Pham gave a stellar...
Read More30 x 30 at the Portland Public Library
At the invitation of Portland Public Library’s Program Manager, Rachel Harkness, a group of Maine artists created panel art that included a scene in a library. She said, “Portland Public Library aims to highlight the work and importance of this art (and literary) form through our partnership with the Maine Comic Arts Festival. Exhibiting work by artists at the same size and shape, displayed identically lets the viewer see just how wide ranging and diverse comic art can be.” While I don’t consider myself a comic artist per se, I was happy to contribute a panel with...
Read MoreMore more ii
The seeds of the recent residencies at the Illustration Institute’s Marilyn Faison Artist Residency were possibly planted in the spring of 2016, when Maine College of Art Illustration faculty Scott Nash invited Emily Flake and Bob Mankoff to a screening of Very Semi Serious, a fantastic documentary in which they both appear, about New Yorker cartoonists. They were like sit-down comedians on the Portland Museum of Art stage afterwards. Fast forward to this August, when Emily Flake filled the Fifth Maine to capacity, as the setting sun made the audience beautiful. Emily shared a...
Read MoreTall Tales from ICON9: Day 3 & 4
Welcome to more epic recapping of ICON9, the Illustration Con held in Austin. Last Friday July 8 more awesomeness awaited us in the form of Martha Rich, ICON’s Emcee and quick-change artist. Who needs a Martha Rich paper doll set? I do! Tall Tale or fact? Martha is a Mainer! She grew up in Pennsylvania, the daughter of ministers, and invited us all to exchange the peace, which the mob of 600 gladly did. Anita Kunz made a stellar presentation on why art matters. Whoever thought a cartoon could kill, she asked. With imagery, she showed how art can recruit or resist war, worship gods,...
Read MoreTall Tales from ICON9: Day 1 and 2
ICON9 was one giddy up good time in Austin! My sketch of Daisy’s boot, from a pair she bought the last time we were in Austin, became the opener for zines I brought along. I drew on the flights from Maine, too. Couldn’t believe what I saw out the window! After a hearty welcome from our dear locals, Kathy and Barton, Marty and I checked into the Hilton Austin which was HQ for the hoedown. July 6 began four rootin’ tootin’ days of the best illustration conference on the prairie. I missed the introductions, trying to find coffee to fuel me for the full day ahead of an...
Read MoreIllustration Research Symposium
The 6th Annual Illustration Research Symposium hosted by the Illustration Research Network and Rhode Island School of Design was a total blast of ideas and great presentations. Thanks to Maine College of Art for sending Illustration Department Chair Mary Anne Lloyd and me to this international gathering of illustration academics. I filled my MECA sketchbook and more. Thursday evening upon arrival at the RISD ISB Gallery, we were warmly greeted by Susan Doyle, Department Head of RISD Illustration at the opening of the conference exhibition, Little Pieces, Big Ideas. It was a delicious entry...
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