Tall 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 MoreMECAmorphosis 2016
The Textile and Fashion Design Department at Maine College of Art staged their fourth fashion show last Friday, as splashy as ever. My colleague in Illustration, Department Chair Mary Anne Lloyd and I snagged seats next to Jill McGowan, who taught in TAF this year, so faculty pride was brimming! I love the diversity of models in all shapes and sizes, many of them students. The fresh looks, too, like “Gray Circles” by Jianna Bennetti ’18, modeled by Theresa Uwamahoro. Some sights begged a sketch. This is Jianna’s also, modeled by Tanner Skilten. Seated at the edge of...
Read Moreart roaming
The holiday season brought sweet joys: family time, baking, and wonderful things in the mail. I was thrilled to land work from John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall in 3 x 3 Annual 12! My annual arrived just before the Certificate of Merit. YES. Meanwhile, I was in the middle of a surprise commission. A secret Santa asked me to draw my former student/amazing illustrator Liz Long. Such an honor! I drew this quick gratitude for my neighbor Eleanor Morse, who gave us a lovely paperwhite plant. Right after Christmas, we began some art roaming, starting with the 17th Annual Animation Show of Shows at...
Read Morerunway MECA
Maine College of Art’s second fashion show rocked the runway in early May. Introducing the Collection of it’s new program, Textile and Fashion Design, Department chair Anne Emlein and suave MC Paul Lewandowski, Assistant Adjunct Professor, glowed with pride. My daughter and I loved the show last year (I wrote about the inaugural show here) yet this year’s event was even better, with all student-made work from freshmen to seniors. The broad range of materials, moods, and model shapes was a complete thrill. I sketched a few afterwards, like this silkscreened tunic by Allie...
Read Moremaine streets: past, present, and future
I’m a fan of Find, Portland’s shop for vintage clothing. I included the store in my Sketchbook Project 2013’s Shop Walk. The owner, Laura Ker, also maintains a site for her style spotting, Maine Streets. Not surprising that she’s a former art student, with a keen eye for the everyday style of folks trotting around Portland, Maine. I assigned my junior illustration majors at Maine College of Art the task of choosing a person found on Maine Streets, and illustrating that person as is, and also in the distant past (at least one hundred years ago or more) and in the...
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