Long Island celebration
What fun to island hop for another celebration of summer reading, this time at the Long Island Library. As a long-time member of the Island Institute, I enjoy learning about other islands, but visiting them is too rare. The logistics of going “down the bay” requires first a trip to Portland on Casco Bay Lines and then another ferry to another 4 stops. What would have been about an hour-plus of ferry time became a 15 minute trip on a water taxi instead, thanks to my host. But man, was it a soupy morning. No horizon line visible, and nothing to see in our wake, either. Captain John...
Read MoreStorybook 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 Moreland of knit
Now that it’s only 15 degrees out, I can share my hot- off- the- press Land of Knit prints. They are currently hanging at Knit Wit Yarn Shop in Portland, Maine, which I sketched for my 2013 Sketchbook Project, above. Dare I confess I’m not a knitter? I learned long ago, but left needles for pencils sometime in middle school. I’ve happily illustrated several knitting books though, including this title by Stephanie Pearl McPhee. It’s chock full of spot illustrations like these. A fan called out of the blue to inquire about the map on the cover. This led to creating a...
Read Moreon the seven seas
July already? I turned the calendar and realized this month is…pretty bustling. When I saw this photo via author April Sayre, of an Indiana boy just home from the local library with our book, I remembered: summer is for lolling about with a good read. I’ll be signing copies of Here Come the Humpbacks this Friday from 1 – 3 PM at the Seaside Shop on Peaks Island. Stop in! Next week on July 9 I will join author James Hayman for a talk about how island life inspires our work, down at the TEIA (also known as the Trefethen Evergreen Improvement Association, or “the...
Read MoreLincoln School knows the way
I woke up this morning at 3 AM to the deep blasts of a fog horn. Fog is a familiar creature to coastal folks and plays a significant role in this story by Robin Hansen. Last week, the Lincoln School in Augusta, Maine was a lively destination. I joined their intrepid art teacher, Robin Brooks, for a quick talk about the making of Ice Harbor Mittens, complete with sketches to share, a few original pastels from the book, and even my grandfather’s buoy, which makes an appearance in the story. A ship in their lunch room seemed a fitting symbol for our exchange. I also brought along a model...
Read Morehappy new year
I’m very fond of the Chinese New Year. As a former resident of San Francisco, I relate to all the Asian wisdom and ritual around new beginnings. And, it’s nice to have another fresh start, since the calendar new year seems to come too close behind the holidays for a truly clean slate. However, I am NOT fond of snakes. In fact, I am totally phobic! I repurposed my illustration of a snake from Nest, Nook & Cranny by Susan Blackaby for a New Year’s card for my SF neighbor, Frank Ching. I guess the snake is all about transforming with ease, so I will embrace my fears,...
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