Island Readers & Writers

Ferry catching with Island Readers & Writers

Posted by on Oct 9, 2024 in Art Classes, Book: Skywatcher, Children's Book Illustration, Drawing, Illustration, Island Readers & Writers, Maine College of Art, Pastels, Publisher: Tilbury House, School Visits | 2 comments

I’m back from another school tour with the intrepid organization, Island Readers & Writers. Visiting island schools is a marvel. They’re the heartbeat of island communities and the future of island sustainability. I came back to Peaks Island expanded by gifts large and small. Ferry catching with Alison Johnson, Director of School Programs, kept us both on our toes! We met in Lincolnville last Sunday night at the Spouter Inn Bed & Breakfast, where the whale theme is strong. After dinner at the nearby Whale’s Tooth Pub, we walked to the ferry landing as the twilight...

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Greetings from Beals Island

Posted by on Sep 16, 2024 in Art Classes, Book: Seven Days of Daisy, Book: Skywatcher, Children's Book Illustration, Illustration, Island Readers & Writers, Pastels, School Visits | 1 comment

I’m back from a splendid visit to Beals Elementary School on Beals Island, Maine with the wonderful Island Readers and Writers program. I love seeing art on the walls upon arrival! These incredible dioramas were created by Laura Fish’s eighth grade students for permanent display. Beals is reached by a bridge from Jonesport, about four hours Down East from Portland, Maine.   I met students from pre-K through eighth grade in the gym when Principal Christopher Crowley introduced the project: to create art and text for a story walk on the school grounds! I began with a slide show,...

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Skywatcher school visits with IRW

Posted by on Mar 23, 2024 in Art Classes, Book: Skywatcher, Children's Book Illustration, Drawing, Illustration, Island Readers & Writers, Publisher: Tilbury House, School Visits, Travels | 0 comments

I was delighted to visit three schools this past week at the invitation of Island Readers & Writers, a wonderful non-profit literacy organization centered in Mount Desert Island! On St. Patrick’s Day I drove three hours down east to Birch Harbor where this sign greeted me. After a warm welcome from Alison Johnson, the IRW school coordinator, at their wonderful farm house, a rainbow showed up. A lucky sign! Their frisky dog, Pip, inspired this sketch. On Monday, March 18, we arrived at the Ella Lewis School in Stueben, Maine. After reading Skywatcher to a group of Pre-K students, I...

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Skywatchers Downeast

Posted by on Nov 17, 2023 in Book: Skywatcher, Children's Book Illustration, Illustration, Island Readers & Writers, Pastels, Publisher: Tilbury House, School Visits, Travels, Zines | 2 comments

These have been heavy times, for Maine and for the world. I hope you’re holding on OK, dear readers. The natural world has been a tremendous solace. It’s a privilege to find sanctuary there. It lifted my spirits to see my book, Skywatcher, featured in Waterville’s Story Walk along the Messalonskee Stream. Serena at Waterville Creates, Miss Liz at the Waterville Public Library, and Amarinda at the Children’s Discovery Museum combined talents to create the catchy text that accompanies the book pages. It was a much needed exhale, to stroll along outdoors and read my book...

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