MECAmorphosis!
Maine College of Art’s third annual Fashion Show on First Friday was a spectacular feast of fiber and fun. An eager crowd filled the ICA Gallery, where Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Ian Anderson made the rounds with his partner, Kari Radasch. President Don Tuski opened with thank yous, especially for event maestro Erin Hutton, who “can build a rocket and launch it.” Chair of the Textile and Fashion Design Department, Anne Emlein, talked about the emphasis on traditional hand processes. I was super excited to see Illustration student Catherine...
Read Moremuch ado about MECA
Have you noticed the color streaming from Maine College of Art? I drew this for all the rainbow buzz that is alive and well as the spring semester draws to a end. My senior illustration majors have been hustling. Dee Wiegand has a bold eye on her Horror Sweet Horror project. Anabelle Souza is working the squeegee for her zine series, Misconceptions. Emma McCabe is building books for her fable series, one delicate gold leaf at a time. Kara Munro is inking up temporary tattoo designs, graceful stories in adornment. Cecil Cates is illustrating a narrative of his ancestry. Liam Murphy is...
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...
Read MoreOsher Map Library: to heaven and back
When Art History professor Sue Nutty invited Maine College of Art faculty to tour the nearby Osher Map Library, I jumped at the chance. I’ve had a thing for maps, always. They are fascinating documents and lovely to look at. Maps have served many a visual purpose in my work over the years. In a self-promo postcard during my collage phase, I showed how I playfully exercise my skills with deadlines, and on top of the world, to boot. This editorial illustration was for a business article about the European economy. Livin’ large, I guess. When I illustrated Stephanie Pearl McPhee...
Read MoreSweet ‘Art @ the PMA
Cabin fever from all these blizzards has left a pile of hand-made valentines, all red and pretty for this week’s First Friday Sweet Art @ the Portland Museum of Art. My first batch is 20 one-of-a-kind, signed on the back cards, made beside a crackling fire with love. After the storm, it was back to Maine College of Art, where the entire Illustration Department, students, alums, and faculty are also crafting feverishly towards this First Friday. But first, an island car must be dug out. What?!! The town car, too? A double whammy when there is no island garage or you had to park on the...
Read Morelearning curves
With a relaxing and friend-filled holiday break over, I began my re-entry to school circles by visiting King Middle School last week, for their annual World Language Expedition Kick-Off. King always provides thoughtful beginnings and culminations to their learning trips; inviting local artists to speak to students before they begin an art project is one way to spark the mind. I brought my books, blank paper, and pencils. It’s fun to see what gets left behind. One artist, Gabi, drew a very fine polar bear. From there, I headed to Maine College of Art, where I spied a wondrous display of...
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