big on trees
I have a thing for trees. There was one in the back yard I could climb as a child because it was right next to a huge rock. In one of my favorite books, The Magic of Trees, Deena Metzger wrote this poem: It seems the story of my life is the story of trees I’ve loved, some were standing, some fell down. I was honored to be commissioned by the Peaks Island PTO to create a pastel for Kathy Newell, an island girl and artisan retiring from the school staff after 25 years. And she’s a tree lover! I was asked to capture her favorite tree, just outside the school yard, one that turns red...
Read Moremitten island
The Friends of the Peaks Island Library hosted a morning of book activities around Ice Harbor Mittens this past Saturday at the Doug MacVane Community Room, next to the library. Author Robin Hansen trekked down from Bath, and together we shared our inspirations. Robin met my model for the Josie character. Here is Finn, a good sport, with Robin. Robin brought a well-worn sailing chart and a pair of compasses, to talk about orienteering around tricky ledges in foggy waters. I brought my grandfather’s buoy, which I included in one of the illustrations. That’s a map of Peaks on the...
Read Morebook peeps
Wooooo! This just arrived via Charlesbridge Publishing. Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins is now published in Korea! It’s a thrill to see my illustrations paired with another language, and to know the book is getting a wider audience. And in other news: Seven Days of Daisy is scheduled to be published by Down East next May! My wee book about the passage of time, island-style, has come a long way since I wrote it back in 2002. Now Nana needs a walker and lives in assisted living in Portland. But some things don’t change, such as Daisy’s fascination with the little things. A...
Read Morecolor of peaks
The Trefethen Evergreen Improvement Association, otherwise known as “the club”, was the venue last Friday night for the sixth annual Color of Peaks art show. The TEIA is better known as the sailing and tennis spot, but once a year invites island artists to exhibit, while taking a portion of sales towards scholarships for island children to participate in club camps. The sight of the little sailboats bobbing about is a seasonal cue; summer has begun. I worked on five new pastels for the show. This one, titled “Late Boat” went to a couple with fond memories of a...
Read Morehappy fourth
I am working on pastels for next week’s Color of Peaks show at the www.teiaclub.org, really the best spot on the island: wrap-around porch overlooking the bay dotted with boats. Heavenly. I wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July with lots of sunshine and the breeze at your...
Read Morenature’s way
Now that the steamy Solstice has come and gone, it’s hard to believe that six months ago I was working on Ice Harbor Mittens for Down East, snug as a bug in my studio with icicles outside. Peter Ralston photographed me starting one of the illustrations for that book, due out this October. A mighty swell article came out of that, “Happily Ever After” appearing in the 2010 Island Journal, published by the Island Institute. This is one of the photos that didn’t get used, but you can see how I’m trying not to laugh at Peter, who needed me to smile. And a day later,...
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