calendars count
A calendar plays a main role in my book, Seven Days of Daisy, and for good reason. Calendars count, helping us to mark the slippery passage of time. The idea of life cycles from my previous post blurred into this one. With both parents now gone, I’m sifting through dusty boxes of family history. I came across this calendar, thick and small, and suddenly a notation shows up: In my grandmother’s handwriting, she notes: “William Franklin born. 9:43 AM 8 lbs.” I didn’t know my grandmother very well, but here is something that tangibly connects us, the momentous...
Read Morecritters
There’s an amazing show of infinite delight at the UNE Art Gallery called “Critters.” Having just delivered all the art for a picture book about animals affected by climate changes, I was keen to see animal art. The show is swarming with sculpture inside and out; there’s a dizzying amount to take in. There are well-known artists like William Wegman, Bernard Langlais, Dahlov Ipcar, and even a couple of artists I was surprised to find, like former colleague Joe Begnaud, and fellow pastel artist Wade Zahares. Certain creatures called to me, like this school of ceramic...
Read Moreode to mum
My mother, Jeanne Hogan, died on April 10. It has been a sad yet busy and often overwhelming time since then. Even though I had braced for this event since my father’s death 14 years ago, I find I’m not really ready for this transition. But here it is. In going through her things, I came across many photographs I’d never seen, like this one from 1933, when she was 9. I also found every card that I ever made for her; I loved making cards for my mother, for everyone. Maybe I worked at Hallmark in a past life. This one will bring me comfort this Mother’s Day, my first...
Read Morebook roamings
The whole brood went on a roundabout to Camden on Friday. This barn, spotted along Route 126, seemed like a good omen. We stopped in Rockland to check out our neighbor’s paintings hanging at the Dowling Walsh Gallery on Main Street. Scott Kelley’s huge watercolors of birds and warp are intricately compelling while swooping your eye all around. We skipped across the street to Archipelago, where my wee book is for sale. From there we checked in at our lodging and went straight to the pool, which brought back dappled memories of growing up, poolside, at the Red Doors Motel. Thanks...
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 Morebeneath the surface
I kinda fell off the blog rhythm, as I faced a perfect storm of tasks. This illustration from Nest, Nook, & Cranny is a good metaphor for feeling submerged. Sure, it’s field trip season at salmon hatcheries, but I’ve been way too busy with conflicting responsibilities, such as moving my 86-year-old mother into a local assisted living facility, wrapping up two classes, and completing a full-color picture book project. No wonder I am out of breath. The good news is that my daughter, ever resourceful, keeps making her own discoveries. While at the dock, eating ice cream with a...
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