crossing waters

Great news! Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins is among the books chosen by Waterbridge Outreach, a non-profit literacy organization dedicated to providing both books and water development to under-served areas around the globe. How cool is that?

The original illustration for the book jacket is in the exhibit The Storybook Waters of Illustrator Jamie Hogan, in it’s final weeks at the Portland Public Library. If you haven’t seen it yet, please do!

Thanks to Fran Houston for this panorama of the show, 20 originals from 7 books, and all involve water.

Waters run through much of my work, probably not a surprising coincidence, living on an island. It was two years ago at this time I began working in earnest on John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall by Julie Danneberg. As soon as I delivered final art in February of last year, I dove into illustrating Tiger Boy, immediately followed by immersing myself in Island Birthday by Eva Murray. That’s 70 illustrations in about 36 weeks. With no time to spare, I began illustrating posters for Portland Stage Company (10) and created two covers for the Lunar Calendar.

Whew! Between book events and library visits, I still need to draw. It keeps me nimble. These are some of my “downtime” efforts:

I made this pastel as a house-warming gift for my former neighbor, Gunnel, of her beloved island garden full of poppies and lupines.

One afternoon in August, my former island neighbor, Kim, came to draw with me on the back shore.

Surrounded by rocks, I drew the changing light.

I gave this portrait of my neighbor’s cottage to his widow, Nelson. I miss looking up the hill and seeing them strolling together.

A drawing is as much a document of time as a photograph. In this illustration from Seven Days of Daisy, also in the Storybook Waters show, the Scotia Prince sails in the background, a ship long gone from the waters between Maine and Nova Scotia.

We will soon embark on a voyage aboard the Nova Star, for a two week moto trip to Novie. We look forward to seeing friends and relatives there, including my cousin’s daughter, Mati Rose. If you want a shot in the creative arm, sign up for her upcoming Daring Adventures in Collage class HERE. I make an appearance as a Magic Maker!

Cat tails and  a peachy moon reappear in the brand new Lunar Calendar ’16:

We are all in a paper boat of sorts, staying afloat, crossing waters of the heart and mind on a daily basis.