Some Illustrator!

My illustration orbit has been downright full of goodness and it’s only June.

On June 5, MECA’s Illustration Department Chair Mary Anne Lloyd and I brought our art student daughters to see Melissa Sweet and Martha White discuss Melissa’s latest book, Some Writer!, about Martha’s grandfather, E.B. White.

It’s always a joy to hear Melissa talk about her research process, and about the bounty of artifacts she was able to work with, thanks to the generosity of Martha White’s family archives. They both talked about what drew E. B. White to Maine as well as their own journeys here.

We vowed to visit the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick to see Garth Williams: Illustrator of the Century.

Meanwhile, I attended the Illustration Institute’s Open House on Peaks Island, with a pair of illustrators newly moved to Maine, Maryann Cocca-Leffler and Jennifer Goldfinger.

An eager crowd turned out to see what the Faison Artist Residencies are all about. Two historic cottages owned by Peaks Island resident, John Faison, have been offered as havens of creativity as they once were, in honor and memory of his wife, Marilyn Faison, a graduate of RISD.

Books and original illustration are featured throughout.

Look, a Garth Williams Golden Book!

The following week, Mary Anne, Eda, Daisy and I visited the Garth show. Get thee to this incredible exhibit!

We were gushing with glee at the worlds Garth Williams can conjure. Does anybody remember the first edition of The Fur Family, that had real fur?

We all fell in love with this piggy.

Garth’s hand lettering is also impressive.

His crafting of every tiny narrative detail will give you goosebumps.

This one had us reminiscing about our trips to Story Land.

You may know that Garth Williams illustrated E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, but our personal favorite is Over and Over by Charlotte Zolotow.

It was startling to see how small his originals are, but a thrill to drink in all the graphite details.

I am always gratified when preliminary sketches are included.

Thank you, Curtis Memorial Library, Illustration Institute, and the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature for making this a fantastic destination!

Seeing the exhibit was just the shot in the arm I needed to complete a picture book dummy for Lyn Smith. I returned to my studio ready to draw. Here’s a sneak peak!

Lyn and I will be leading a Nature Sketchbook workshop for the Illustration Institute on July 26. Young artists can sign up HERE.

Meanwhile, I am delivering drawings to Maine College of Art’s COLLECT this week, for their annual fundraising event for student scholarships.

On June 28 I am visiting the Lawrence Public Library in Fairfield, Maine for a Summer Reading program featuring Ana and the Sea Star. Maine may be known as Vacationland, but for some illustrators, it’s a busy season.

See you outside!