Monday, July 11, 2011

The wayward blogger returns with many more adventures

Oh, the guilt! I have been ridiculously busy doing way too many things since I last blogged. I presented at a SCBWI Northern California Central revision intensive. Mine was called "The Art of Re-Visioning Picture Books" and included revising both writing and illustrating picture books. I had the most wonderful group of people, and it was a real joy. Of course, I nearly killed myself putting the powerpoint together because of course, why use one picture book per point, when you can use three? Still, it was a fabulous experience.

I also did an author/illustrator school visit, where I did a presentation for the younger grades, the older grades and a professional development in-service with all the teachers. Each of these was absolutely wonderful. The teachers and I made a place-based science and math mural, where kids would learn about their local environment and animals (science), as well as learn through fun and experiential education addition and multiplication. It was a blast!



 Some of my children's picture books

 Kids are blurred out for privacy reasons

Detail of teacher's math mural. I like how this one shows our mountain lions

 You do the math. Eucalyptus trees, mountains, wild turkeys, 
raccoons, squirrels, clouds, mountain lions, and that might be it.

As the regional SCBWI illustrator co-coordinator, I also hosted a "Picture Books and More Share-a-Thon" where everybody brought a copy of recently published children's pictures books where we practiced first seduction, then deconstruction. Meaning, we just enjoyed the hell out of the books first, and then went back to see what made them so great in both art and text or what flaws they might've had. Then we all went and had lunch together. Lovely, lovely. lovely.

Finally, although, not really finally, I did an "I come to you" children's book writing, illustrating, and publishing intensive in Ahwahnee, near Yosemite, which was so beautiful, it took my breath away. We stayed with two very talented artists Chris Obers and Vicki Thomas, whose work I think you will enjoy. Here are some photos from that trip.





I've also been teaching a local children's book class and a pilot study class for my insanely exciting upcoming "Hero's Art Journey" online transformational art course. It's a tremendous amount of work making the samples, doing the research, designing the site, conducting interviews, writing articles, making demonstration videos, finding inspiring examples and creating worksheets teaching folks how to draw animals, birds, people, dragons and monsters, and all sorts of other stuff. I am planning on making it one of the most if not THE most incredible online art learning and sharing experience. Here's what's going to be on the welcome/introduction page (click to enlarge). Any comments much appreciated. Can't wait to share more details.





I'm also continuing and loving my work with seniors. Here's some of their wonderful work.
























I've also been busy with is writing and illustrating some new picture books that I hope to get published. Will post some sample pages as soon as I'm able.

But, my two really big pieces of news are I have an intern who I adore. Her name is Marge and she's brilliant, incredibly talented and a true gift to work with. We are teaching each other lots. My other news is I have a new kitten and her name is Luna. Some of you may remember my blogging about grieving for our old cats, Guido and Possum who died last year. We missed them horribly, but weren't ready to get new cats until recently, when I asked my wonderful husband Guy how he would feel coming home to a new cat. When he said "I'd be fine," it was all systems go! Guy wanted to get a black cat, because they're always the last to get adopted (yet another reason to love Guy), and I wanted a kitten to train, which I'm not doing a very good job of because she is so beyond adorable. It's hard taking good pictures of her, because she's so dark and pretty much always moving [ADHD?] or conked out but here goes. She constantly melts my heart and it's a wonderful feeling.

 My gorgeous intern Marge
 Totally irresistible. Check out that skinny little tail.



 Guess who's ruling this house? Queen Luna.