Not so great news...

The picture book I was working on for Front Street is no more. Stephen Roxburgh resigned his position as publisher of Boyds Mills Press in September and the Front Street offices in Asheville have closed. Unfornately, the manuscript I was illustrating did not make it through the transition.
I am grateful for the time I was able to collaborate with Helen Robinson, the former art director at FS . Helen and I meet a couple of years ago at the NESCBWI conference in Nashua, NH and we thought we finally had the opportunity to work together with this book. We're not giving up on that hope though! Best luck to the author James Thatch in finding a new home for his work.

10 bluebirds...

Great News....

I delivered the paintings for Froggy Went a-Courtin' to Soundprints in Norwalk, CT this week.

10 botanical borders, 10 bluebirds, 4 spots, 10 spreads and a cover are all in their capable hands. It was exciting - and a relief! The Froggy book will be packaged with a CD that includes a read along narration and a musical rendition of the song. This is the latest in Smithsonian's series American Favorites that celebrates our country's musical heritage.

Inspired by the Pasadena Trip

MFA "Homework": Create a piece of art inspired by Pasadena

The assignment was so open that I decided to do some of the things on my wish list; a girl bear, a poster and art nouveau decoration.

The moment I opened my first Little Bear book illustrated by Maurice Sendak I wanted to be an illustrator. I poured over those pen and inks of that cute cub as he decided that wearing his own fur coat in the winter was warm enough. Pair that with my affection for Sendak's posters then add a dash of Mucha and here's what I came up with...

The sketch.

The painting.

The finish.

To learn more about The Huntington click here: http://www.huntington.org/

Inspired by Elizabeth Shippen Green

"Jehane – The Constant Lover"
Harper's Monthly Magazine
September 1906


I was attracted to the intricate swirling shapes of the background contrasting against the solid color and diagonals of the cloak which directs the eye to the woman’s face. The color with little shading on her face pulls her forward from the detail and busyness of the wall treatment.

This is reverse thinking for me. My tendency would be to make the focal point busy with detail and simplify the background. I like the ornamental quality of the background like a decorative border integrated into the scene. Inspired by this and other pieces by Elizabeth Shippen Green the experiment begins...

The sketch.

The finish.

Please know I'm not fooling myself into thinking this is of Elizabeth Shippen Green's quality but it was fun to be a wannabe red rose girl for a few days!

Pasadena Trip

From November 3rd through the 10th I was in Pasadena with my MFA group.

Highlights fromthe trip included...

...visiting Paul Rogers and Kenton Nelson at Castle Green.

...presentations by Mark Murphy, Maria Rendon, Calef Brown and Gary Meyer.

...touring Dreamworks and seeing an old VUGames/Funnybone friend, Ted Forgrave, a 3d superstar.

...checking our Nick Studios and Storyopolis.

...giant burritos for lunch.

...seeing Dave Chiaperino and Chris Cherubini, also VUGames/Funnybone friends, who now work for Disney and Activision respectively and are also 3D superstars.

...and of course being reunited with "the group"!

Lori Ann and me.

I bunked at LA's house and was escorted around in her Mercedes wagon that runs on VEGGIE OIL!

Ted and Betsy...

Picts from the book dummy class with Ted and Betsy Lewin. This project turned into one half of my thesis, book dummy and color finishes for Peter and The Wolf.

This is also what a person looks like on no sleep. My room mate was alittle wild! Love her!