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!

MFA - Trip to Chesterwood

Back to School...

This summer I started Murray Tinkelman's limited residency MFA program at Hartford Art School. Here are the 2007, 2008 and 2009 MFA classes at Chesterwood. http://www.hartfordillustrationmfa.org/

A Kittery Kayaker

A Kittery Kayaker

has paddled into bookstores throughout Maine!

This is the second in the Little Limericks series I've illustrated for Commonwealth Editions.

http://www.commonwealtheditions.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=182

The first one....

A Bad Boy from Beacon Street

By author: Webster Bull

Illustrated by: Jacqueline Decker

Ride along with Paul Revere. Catch a homer at a Red Sox game. Explore the Boston Harbor Islands and gasp at fireworks on the Charles River Esplanade. Enjoy these sights and sounds of Boston, and many more, with a loveable group of animal characters and a dozen wry limericks. Residents and visitors, young and old, will smile and giggle over these playful poems set in some of Boston's most cherished places.

Webster and I sign books at Boston Children’s Museum.

http://www.commonwealtheditions.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=100