Tuesday, June 29, 2010

My own show -- the real deal.

Yesterday I met with my friend at the space I will be displaying my children's art. It is in a beautiful, old house that belongs to a beautiful iris garden famous nationally and internationally. This particular room is reserved for artists' shows.

We discussed everything from framing and hanging work, which pieces to show (altho I can do whatever I want and how many I want which could be 50 or so or more if I get ambitious), press releases, selling giclees, the opening, to do's, a workshop, what I am doing now, advertising and publicity, postcards, who to invite etc.. My art will be on display for two months.

But I feel like the best thing is that she "Read" my work and picked up the right details and visual clues and responded well to it.
Like me, she goes for intricacy in her own work and she doesn't miss anything when she looks at others' work. You mean you use tweezers too?

She also asked to see little bits of writing to go with the pieces I display. And perhaps some questions to pose for children and adults alike.

I didn't realize how much work I have to do in preparation and two months is going to fly by. Best get busy, and out and about.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Exspearimintation

Last week I began an illustration of peppermints and such, and today I am tackling the clear candy wrappers.




(Except I can't do clear wrappers because they won't show well ((up?)) on my collage.) Minor problem. Heeheehee.



So today my project is to find a way to make clear candy wrappers visible and interesting on my illustration. This is one of the things that artists confront all the time. And it is called problem solving. And a bit of artistic license, perhaps? Some people call it creativity.

Except children and adults won't call it creativity if they can't "read" it immediately. Very important. You have to step away and look at your work thru someone else's eyes. And get others to look at it and tell you the truth. (Silent Wah.)


But Rome wasn't built in a day. And obviously, this collage won't be either.

But once I solve it, it will work and hopefully work well. The concept is there. And the execution today is in "exspearimint".

Peppermints anyone?



UPDATE: Figured it out. It looks great! Hawtness.

Time to move on to the next illo for this book project.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

When it is not a story, it is a different animal.

I've been working on and off on fractured rhymes for a few years and now am tackling some art work for them. Wow, is it a different ball game? First of all there is no beginning, middle nor end. There is no conflict. There is no problem or issue attached to the mc. There is no mc. There is no arc or pacing. There is no plot.. not really anyway. There is no one story.

But there will be several individual ones.

What there is: Funny and intriguing art and words and a theme to the whole body of work. Funny, huh? Well, I think so, anyway. And 2 points of audience participation.

Is it harder or easier? Yes.

Why am I doing this? Because a famous illustrator I had a critique with told me to. He "gasped... in a good sort of gaspy way...like The Great Gaspy ( but he didn't croak or anything like that) over a picture of mine and asked if I wrote, as well.

"Um... yes."

"Well, you have to write for this."

So for a few years I have been staring at that piece, and I think I might have something going on. You stare at if forever until it comes together. There is a concept in there. And that is what floats my boat... the whole concept.

But time will tell. If I can muster up two or three illustrations that are unified by kid-friendly theme, style, voice and composition then I can hope that someone will like it.

I've done my market research... and it is not "Truckery Rhymes" which I adore. It is my rhymes. Smile.

It is very freeing to divert from what I usually do... but it still is challenge.

I am a slow writer... but there is reason for that. I think out everything holistically. The whole thing... warts and all.

Picking papers... and words?

Peter Piper picked a pack of pasteled papers;
A pack of pasteled papers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a pack of pasteled papers,
Where's the pack of pastled papers Peter Piper picked?

No, this verse will not go in the manuscript dummy. Not this way anyway.

But the pack of pasteled papers will.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Summer projects

It is getting too hot too early in my humble opinion. But when the temperature goes up so does my creative thermometer.

So here are my lofty goals for the summer:

1) DONE Have Bill put the AC in my studio window which means me moving things out of the way. Fun... not. Because it is the hottest room in the house, and without the AC I can't stand to even move... in there. Do it this weekend because... I need to....

2) Start my Halloween/Pumpkin art for my fall postcard. And for my fall show. Preferably three illustrations. Pick the most postcardy for the postcard...eee.

3) Start a dummy -- will do Fractured/Themed Nursery Rhymes -- In Progress as of mid-August -- try to finish by the fall

4) DONEFinish the last few fractured and themed Nursery Rhymes, and maybe do one or two more illos to go with the one I've done. Can't wait.... love this project... it is so much fun.

5) Send art samples to a few publishers.

6) DONE Visit "The Curious Garden" in New York. Because that is what I shall call it from now on, and oh, how I want to experience it. Must go there soon! Thank you Peter Brown!! Love that book.

7) DONE Send out 3 pb/dummy queries on one same ms to those who ask for just that.

8) Revisit Robot book dummy -- this has taken a big turn and has book a poetic "Word" book

9) Work on other doll drafts

10) DONE tighten up pig dummy

11) Revisit gargoyle dummy

12) admire and reflect on biography

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Picked up off the floor or "Would You Like to Have an Art Show?"

Just when you are feeling down you get "Upped". (No... not by watching that wonderful film.)

Because after all this time and work someone wants to have you exhibit your work and conduct a class about it.

Yes... really.

A former copywriter colleague (from my advertising years in New York) ran into me a few days ago. She is now a fine arts photographer and MEWsie with connections. She LOVES my children's book art and asked if I wanted to present it in an art show and to conduct a class.


Ummm. YES!! Yes. Yes. Yes.

Would I ever.

MADE MY DAY.

Now which pieces to pick.

(I'm "Up.". And I love that movie. too.)