Working in Deep Space

These days you’ll find me in deep space as I complete final art for my next picture book collaboration with Candlewick Press. THE DAY THE UNIVERSE EXPLODED MY HEAD is a collection of humorous poems about space by poet, performer, and educator, Allan Wolf. Of course, sharing art at this stage is verboten, but here are a few details from my desk.

sometimes with a dash of salt...

Virtually every one of my illustrations starts off on paper. I use sumi ink washes to create shapes and line, drawing and painting the same things over and over, until I get the effect and energy I want. I’m always striving the most natural strokes—ones that don’t show any hesitation or self-consciousness. For this book, I’ve also be experimenting with salt and other random materials to achieve unexpected results. All of these elements are then scanned, collaged, and colored in the computer.

and more circles...

and bands of splotchy ink...

and throw in a few stars.

Here's the original sketch of Jupiter...

...then scan, collage, and color. Of course, this is missing elements of Jupiter's fiery personality.

As you can see, I’m having a great time with all of the planetary opportunities and textures that Alan's poems inspire. THE DAY THE UNIVERSE EXPLODED MY HEAD will be available in Spring 2019. For more updates, watch this space.

What's News with Me…

What's news with me? I guess, a lot, since it's been a while since I updated this page. The late summer and early fall have kept me plenty busy.

It's that time of year again! As with past Octobers, I'm participating in #Inktober—the month of ink drawings shared on social media—with my own spin in the form of #Oinktober. If you'd like to follow my pigs' progress, check out my Instagram for a new pig drawing each day.

Fall is book festival season, and a few weekends ago, I was at the Princeton Children's Book Festival along with a stellar roster of kidlit authors and illustrators. Creating children's books is a somewhat solitary art, so festivals are a great way to connect directly with teachers, librarians, parents, and especially kids. If you find yourself near Westchester County, NY on Saturday, October 14th, come visit me at the Chappaqua Children's Book Festival from 10–4PM. I'll be signing books and giving away bookmarks, stickers and more. For further information, click here.

September 15th was International Dot Day, and I was invited to celebrate with a few author-illustrator colleagues down at the KidLitTV studio in Lower Manhattan. Now a worldwide celebration inspired by Peter Reynolds' book The Dot (about a little girl who is reticent about drawing/making her mark, only to discover the true artist within her), this Dot Day connected classrooms across the globe through a live stream to create a celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration. As you can see, we created our own jumbo dot, deemed, the "collabradot." Thanks to my fellow "celebridotters" Lori Richmond, David Ezra Stein, Joyce Wan, Michael Arndt and the great folks at KidLitTV for a fabulously fun day!

Last, but not least, Zora's Zucchini is now out in paperback, sporting a newly-earned award—the Growing Good Kids Book Award, from Junior Master Gardeners and The American Horticultural Society. If you'd like to get a copy for the kid gardener you know, click here.

That's all from here—have a great fall, and hope to see you soon!

Teaching at the SVA Summer Residency

This week brought to a close another June of teaching Illustration at the School of Visual Arts Summer Residency. Now in it’s tenth year, the residency gives artists a chance to immerse themselves in the New York illustration world through a rigorous program of coursework, as well as visits with professionals, organizations, and exhibitions.

Focusing on narrative illustration, my class guides students through the creation of a series of images inspired by a text of their choosing. As a teacher, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the development of these projects, from sketches to finished art, culminating with their Open Studios exhibition at the end of course.

Below is just a small sampling of work from this talented group.

Sayan Mukherjee

Rose Ting-Yi Lui

Leah Horowitz

Kat Flores

Tiffanie Young

Danica Da Silva Pereira

Toko Hosoya

For more information about SVA’s Summer Residency, click here.

If I Were a Kangaroo at some Book Events…

Spring is finally here, and I'm happy to announce some events in the coming months, where I will be reading and signing copies of IF I WERE A KANGAROO:

On Saturday, May 6th, look for me at the Picture Book Bonanza at Books of Wonder in New York City.

On Saturday, May 13th—the day before Mother's Day—I'll be at one of my all time favorite stores, R. J. Julia in Madison, CT where we'll be reading and crafting!

And on Saturday, May 27th, I'll be participating in Children's Day at the Queens Books Festival.

At each event, I'll have some giveaway goodies like coloring pages, bookmarks, stickers, and such. We'll even make some kangaroo puppets, if you're game. For more information on these and other upcoming events, please go to my events page. Thanks, and hope to see you!

A WRAD Surprise for Me!

World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) was back in February, and among the classrooms I connected with were 2nd graders from PS 30 in Brooklyn. After reading A BIG SURPRISE FOR LITTLE CARD to them, I fielded questions and talked about my art-making process. The school librarian was so enthusiastic, I suggested she share my Make-Your-Own Little Card activity with the teachers. One teacher, Ms. Marcano, took the project even further with fabulous results.

Imagine my delight to receive this adorable group of handmade LC's in the mail the other day! Each one opens up to reveal a message about what it would be like to be Little Card, or one of his card friends featured in the story. Here are some of my favorites, verbatim:

"Have you want to be a card? I would like to be little card
because I could go to a Library! For example, I could go to
a Library and read a book. Also help kids and people read
books or tell kids and people where books are. I would be
helpflu to the Library and people in the Library!"

"I would like to be a rectangle card because I like cake. I like
candy and the design on the goody bag. I like thems on the
party. That's why I would like to be rectangle card. "

(I think she means Long Card, the birthday card, who thinks that's pretty great.)

"I would like to be wide card because I would like to travle
around the world. I would also like to tell people to know
that I'm travling some where so that they can visit me befor
I go away. For example if I was going to Florida I would send
a wide card to let them know I'm travling to Florida. Thats why
I want to be wide card."

(Wide Card, the postcard, also approves...)

I'm sure I've said it before, but the most rewarding part of this job is connecting with kids through books. Thanks PS 30 for making my month! And if you'd like to share the Little Card activity with your kids, click here.