Claudia's Illustration Blog

Randolph Rides Again

2012-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

I always look forward to the Caldecott award announcement. It's a bright spot of news in the bleak of winter for a children's book illustrator. The 2012 Caldecott medal winner goes to A Ball for Daisy, written and illustrated by Chris Raschka (published by Schwartz & Wade Books).

I heard Raschka speak at Hubbs, the one-day children's literature conference held in St Paul, last February. His talk was as easy going and as affable as his illustration style. Wistfully, I listened when he talked of the line-up of great book projects he had in his studio, and unknown to even him at the time, A Ball for Daisy must have been among these works. I will look forward to looking and studying his lovely, gestural line in this newest member of the Caledcott winning family.

The Caldecott honor books chosen are as interesting and worthy to me, the best of the best for the year, and usually a couple of my favorites are among these. Grandpa Green, written and illustrated by Lane Smith (I am a closet lover of topiary!) and Me … Jane, written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell are on this list. I was particulary touched by the latter's pictorial celebration of Jane Goodall's life. I once met Goodall when I was an anthropology student; her story is one I carry close to my primate heart!

So make it a point to find and share these books and enjoy their wonderful story telling achievements; telling stories through pictures is part of our DNA. Ride on, picture books!

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-22T15:36:00.001-08:00

Monday will be the beginning of the Chinese New Year. It's the Year of the Dragon. I'm calling this my official New Year because I missed the whole front end of January and I have a need to start afresh.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated for the next two weeks. Some things I plan to do: 1) Greet my family with wishes of health 2) Give money in red envelopes 3) Eat cool foods (oranges are traditional; if you get a sweet one, then you are lucky in love) 5) Parade with lanterns on the 15th day.

An animal symbolizes each year under the Chinese calendar. What animal were you born under? I'm a rabbit- I'm supposed to be creative, kind and sensitive- I try to live up to this!

Observing a Birthday

2012-01-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

A mild January; late afternoon

2012-01-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

A mild January,
late afternoon
(for Uncle Richard)

Winter sun laces through bare branches,
forging the steel light
edge of day
to the velvet hour.
Arching trees frame the eve
like medieval cathedral windows
(Chartres, Notre Dame, York, Cologne.)

Nearby a nuthatch sings his spare song of soltice,
full of grace and reprieve.

The Land of Counterpane

2012-01-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

When I was sick and lay a-bed,
I had two pillows at my head,
And all my toys beside me lay
To keep me happy all the day.

This first stanza from Robert Louis Stevenson's beloved "The Land of Counterpane" (from his Child's Garden of Verses), has always enchanted me. It sets up a sick day as a magic land of comfort; fluffy pillows, endless cups of hot tea, piles of books and magazines close by, a loving parent just a call away. I remember a few of these days growing up, lucky was I to have a mother (British at that) who believed in giving the body time to rest and recover. My Land of Counterpane included hot water bottles, a world of Barbies, marmite toast and a curled-up cat at the end of the bed! But to start the New Year, like I have, with a nasty virus that has driven me under the covers, has not been ideal. I'm countering my pain all right, a throat that feels quite shredded, with Throat Coat and ibuprophen and sleep. So many projects to get to; it's a frustrating January so far! But I'm on the mend. Today, I felt like a couple hours in the studio, so I sign in here, just to say hello to 2012 and share one of my favorite poems. May yours be a healthy start!

And sometimes for an hour or so
I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bed-clothes, through the hills;

And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.

I was the giant great and still
That sits upon the pillow-hill,
And sees before him, dale and plain,
The pleasant land of counterpane.

Going to Take an Ornamental Journey...

2011-12-29T17:55:00.001-08:00

In need of drawing time today, I sat by the Chirstmas tree and did some quick line renderings of the ornaments. Poor things only get out once a year, so it was a nice way to appreciate their detail.

Earlier, our daughter remarked (in that disdainful teenager way), "Mom, the tree always looks the same". Yes, I guess we could go all Decorator Theme different each year, like maybe the white tree with hand-blown glass owls and eggs I saw in a posh gift shop in Chicago last week. But I love the sentimental connection with so many of our ornaments. Some go way back (before our teen was even a twinkle!) There are the dried citrus slices that I made the first year we were married- still translucent and evocative of simple times. Small, feather-light copper letter stencils, each with one of our initials, wave slightly in the warm currents of the house. There are wooden snowflakes and straw stars from Germany and velvety birds and shiny fish...Some are even made with the then-small fingers of the Disdainful One herself!

My friend Melissa makes fabulous doll ornaments- some with animal heads, others are human (one looks like Emily Dickingson!). I have several of these creations. They are clothed in begiling little print dresses and clutch a small item, a wreath or a holly leaf.

One of my old-timers is a tiny white angel; "The Macaroni Angel" we call her. She is made entirely of dried pasta, painted white. Her body is a penne or rigatoni; her wings are one bow-tie pasta; her arms are an "elbow" variety (of course), as are her tiny ringlet curls! It kills me to study how finely someone once made her long ago for a church bazaar.

Another anticipated face is one of those teensy chenille santas, glued into a gilted milk weed pod. The use of a treasure of nature to nestle a santa into has always charmed me.

Our tree will be up for the 12 days of Christmas, a family tradition (we put our tree up later than most, too). Then one by one, these miniature wonders will be stored again until next December. Sweet dreams, ornaments!

Boxing Day Walk

2011-12-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

Still no snow this year. It is a mild, sienna brown Christmas. As the Whos in Who-ville proclaimed long ago, "Christmas comes, just the same", snow or no snow. The photo is of our usual "sledding hill" this afternoon, the location inspiration for my current header illustration.

Mild winter weather can enhance a comtempletive tone to a walk- when one is not busy concentrating on keeping warm. My mind slips to the inner warmth that is created by this holiday season and the coming New Year, bright before us like today's blue sky.

I saw three ships come sailing in...

2011-12-25T06:40:00.001-08:00

on Christmas Day in the morning.

Two Hoots

2011-12-15T11:49:00.001-08:00

Eastside Artist Show in Progress

2011-12-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

A lot of nice people are buying local this year! Thanks for the support and thank you Patti Zwick for being our resident photographer as usual and documenting our booths, including mine this year.

Woodland Salon Style

2011-12-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

I've framed a few small prints for the show Friday. I love how they look in a group as I've been organizing them. Foxes and owls and tree and butterflies, gathered for the moment like a little woodland community! Each one is ecomonically sized, with a frame to match image personality. They would look good as singletons, especially in a smaller room (nursery or study), but also in multiples, hung salon-style. Pick up one or six this weekend!

Regard the card!

2011-12-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite parts of getting ready for the Eastside Artists show is sorting through a folder of "goofs" I've collected all year; prints that were off-centered, art marked with muddy kitty paw prints [Bad Kitty!], paper flaws, etc. Instead of filling up the recycling bin with them, I work around the blunders and turn these images into greeting cards. I match each piece with lusciously colored envelopes and cut cards to appropriate sizes. Some have rather "creative" gate folds and unusual dimensions to get the best composition, but it's what makes them unique. I then sort them into packages of four, usually themed around a season or location or mood. I call them "Artist's Choice" collections. And though they may seem random, I do think about how I put them together to sum up a whole from many parts. I like reviewing my old work with one eye on that graphic design sense of color and size. And I also like the idea that a goof becomes an opportunity.

Cardinal Confessions

2011-12-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

I've been fixated on a small item for the upcoming show- I've loved making these little paper cardinal ornaments this year. At two bucks each, dollar for dollar, they will not make me rich. It's knowing that this flock will fly out to people's houses that makes me happy. I've made a few owls, too. I think the three dimensional aspect is a nice break from my usual flat art world. If you come to the show, mention that you read this on my blog and I'll give you one if I'm working at the time!

Eastside Artist Show- this week!

2011-12-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

I'll be again one of the the twenty-two artists at the downtown Iowa City Eastside Artist show this coming weekend.

As I package and price new items, it seems a blink ago I was doing this for last year's gig. Kind of like that movie "Ground Hog's Day", where the characters wake up each day to the repeat of the same day before! Participating in this annual event has a way of warping time.

Please drop by if you're in the neighborhood. I'll be sharing some new art that will be at the show soon.

The first color of winter

2011-12-02T06:09:00.001-08:00

First snow today. Just a dusting, bravely clinging to the hollows. The welcome white of December.

Patterns from November

2011-11-30T12:12:00.001-08:00

Some images at the close of this 11th month of our year 2-0-1-1. The woodlands are already sleeping under blankets of soft violets and ocres.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T14:52:00.001-08:00

Comfort

2011-11-23T13:53:00.000-08:00

"In a picture I want to say something comforting."

—Vincent Van Gogh

Okey Dokey Art-y 'chokie

2011-11-22T13:12:00.001-08:00

Artichoke Love

2011-11-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Working on a whole basketful of veggies for a local client. I am reminded how much I love artichokes. This job sometimes made me hungry.

We Will Remember Them

2011-11-11T07:51:00.000-08:00

When November brings,
The poppies of Remembrance Day...

Mark Knopfler,
Remembrance Day

Herky Reads "Where Do Birds Live?"!

2011-11-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

Debra Dorzweiler, a media specialist extraordinaire at Penn Elementary in North Liberty, Iowa, invited Herky the Hawkeye to her school library recently where he got caught in the stacks reading about one of his favorite subjects! Next book of birds, I will add more raptors, Herky...Thank you, Deb!

Leaving October

2011-10-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

Irish's Woods

2011-10-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Finished a new illustration. Its horizontal, "bottom-of-page" quality would be good for adding text to- that type guy I heard a few weeks ago has me thinking of graphic design again. I may fuss with this later.

Regarding Red Fox, I know exactly the spot in Hickory Hill Park- known as Irish's Woods once upon a time- I used for background. There's a patch of birch close to the trail and I love the chalky white bark.

This new Red Fox in the Woods and the Pheasant Hill piece are both on my Etsy shop site available as small prints:)

Happy Birthday, our Teenager

2011-10-25T07:24:00.001-07:00

Thirteen years ago to this day, our daughter was born. On October 25, 1998, Dan and I spent some time at Wilson's Orchard, then a walk at Lake Macbride, followed by a pork tenderloin sandwich at Joensy's in Solon. It was the sandwich that probably heralded Lucy's arrival at 11pm that night. I can't believe she is now a teen.

I created the illustration above for her announcement. Inside, we listed all the cool Lucys we knew; all the literary ones (from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, EM Forster's Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View); to others from various arenas: TV's I Love Lucy; Lucy Australopithecus, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Lucy from Peanuts and there are more. She lives up to all her namesakes in one way or another. Happy Birthday to our Lucy.

Baby board books go Big

2011-10-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

Daughter Lucy and I were in Prairie Lights Books last week and I noticed a re-issue of The House in the Night- the Caldecott picture book winner from a couple years ago. It's now in board book form, but it is immense- thick as an Iowa pork chop, maybe two inches or more. Regard the middle photo- I have one of Sandra Boynton's classic board books on top for comparison. AND, other new board books close by were equally as chunked out. Not for little hands anymore. Then, also very weird to me is a new thing called a "lap book", which is a board book but a standard PICTURE BOOK size, like 14" by 16". Lucy is holding another re-issue, of Goodnight Moon. Lovely as a small board book, but this new lap book rendition is gi-normous. They are odd, because they are too heavy for a child to open easily themselves. And that is part of the charm of a board book. What gives? Board books should be one of the last genres- if ever- to go digital, as they are meant to shared with the very young and give these smallest of "readers" a chance to explore Story on their own terms. But I'm not sure if making bigger board books is all that good a trend. Maybe making picture books these extreme size board books- morphing the two kinds of formats- will give them both more staying power. What will the face of story-telling look like for the youngest in the next few decades?

Soft as an owl feather

2011-10-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Today, the rain is at my studio window, driving a few more leaves from the trees. Time to get out all things cozy: sweaters, comforters, wraps... Recently, I received a wonderful knitted shawl the soft brown shade of a saw-whet owl. Just in time for the change in temperature. It inspired an illstration. Check out the full story behind my shawl- and see picture of it!- at my writer and illustrator (and extraordinary knitter) friend Michelle's regular column for Lion Brand Yarn.

http://cache.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/lionbrand/displayCustomerProjects.fcgi?projectKey=104820&displayType=lit

Leaves; something to be desired

2011-10-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

Some fallen leaves look scratchboarded by nature. Check out the black veins on the crimson maples. Found on my morning walk.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

2011-10-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

Coffee, l love, but black tea is in my DNA. I drink it in "the midday sun" for sure (a nod here to Englishman Noel Coward and his odd Colonialist lyrics.) I have a cuppa with milk and a small biscuit almost every afternoon. A personal ritual like this is the reward (or the distraction) of an afternoon's work.

Recently, my favorite tea pot came up missing. I know, how can a ceramic teapot just disappear from a household? Every cabinet searched. Every corner examined. No tea pot. During summer, I drink less hot-from-pot tea, so I'm not sure when I last saw this beloved vessel with the most exquisite turquoise glaze. I've illustrated this tea pot I was so fond of it. No one who lives here is giving me any details of it's departure. I'm suspicious. Anyway, it's gone now, and I accept the loss. So I bought a replacement yesterday at the Artisans Gallery. It's another ceramic one- the artist's name escapes me, but I will locate it and post it later. It's a beautiful round shape, very much a Brown Betty with an earthy glaze. So I've call her Betty, my new tea pot. I hope she brings forth many a good cup of tea, and conversation and inspiration in the years I have her. Come by for a cup, even if you're not a mad dog, or English!

Oh, Wondrous Type

2011-10-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

Book Art royalty came to Iowa City last week. Matthew Carter, legendary type designer, gave a lecture at the University of Iowa. Carter is known for creating many well-known type faces we use and read daily. One of his largest clients is the New York Times- he does the iconic black letter for the newspaper masthead. Listening to his lecture made me think of art school, when I pondered the very being of a letter; it’s shape, it’s flavor, it’s history. I cut my teeth in graphic design on his beautiful letters. Snell Roundhand is still a favorite:

Carter, his silver pony-tail adding a visual serif to his elegant personage, talked about homage to ancient type. He is known for taking very old faces- think Roman times, and the early printing alphabets- and making them modern. A flat top to a “t” here, a higher x-height there. Names like Bodoni, Fruitiger, Caslon- to many of us, they are names of fonts, but they were all real people, designers of type, whose work lives on through Carter. Carter says he is informed by history. He likes to “marinate” himself in these studies. And it’s not about copying. “Accuracy is not the truth”, Carter says, quoting Henri Matisse. He makes type faces for the 21st Century eye to play upon and enjoy.

Born in the U.K., Carter lays a rose at Caslon’s 17th century tombstone whenever he visits London. Now that is paying respect to a vocational ancestor.

To read more about Carter's interesting take on Kindles and other reading devises, visit this profile in the Iowa Review:

http://iowareview.uiowa.edu/?q=fresh-blog/dec-13-2010/very-cool-profile-matthew-carter

Pheasant Hill

2011-09-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

Here's one of the color studies from a new pheasant piece I've been working on. A little neighborhood park called Pheasant Hill was a favorite of mine when Lucy was a toddler. It is a perfect place to play in the sand, have picnics and swing. Ahh, I remember those sweet fall afternoons!

Today, I think about the colorful game birds that roamed the same land a few decades ago. The common pheasant was introduced to the Midwest in the mid-19th century.

Illustration Workshop shout-out!

2011-09-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those who joined me yesterday at the University of Iowa's Museum of Natural History for the scratchboard illustration workshop. I enjoyed hearing (scratch-scratch) and seeing so many scratchboarders working in one room! It was a pleasure to look around and take in everyone's unique styles. My gratitude to the UIMNH for organizing our "models" from their collections- the short-earred owl and the albino thirteen-lined ground squirrel in particular. Also, for giving us a bright, cheerful classroom to meet in.

I'm not sure I mentioned the kind of pen I use to re-ink or add details to my pieces. It's the Rapiograph/Koh-i-noor technical pen series. It gives the smoothest and best color match to the EssDee scratchboard.

Wings to learn

2011-09-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

I write and illustrate about nature a lot, usually from observations made close to home; the changing seasons in Hickory Hill Park; seeing great flocks of birds migrating south; a prairie sunset bathing the entire horizon red...The larger theme, of the importance of maintaining a healthy environment in spite of increasing human-made challenges, motivates my work in children’s books to help connect young readers to their outdoor world.

It is easy to draw and write about nature as the perfect coneflower or through the humorous antics of squirrels. But not so easy to depict nature as a rabbit screeching out in the night, or the ruined nest and broken baby birds found after the thunderstorm.

Nature gives us all kinds of experiences that teach and test.

Recently, we waited excitedly for a monarch chrysalis to hatch. It had attached to the side of our garage and was visible from many angles. This individual was a late bloomer, but we’ve had a warm summer, and a bumper crop of butterfly weed helped create a bumper crop of caterpillars. So, as the evenings cooled, we anticipated this farewell “arrival” to summer.

One morning, the chrysalis color turned from cloudy green to transparent, a sign of change soon to come. After gyrating and pulsing a bit, the chrysalis split open. Out popped a small dark creature, folded like origami at first, but unfurled within seconds. We let the new butterfly rest, and throughout the day I checked on his progress. Alas, after several close inspections over the hours, something looked not quite right with his wings. They seemed askew, almost flip-flopped. My neighbor researched on-line and found the discouraging news that some butterflies wings get bent in the process of merging. Once dried in a curled or bent position, they will not straighten and aren’t capable of flight. Other monarch hatchings we’ve witnessed in our garden end in the heart-lifting sight of the butterfly’s first ascent. This time, it wouldn’t be like this. A butterfly that can’t fly is not a joyous thing. As I watched the butterfly’s elegant antennae extend and body fluff to full size, attached to the regally colored, useless wings, I felt blue to the core.

There are humane methods of euthanasia, but I decided to give the natural process a chance. So, Butterfly stayed in our screened-in porch (on a geranium plant) that night. I feed him honey water, which he lapped up with his long proboscis tongue. The next morning I transported him to warm spots in the garden, and gave him fresh flowers to crawl around and breezes to feel. I was surprised how substantial butterfly bodies are, in size and strength and grip. Except for the pin-wheel arrangement of his wings, he was perfect. He tried robustly to activate his wings (a profoundly sad sight), to no use. I brought him in as the sun went down and wondered what to do next. Nature answered. He was now much more sluggish than he had been during the day. Perhaps because the wings didn’t work, it compromised other systems in his body. By morning, he had died.

So I record this small, brief life here. It was a privilege to observe a butterfly so close for a couple days. It reminded me again to enjoy the everyday details of nature, even the small butterfly flitting from flower to flower, for these indeed are gifts.

Cat-Day Afternoon

2011-09-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

I'm having an off-studio day. Bouncing from project to project, I'm getting nothing crossed from my to-do list. The cats are distracting me, leaping on my table, stretching over papers, catching insects, wandering in and out.

I've had tea already. A productive atmoshere is within my grasp. But it is lovely outside and one tends to think of how few of these warm days are left. Summer officially comes to a close this week.

Maybe I will study the inside of my eyelids for a moment. Yes, perhaps I'll find inspiration there on this lazy September day.

Remembering

2011-09-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Caffeinated creativity

2011-09-07T13:08:00.001-07:00

A new to-go cup for the Java House of Iowa City was out this week. Kind of a comic strip palette this time, with nods to good friends, literary notables and a subtle reference to our great location in the City of Literature (read the newspaper headline featured on the cup.) Go get a cuppa to go!

An Honorary Minnesotan Illustrator for a Day

2011-09-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Minnesotans are a great bunch. All that natural rough-hewn beauty inspires their creative souls to carve out wonderful stories and images. I'm happy to be included in their literature family this weekend at the 12th Annual Celebration of Minnesota Children's Book Authors and Illustrators at the Anderson Center in Red Wing. The link below has the details, but it looks like a full day to enjoy and connect with children's books in all forms. Presentations and illustrator slide shows begin at 12 noon. My talk is at 3:30 pm with author Anne Ylvisaker- a real Minnesotan! Anne's the reason I'm part of the festivities, as we collaborated on the little baptism book last year. Check it out if you are up north! The Red Balloon Book Shop will be on hand with plenty of children's book to take home, too.

www.andersoncenter.org/eventAuthorsIllustrators.html

Eggplant

2011-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Today, I played with my vegetables and did a quick scratch of some gift eggplants we received. What type/font is most Eggplant-y? I liked this Giddy-up and it's twine-like flourishes. Such a funny veggie.

Hail and Farewell Augustus

2011-08-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

A new personal philosophy formed while I was recently shopping and had to look past all the fall (even Halloween) decorations clogging the aisles. Reader, it was only July! All of a sudden, I had seen one too many jack o’ lanterns. The whole retail calendar has gotten out of hand, tricking me into thinking I must prepare and consume for an event or season four months in advance. I’m boycotting out-of-season purchases and getting back to real time, celebrating each month as I know them and love them. So goodbye August, named after that wild Roman Augustus Caesar- he threw a mean summer toga party, I am sure. August, long golden month, of cicada calls changing to cricket song, faded swimsuits, fading gardens, fruit abundance, Iowa school bells, and that slight transparency to the sky. In August lives the dog days of summer; I enjoyed their bark!

More prairie at my board

2011-08-28T13:43:00.001-07:00

Sunflowers are out in full-faced bloom this week, just in time for a job on sunflower images. So gracious of Mother Nature to provide me with live models.

Reference materials In-the-House (or Garden)

2011-08-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

The internet is a real boom to the illustrator searching for visual reference. It's especially important when working on a piece that requires realistic details. Before Google, I used to hunt down photo reference (or "scrap", as we refered to it) in books and magazines, or try to take photos myself of what I needed. It was pleasant, but time consuming! Now, if I need a reference of say a zebra, I can google "zebra" and up pops 1000 zebra images. I can check that number of stripes with ease and create an accurate looking zebra from what I see.

Golden is the opportunity like a recent job, where I was assigned a monarch caterpillar; currently the butterfly weed in my garden is crawling with monarch caterpillars! How many feet do they have? Which end is the head? Are the antenae on the "back" end shorter than the front ones? The Answers were a click of my iphone camera away, just outside the door. Here's my reference and the black and white rough drawing that followed.

Midnight in a studio

2011-08-23T08:57:00.001-07:00

Working on a big art deadline is kind of like running a marathon; you must keep a steady pace for a sustained amount of time in order to finish the race. But sometimes you can misjudge and find that the last day, the last mile, you still have a long way to go.

I try not to work late nights anymore. But on a recent job, I found myself faced with this situation. The house is quiet; everyone else is snoozing away, including the cats. But I'm still at my board. It's midnight and I'm tired; I'd worked over several days but there is still a final stage to finished art. I need more than my trusty Pandora mix of music to stimulate me. Caffeine can be tricky on the night shift. I get too wired; drawing lines erractically and hey, I AM also wielding a surgery sharp exacto-blade! Wine makes me sleepy. And I almost never eat snacks. But I needed something, so I went up to fix a cup of peppermint tea and there on the counter, was a left-over donut from breakfast. We are not huge consumers of donuts, but a new neighborhood shop, Daylight Donuts, is a current siren call to our family on Sunday mornings. I eyed this blueberry flecked cake donut and thought, I'll see what carbs and sugar do to me and my deadline. It was delicious. About 15 minutes later, I felt reborn. I swirled the paint with gusto, scratched with precision, and finished earlier than I thought I would. I slept like a baby for a few hours and then shipped out the art the next morning. So, not that I advocate junky food as midnight snacks for stalled-out artists, but this time, it did the trick for me!

From the pages of my sketchbook: Mt St Helens

2011-08-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

There is a saying around where I grew up. If the weather is beautifully clear and sunny, it's a Five-Mountain Day. It's meaning? You can see five wonderous mountain peaks within the Casade range all at one time- Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, Mt Adams, Mr Rainer and Mt St Helens. Mountains have always meant comfort and home to me, a powerful symbol of the Pacific Northwest. Whenever we fly back, I'm always a little weepy when the pilot points out these magestic giants from our 35,000 feet vista above.

Mt St Helens blew when I was in High School and I'll never forget this dramatic event. This summer, we drove to the visitor's center to show Lucy part of the story. The Johnston Ridge Observatory, a look-out point named for a volcanologist who perished that day on the mountain, offers a fabulous vantage of the crater. The alpine view is spectacular, and professionals climbers tell me the route to an even closer view is only a rigorous hike away. Even as Mt St Helens continues to rumble on and off, the flora and fauna have slowly returned. I sketched a few images to remind me of this renewal.

Roadside Florist

2011-08-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

In my Mom and Dad's neighborhood in Vancouver, Washington, there is a gardener who runs a little roadside cut-flower cart. It is self-serve. The cart has about 20 small "wells" cut out of the top. Each well holds one or two exquisitely formed dahlias or zinnias, all in bridemaid's dress colors. 25 cents a flower. There is a little slot where you slip in your money after selection. I got my mom a beautiful bouquet (she has dahlias herself but doesn't like to cut them), wiping out most of the day's stock. The next morning, I noticed the cart was replenished with all new blooms again. I did not see anything of the proprietor, but the business was Old World Charm to the core.

Cicada Love

2011-08-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

Cicada Love

Cicadas in the summer trees
Possess a choral expertise.
Tummy muscles trill in song,
“Wee-ooooh-Wee-ooooh”
all day long.
You are searching for a wife,
to share your leafy insect life.
Armored body, jerky gait,
eyes that seem to contemplate.
See-through wings and legs askew,
you shed a skin,
And now you’re new!
Prehistoric wonder bug,
Could another love your mug?
Good luck out there,
With Cupid’s call
and may you find your one and all.
I have one fear, I must confess
Please do not fly up my dress.

Happy Birthday Beatrix Potter

2011-07-28T12:30:00.001-07:00

"I must draw, however poor the result.... I will do something sooner or later."
- Beatrix Potter

A nod of remembrance to one I acknowledge as a vocational ancestor-mentor. Potter was not only an imaginative, brilliant children's book illustrator, but a passionate conservationist and early feminist.

Beach Line

2011-07-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

I've been doing little spontaneous drawings from the pieces of watercolor paper I use as blotters when I'm coloring a final art piece. I let an image come to me from what I "see" in the blobs of paint, then doodle in the rest. So, Sharpie and watercolor are my media here. Here's a summery one- I'm dreaming of beaches and water, a far cry from my studio board.

Beauty on the Land

2011-07-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

A busy weekend for book lovers and authors in Iowa City. The annual Iowa City Book Festival will be taking place with lectures, activities and all sorts of book related events Saturday and Sunday. Connie Mutel, a fellow University of Iowa Press author and I will be giving a talk on Sunday, July 17th at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History. We'll share about the influences of natural history on our writing and illustrating. Join us if you can!

Sunday July 17th 1:30 pm
University of Iowa's Museum of Natural History
MacBride Hall

For more information and to get to the complete Iowa City Book Festival schedule, go to:
http://www.iowacitybookfestival.org/mutel-and-mcgehee-at-ui-museum-of-natural-history

Golden Birds

2011-07-13T06:24:00.001-07:00

I was gifted with this book yesterday, the little Golden Book of Birds. It's illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky, one of my favorite illustrators of this era. The text by Hazel Lockwood is a cheerful, 1940's style conversation to the reader.

Rojankovsky had a lovely sense of composition and he does with birds what I strive to do as well. Render each bird with personality without tipping it into caricature. These are tweets to inspire!

I do love the whole history of Golden Books and you can read more about Rojankovsky, a frequent contributer to these gems, in a book I highly recommend called "Golden Legacy" by Leonard Marcus. It's "how Golden Books won children's hearts, changed publishing forever, and became an American Icon along the way".

Thank you Jennifer, my fellow Illustrative One!

Stop and smell the...

2011-07-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

No time to smell the flowers! Summer schedule is in full swing, with every day a little different from the other. Just like in the garden. One thing blooms while another finishes. I wish I could scratch out this beautiful hollyhock- what a color. "Jane Austen Pink", I would call it. Don't know where I picked this plant up. Hollyhocks are those weird biannual bloomers, plant one year, get a bloom the next. Who has the patience for that??! But I must have done this, for here it is. Like one of those tissue paper roses we all made in grade school. Back to summer. Summer first, art second, but gardens always.

A Prairie Poem

2011-06-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

I am Prairie, hear me sing,
Through the wind and on the wing.
My summer tune's a bright affair;
Winter's song is low and spare.
I am Prairie, green on stone,
grass and flower, earth to bone.

A Poet's Garden Observed in Chicago

2011-06-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

I love to visit the Art Institute in Chicago. Nothing fills me with inspiration faster than an afternoon stroll around my favorite wings. You would think seeing all the displayed perfection from the Masters may be daunting to an artist, but on the contrary; I am empowered to go home and do my best in my own studio.

This month, along with the Van Goghs, I was strangely attracted to the fellow on-lookers of art. There is an invisible force about a collection of art. You don't have to be absorbed in one particular piece to feel it. No comment, gush, judgement or utterance is required. Just "to be" in the collection's presence is enough.

Mockingbird and Magnolia

2011-06-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

The south has seen its share of weather hardship this spring. May the mockingbird amongst the magnolia be there to lift some spirits.

Little board book is here!

2011-06-15T07:47:00.001-07:00

The little baptism book is now "in the House" at Augsburg Fortress Publishing! I was sent a sample a couple weeks ago and I'm happy with the end results. I grew to love this project, from the beautiful spare text that my friend Anne Ylvisaker wrote, to how the art looks on such sturdy pages. The book size (about 6 x 7) is so cute, too! "Small books for small hands", was Beatrix Potter's motto, and it fits.

Check it out in detail on the Augsburg Fortress site-

http://www.augsburgfortress.org

Back in Black

2011-06-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

The neighborhood black squirrel population continues to grow this spring. A couple babies come around our feeder and I see other adults up the street. Only one in a thousand common squirrels are in this melanistic subgroup. During the summer months, they blend beautifully with the dense midwest woodland. In the winter, man, if you're a black squirrel in the snowy landscape, keep an extra watch out for owls!

Here's a little scratch of one. I'm planning to frame a few for my friend Patti's garden themed art show starting this weekend at Modela in Iowa City.

Postcard of the week...

2011-05-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

A friend recently mailed me a beautiful watercolor greeting card. I will eventually frame it, but for the time being, it brought me daily inspiration displayed right by my computer. I featured it on my "postcard of the week" bulletin board. I bought a cheap, very small (8 x11) cork board where I highlight one happened-upon visual every week or so. I'm inspired by many wonderful images that pass before me, it's nice to concentrate on one. I have a big bulletin board where I post a lot of things, but this tends to collage together, with no single focal point. With my wee little bulletin board, I can look over and get a respit from the screen with whatever piece of art is currently on display- a tiny British vintage poster, a postcard from my favorite museum, a friend's original watercolor...it's changeable, personal eye candy.

The faces of Java

2011-05-26T08:08:00.001-07:00

Friend and fellow Iowa City business owner Niki Neems (RSVP) is a long-time patron of the downtown Java House. I've illustrated her personage into the design of the to-go cups before. This next version, she's there again, reading, studying, enjoying her morning cuppa...Niki has a lovely stationery shop in the North-end, with a brilliant card selection, mouth-watering jewelry, and quality custom invitation design services. Check it out sometime. And see if you spot Niki on the Java House cup when it comes out later on this summer.

www.rsvp-asap.com

a cappuccino in the garden

2011-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Who can resist buying a petunia called "Cappuccino"...the lovely cup is one of my favorite garden companions and was made by fellow Eastside Artisan Kim Friese.

And speaking of coffee, I'm currently working on a new Java House cup design (when I'm not planting petunias in this perfect spring weather). Iowa Citians, watch for it's arrival sometime this summer.

Season of the Firefly

2011-05-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Keeping an eye out for the first fireflies. I've kept a garden journal for several years and this coming week is usually it.

And, as advised on a recently seen bumper sticker, I'm thinking big thoughts and relishing small pleasures. Like seeing fireflies.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

Fresh Eyre

2011-05-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

I saw the film Jane Eyre last night- a spooky re-telling well worth seeing on Big Screen. The location and windswept landscapes are stunning. The actors bring the book characters to life (although Rochester will always infuriate me, no matter what form he takes.) But personally, the real eye candy is the costuming, from the ragged orphan girl's school wear (authentically grimed out), the everyday Governess dresses (think somber Cath Kidson print!) to an amazing fashion-of-the-century wedding gown. The costume designer Michael O' Connor did a brilliant job. What really caught my eye, and I have friend Michelle's passion of knitting to thank for my awareness, are the gorgeous knit shawls worn by a couple main characters. Here's one capture from the film (I hope the Copyright Gods will forgive me) above. Isn't the above shawl so beautifully contrasted to the smooth dress fabric underneath? Love it.

It's cool to see knitting associated with literature, even if it may be a Hollywood/BBC version. My friend Michelle Edward's new book The Knitter's Home Companion, also makes connections in a literary way. Check it out! Then go see Jane Erye and be transported.

Here's Michelle's site and a site that offers the pattern for the Jane Eyre shawl:

http://michelledwards.com/a-knitters-home-companion

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/janes-shawl-for-the-loom

Jackie's Ruby-breasted grosbeak

2011-05-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

My friend Jackie saw two Ruby-breasted grosbeaks in her Mt. Vernon, Iowa back-yard yesterday. Another friend Mark reported last week that he'd seen a Ruby-crowned Kinglet here in Iowa City. Both are somewhat uncommon summer dwellers to this part of the state. They may be travelling north soon, but perhaps the cool spring has given them pause to stay awhile locally.

I was envious of both sightings. Mark said he planned on keeping a list of the birds he sees now. Bird-watchers of course keep a "life-list" of birds they see world wide. Even though I've written and illustrated a book on birds, I don't have an official list of birds from in my own garden. So I started one. The list sits next to my drawing board. I keep an extra eye out at the feeding tree for new-comers. Especially those with the word "Ruby" in their name.

So far:

Winter visitors:
Northern cardinal
American goldfinch
House sparrow
Blue Jay
Junko
Black-capped chickadee
Mourning dove

Summer visitors:
Ruby throated hummingbird
gray catbird
White-breasted nuthatch
chipping sparrow
American robin

Book Mark Done!

2011-04-28T18:15:00.001-07:00

The statue was finished and picked up yesterday. Yeah! The studio seems bigger now. Lots of work, this project- I estimate painting took about 50 hours. After it gets its protective clear coat, the statue will then be installed at the Coralville Library in June. About 30 other wonderful designs will join it around town.

Audubon, my Ancestor in Art

2011-04-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

I heard the former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky speak here in Iowa City Saturday night, part of a wonderful City of Literature event. He said to the students of poetry in the audience "Know your ancestors". He wasn't just referring to their real family ancestors- although he did talk about ancestoral memory and how most people can't give the full names of all eight of their great-grandparents. Pinsky was speaking more of the ancestors of his craft; of Elliot, Keats, Yeats, etc. And it got me thinking, who are my ancestors of craft? One is John James Audubon. A naturalist, painter of birds extraordinnaire, he was born 226 years ago to this very day. And I honor and think of him as I paint in a wild turkey in my book mural!

Incidentally, my great-grandparents were, on the English side: Kate Talmadge and Norton Jones; William Hine and Laura Hall. On the American side: LuluBelle Johnson and Rush McHargue; Michael South and Hannah Keenan.

Update on Big Book

2011-04-25T15:36:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd share the progression on the big statue. I've had to think in layers. Detailing now. Nearly done. And no spilled paint on the carpet. Yet. No colored paw prints either!

EARTH DAY 2011

2011-04-21T19:22:00.001-07:00

...This fragile earth, our island home.

Still life with coffee and white noise

2011-04-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

I go to a local coffee shop some mornings to do a little writing or an easy scratchboard piece. I like the white noise. Seniors talking politics, mothers and pre-schoolers with matching seal coughs, a cheeful Vivaldi on Musak mix together in harmony; it's all part of my process.

Busy as a...

2011-04-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

first wild flower

2011-04-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

The bloodroots are out now in eastern Iowa woodlands. They've pushed up through the leafy, muddy crust of winter to offer us hope for warmer, gentler days ahead. Sturdy, well-built little blossoms, their roots "bleed" red if cut, thus their name.

BookMarks!

2011-04-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

There's an elephant in my studio, and it's shaped like a book! I'm participating in a community wide art project developed right here by our City of Literature. These 5-foot high book sculptures (akin to the cows of Chicago and the Herkys of Iowa City) will be placed all over the area, celebrating literature in all forms. I'm honored to be creating one for the Coralville Public Library. The book's concept is "Discovering nature through picture books."

The book arrived in my studio a couple weeks ago. I've stenciled in the outline of the images, and now, Boyd Crosby, an area builder, and his team cut me a "window" (part of my design) that will provide an added dimenison to the piece! Here's the window being cut out. You can also see the tracings of the design. More updates later. Sculptures to be finished by late April.

Metcalf's sky

2011-04-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

It was windy and gray all day today, until about 4pm. Then the clouds became distinct and ordered, like quilting on an old coverlet. Sunlight, dark cloud and white all mingled together. Made me think of a long ago spring afternoon in art school. We were all busy at an assignment, working in our room that was banked with a row of glorious windows. The instructor, a skilled watercolorist, suddenly said "Have a look at the sky right now- it is the perfect color of violet." 30 heads all turned towards the windows. We were collectively, youthfully casual at the sight. But mysteriously, that moment has stayed with me. And a sky like today reminds me of that time of learning, of learning to see.

SCBWI Spring Conference 2011

2011-04-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

Back at home after three days of refueling at our annual Iowa Chapter SCBWI conference. So nice to see familiar faces (this is my SEVENTH conference) and to bask in the collective community of children's book creators. Great and small wisdoms were tranferred and I hope everyone- even staff!- came away fulfilled and renewed.

Lin Oliver, one of the founders of the Society, was there with us for the weekend as well. She gave a brilliant talk at our banquet Saturday night. Her enthusiasm for the children's book world is infectious. It was special to be with this remarkable and accomplised woman.

I was honored to prepare a framed piece of art that was presented to Lin commemorating her Iowa visit. Some attendees said they didn't get a chance to see the piece, which is called "Tallgrass Sunrise", so I'm posting the print here. It's a little bit of Iowa for Lin to take home.

More later on some conference highlights, but a big shout-out to all I met at the conference. I enjoyed every encounter and may your keyboards, writing spots and drawing boards hum with activity this week and beyond. A special greeting to those I had the pleasure to dine, imbibe and hang out with. Please keep in touch!

Spring!

2011-03-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

"Always be on the lookout for wonder"

—E.B. White

Nests by the Letter

2011-03-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

I love how some birds take advantage of the big neon signage on store-fronts by building nests in the letters. Any letter with a closed curve is popular, especially O's and C's. Capital A's make the perfect A frame, of course. Numbers are great, too, as they combines curves and straights in the best ways (thanks to their tasteful arabic designers of long ago).

I'm sure the merchants who run these stores have a different opinion. Occasionally, there are attempts to clear out these modern aviaries. But I like to think the birds got a one-up on human development here. A warm, high safe spot to rest. And perhaps the nestlings learn their ABC's!

Art on the Fly

2011-03-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

If you're in the mood for some great art exhibits and a little entertaining soul-bearing about making art, please stop by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art this Sunday. At 1pm, I'm giving a talk on the birds book. It's in conjunction with a wonderful exhibition entitled "Taking Wing", a collection of children's book art involving flying creatures. And while you're there, check out the pop-up show as well, featuring Robert Sabuda's coming-at-ya creations.

For information, go to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art website-
www.crma.org/Event/Detail/310/Presentation-and-Book-Signing-by-Claudia-McGehee.aspx

Eagle Dreams

2011-03-20T20:22:00.001-07:00

I love watching the parents switch off for the night shift. It's snowed a few nights ago and a light layer of powder dusted the eagle's protective back. Tonight, Dad made a small pillow of nest "fluff" to support his head as he slumbered.

In the night
I rest from flight,
and dream of eagle things;
of shining fish,
of winds that lift,
and young ones under wing.

Board book off to print

2011-03-08T17:57:00.001-08:00

Board book art is now approved and heading to the printers. Amen to this. My fingers still ache. Pass the word to the Lutherans in your life, there's a fine little book on baptism (just perfect for a God-parenting gift!) winging this way in June. More when it arrives.

In like a lamb

2011-03-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

March- oh, blustery birthday month. As wet snow hit the windshield, Lucy and I took a drive out to Fae Ridge Farms, a lovely organic farm outside of Iowa City, run by Jeanette with love and passion. She has all sorts of life stock out there- this was Lucy's first encounter with goats when she was about four (where upon seeing their horns, she asked me if they were antenea!) Jeanette sells things like luscious dyed wools and eggs and seasonal things like basil and flowers. She also crafts beautiful felted animals, like the little lamb in this post. Today Fae Ridge Farms hosted a book event celebrating my good friend Michelle's new title "A Knitter's Home Companion", a great collection of essays, recipes and philosophies on knitting. We came back and warmed up, enjoying the first of spring through our windows, with a cup of tea and a nice fire in the firplace.

www.faeridgefarm.com
www.michelledwards.com

Eagle Cam

2011-03-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the Decorah eagle nest camera this year again. Here's a capture off of last year's nesting time. A new sponsor is keeping up the website, so if you can take the ads that pop up for a few seconds before the live feed begins, it's worth it. AND, it's egg time! Two eggs are being sat on as I type. Last year, three eggs hatched and all three babies survived to fledge. Very cool. The parents are so attentive.

Interesting Eagle fact of the day- an eagle's egg is about the size of a tennis ball.

Red Balloon Window Dressing

2011-02-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, I painted the ten-foot high window at the Red Balloon Children's bookshop in St Paul, Minnesota. I found out painting a big window is quite a departure from making my usual small scratchboard illustrations. The window is taller than it looks when you're up on a ladder. Then try balancing on a scaffolding littered with paint trays and drawings and bottles. Good thing I have some foundation in yoga for the trickier moves, plus it helped to visualize being part mountain goat. I finished in the early afternoon; tree and bird design looked quite happy. People commented that it reminded them that spring is coming. What was really cool was the shadow the painting cast on the carpet, as the sun shone through. Thank you Red Balloon! It was wonderful to be with you on a chilly day in late winter.

Making the Best of Winter

2011-02-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Heading up to St Paul (and foot-deep snow) to do some varied children's book related projects and events.

Friday, in St. Paul, I will be painting the Red Balloon Children's Book Shop's ten foot high window! I am hoping for good balance and sure footed ladder moves. I've got a Tree in Winter design, with of course, plenty of birds involved too.

Saturday, I'm giving a presentation at Hubbs Children's Literature Conference. I've gone for a number of years to this day-long conference. It always warms up the winter with spring-like inspiration. It'll be nice to be part of it all.

Then, book-signing at the Red Balloon Sunday at 2pm.

Java Jive

2011-02-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

I love coffee, I love tea,
I love the Java Jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the java and me,
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
(Manhattan Transfer)

Yes, caffeine certainly is part of my creative process! Yesterday, an article ran in the Daily Iowan (the University of Iowa) about my art work on the Java House coffee cups. I'm creating a new to-go design this spring, so it was timely. Here's a link to the whole story. Thank you to Jessica and Rachel for an nice write-up and photographs.

http://www.dailyiowan.com/2011/02/15/Metro/21394.html

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:45:00.001-08:00

From my studio to you!

(with compositional dept to sculptor William Zorach)

In the red

2011-02-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

Lucy's working on some Valentines and needed some quick watercolors, so I brought out an old kid's set for her. Look at the little spontaneous heart that we spotted in the red!

Bus Stop

2011-02-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

I loved riding the school bus when I was a kid. The adventures we neighborhood dwellers would pack into that 5-10 minute wait. There was also the delicious tension of flying out the door a little late, not knowing if you would catch it! I don't know when bus routes for school got so limited, but as I drop our daughter off at her elementary, there is a true traffic jam of cars all doing the same. The mini-vans are lined up like a family of pachyderms, ejecting their load of passengers one by one. There are few dedicated walkers or bike riders to school. Gone are the days of multiple buses, and most of our kids will miss out on those few minutes of high jinx, writing their names (or stamping a "footprint" with the heel of their hand) on a steamy window, making faces at passing cars, enjoying their first communal commute.

Hands Up

2011-02-07T08:00:00.001-08:00

Hands are so busy. Drawing, writing, typing, phoning, making snowmen, holding on to ski poles or shovels, cutting out valentines, chopping, stirring, holding other hands (and paws), almost never resting. A myriad of other uses. Mine are busy now trying to finish the book project. Busy hands.

Celebrate the new Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

I'm an old rabbit myself!

Rabbits are, according to the Chinese Zodiac, gracious, a good friend, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, amiable, elegant, reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, tender, self-assured, shy, astute, compassionate, lucky, flexible. Can be moody, detached, superficial, self-indulgent, opportunistic, stubborn.

Ten ways I procrastinate starting final illustrations to a new book

2011-01-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

1. make a "to do" list, as if I don't know what there is "to do"
2. play with the cats
3. warm up coffee
4. go for a walk (this is almost okay, but it still counts)
5. have lunch (the more prep time involved the better)
6. order books I need
7. replenish bird feeder
8. give attention to my cuticles
9. read magazine to get it off of the studio table
10. write a blog post!

Two-cat night

2011-01-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Our cats slept together last night. Now, that wouldn't be extraordinary in itself- it was below zero here in our fair city and warmth was a premium- but these cats aren't fond of each other. During most days, they have had blood-thirsty, fur-flying, screech-scratching battles. Hissing punctuates any slight interaction. They are sisters, but most of the time, they prefer to be alone. So, this was a lovely little scene to behold by full moon light. A ying and yang of comfort. Bea, the orange tabby (aka "Bowling Ball") and Fauve, the spirited tortie, put away their differences on a frigid winter's night and slumbered in peace.

Charley Harper's Bird Art

2011-01-18T10:13:00.001-08:00

A couple friends introduced me to Charley Harper's work a few years ago. Harper worked as a commericial artist for many years and is known for his unique, exquisite and completely original renderings of wild life, expecially birds. He died in 2007, but his work has been re-popularized by many efforts. And more and more, I am seeing his images, on children's puzzles, calendars and stationery and new collections in books. I was recently at my favorite landscaping and nursery here in Iowa City (Iowa City Landscaping) and they have a line of birdseed and bird feeders with Harper's birds on every package and lable! The commercial artist in me is thrilled more people will know his pieces through this contact. If you buy these, take a good look- such great birdies.

www.iowacitylandscaping.com

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2011-01-17T09:03:00.000-08:00

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

LOST: one hand to warm

2011-01-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

In winter, in the park where I walk, it's not uncommon to see a lost mitten or glove spiked on a tree branch close to the pathway. Someone, somewhere is just reaching into his pocket muttering "Dang, where IS that other mitten?"

Most of the lost gloves are the cheapie drugstore kind- I have multiple pairs of these myself. But some are unique and colorful, sure to be missed. And then, there are the obviously hand-knit and exquisite variety, created with yarns that you almost want to lick they are so beautiful. When one of these ends up in the informal woodland lost and found, you can bet everyone that goes by roots for the owner to re-discover their lost piece of wearable, functional, warm and cozy art.

Tell-tail tracks: BIRD

2011-01-07T12:05:00.001-08:00

I am bird on a winter's afternoon.

I hop lightly, leaving foot prints like stitchery in the snow.

My fluffed-out feathers keep me warm as I seek out lunch.

Once the sun goes down, I sit tight and slumber in the evergreens.

Others are with me in the tree limbs- we join dreams of the distant spring.

Board book art now starting

2011-01-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a new board book for the Lutheran publishing house in Minneapolis, Augsburg Fortress. It's a baptism book, with a nice visual connection to the symbols of that service; water, candle light, community, family. I'm just finishing up revisions and awaiting an okay from the editor. It's a smaller, shorter book, compared to my others- just 7 spreads- but I managed to get a bird on every page! Here's a sketch of one of my favorite spreads. Lovely text by writer Anne Ylvisaker. Deadline for all art is in late February, so the marathon begins soon. Scratchboard blades are sharpened. Slow and steady. Slow and steady.

Tell-tail tracks: MOUSE

2011-01-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

I'm Mouse on a winter's eve.
Tiny bursts of energy vault me one leap after another through the powdery snow.
My tail leaves a line that threads my efforts together.
I work my way back home.
I burrow down into my nest in the soft, fallen tree limb.
Content with my small seed dinner, I am glad
Tonight, no owl shadow crossed my path.

New Year

2011-01-01T14:23:00.000-08:00

Ring out the old,
ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells,
across the snow:
The year is going,
let him go;
Ring out the false,
ring in the true.

A few lines from Tennyson to start 2011 off with- I heard them on a Christmas day radio program and was inspired by the words (and the hoare frost we received that morning) to think of how our old year wishes and hopes give way and evolve into new ones. Looking forward to spending time on these blog pages sharing and creating.

Peace.

Eastside Artist Show- this week!

2010-12-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

Always a good show- lots of made from the heart art! I have new cards and small framed pieces and new baby onesies and, of course, books!

Effigy Mounds

2010-11-30T14:30:00.001-08:00

We recently got in a late autumn hike at the Effigy Mounds National Monument in north-eastern Iowa. I've wanted to visit for 17 years and the timing was right last Sunday. This 2,000 acre site sits right on the Mississippi, where river and delta seem as wide as the world. Early American Indians incorporated mound-building into their culture for almost 2000 years. Thousands have been lost to history, but this particular area features 31. The earthen mounds rise up from the woodland floor, some conical, some linear in shape, like dots and dashes. Some shaped like bears or birds. Many were used for burial, created one earth-filled basket at a time by a community of long ago Iowans.

As we made our way up the medium grade to the mounds, only the creaking of hickories, red oaks and basswood could be heard. That and the occasional call of a red-headed woodpecker. A carpet of leaves, golden brown, had fallen evenly on the ground. The entire woodland was dressed in a mellow light. The mounds themselves stood out from soft grassy areas. Beyond them, spectacular drops from the limestone ridges to the river valley below forced your mind to take in this sacred space.

I've been reading about reverence to nature lately, and how one practices it in small and big ways. You can't help but feel reverent in a place like this. I can't wait to see the mounds again in the other seasons. Go visit if you can.

Wild Gobbles to you

2010-11-24T20:47:00.001-08:00

Emily's words

2010-11-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven.

--Emily Dickinson