Studio Glow

This morning, the studio was bathed in a pale orange light, bouncing off the turning maple tree outside. It was fleeting and fragile, this not so typical orange. The kind of color that fills you with nostalgia. Fall is here.

Nature Bound

I've talked before about my love of nature and of picture books and of the two working together to enhance each other. It's a beloved topic for me. And if you are in the area next weekend, I'll be sharing a program on this subject as part of the Iowa City Book Fest. Here's the particulars.  What are your favorite nature connected picture books?

Iowa City Book Festival Program- 

“From Page to Pathway: Connecting to our natural world through picture books” with author/illustrator Claudia McGehee

Sunday, October 5 at 2:30 p.m.

Biosphere Discovery Hub

Iowa’s simple, elegant natural beauty has brought inspiration to writers and visual artists for generations. Many of the works that make Iowa City a City of Literature celebrate our surrounding landscape. The bonds between art, literature and nature are expressed in children’s picture books as well and can be an invaluable tool in introducing children to nature. Iowa City based author/illustrator Claudia McGehee shares her experiences illustrating and writing nature focused picture books, and the inspirations behind her work. McGehee’s award-winning titles A Tallgrass Prairie Alphabet, A Woodlands Counting Book and Where Do Birds Live explore and celebrate eco-systems found regionally and coast-to-coast. Her presentation will include ideas on how to use picture books to expand the outdoors for young readers, a survey of some favorite nature connected picture books, and a peek into her latest book projects echoing this same theme.

Brief, a small leaf as motif

September

Oh favored month, but so fleeting!

Working on a calendar this year for the Eastside Artist show. It's a compact size one could display almost anywhere for that oldy-worldy nod to day-keeping. Perhaps it will slow time down on my board if I linger a little on each month...