Pop-Up Lovings Preview

It's officially 2015. Where did the last year go? Sean and I began 2014 finishing the art for The Case for Loving and then we jumped right into doing 3 rounds of sketches for our next joint project (also with Scholastic): Two Friends; Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass and the Fight for Rights. Once final sketches on this second book were approved we began painting, all while developing other book projects and working on other deadlines. As if this wasn't excitement enough, on top of raising two firecracker kids, we decided to adopt a pair of kittens! And I wonder why I drink so much coffee . . .

Before this year gets too far in, I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon a lovely evening this past December. Sean and I put together a preview of process work for our book, The Case for Loving (pub: Jan 27) at a special one-night-only exhibition. Open Source Gallery together with Inspire Corps, a non-profit arts organization, invited us to pin up sketches and reference photographs used and created for the art in our book. The evening was sort of pop-up exhibit / soup kitchen, serving up butternut squash pure, wine and a sneak peak into our collaborative artistic process.

I have to say it was really cool for me to revisit the process of making our book. It was such a unique project; my first venture into writing non-fiction. The book required much research and also, because the topic was so personal, much soul searching. Working together on the art tested the power of our marriage–– and we made it through. Two books, two kids and two kittens later we are still married. Hooray!

Here's a glimpse of that magical evening December 18, 2014:

B is for Brooklyn & More!

I'm thrilled to announce B IS FOR BROOKLYN's release!  It's off to an exciting start with some great reviews... A STAR from Publisher's Weekly, a fabulous write-up from Kirkus and a glowing review in The New York Times.  All of this praise has been a wonderful boost for my beloved book as we head into the fall season of promotional events.

Fall Calendar:

September 6 through December 1, 2012
SOLO show in the Youth Wing at The Brooklyn Public Library
Opening reception: September 6, from 6-8pm in the Dweck auditorium
Central Branch, Grand Army Plaza

September 8 & 9  GO open studio weekend
Sean and I will open our studios for the community to visit and decide who will be featured in an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum*
399A Prospect Avenue, Saturday and Sunday 11am - 7pm.

September 15  B IS FOR BROOKLYN Book Release Party!
Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain
11am - 1pm
513 Henry Street, Carroll Gardens
Buy a book and get a FREE egg cream!

September 16
Books of Wonder panel
18 West 18th street, NYC

September 23  Brooklyn Book Festival

September 29  Greenlight Books
11am story time
686 Fulton Street

October 3 Mini Max
10am story time
152 Atlantic Avenue

*I am so excited to announce my participation in GO - a new project at the Brooklyn Museum, taking place in neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn. During GO, Brooklyn-based artists will open their studios to the community on September 8–9, 2012. Community members registered as voters will visit studios and nominate artists for inclusion in a group exhibition to open at the Museum on Target First Saturday, December 1, 2012.  Visit the GO website to learn about how you can take part in this borough-wide project.

My artist profile and studio information can be found here: 
SELINA ALKO

I would appreciate your help in spreading the word, and would love to see you participate in the fun and free GO weekend:

• Register to vote & add my studio to your itinerary
• Gather your friends, neighbors, families and colleagues and come visit my studio over the GO open studio weekend

Many thanks!

Three Wise Men

I've experienced much too much loss lately.

On April 1, 2012 my father died.

I wouldn't be an artist if it weren't for my father.  I might not have so many stories to tell.  He taught me how to paint.  He exposed me to the wonderful world of Art - and beautiful things - at an early age.  He encouraged me to follow my dreams and listen to my heart.  He was my #1 fan.  He loved that I live in New York.  He connected with people of all walks of life.  He was larger-than-life.  And now, he is gone.

I think his spirit lives on.  I believe his philosophy that art makes the world a bit more humane - and much more beautiful - remains in me.  Still, I feel sad.  It will take time.  I am determined to honor his spirit by continuing to make art and continuing to tell my stories.  How can I not?

A few weeks after my father passed away, Maurice Sendak followed suit.

It was an almost erie aftershock.  Sendak was The Father of Children's Books.  He was one of my earliest influences.  When I was little, I often got lost in the imagery from Where the Wild Things Are.  Max's journey was the perfect metaphor for my active imagination.  In his later interviews, I often likened Sendak to my father.  They were around the same age–– 80-something.  Their wisdom, life views and dark humor were remarkably similar. 

Then only last week came news of illustrator Leo Dillon's passing.

My husband, Sean Qualls, and I just spent a lovely afternoon with Leo & Diane Dillon.  Sean and I recently begun the process of collaborating on 2 books together.  The first book features the Lovings; A pioneering interracial couple in the late 1950's who fought for their right to be married.  We got together with the Dillons to ask for their guidance and advice upon embarking on this new picture book adventure.  They shared many stories with us.  It was profoundly helpful.  Leo & Diane, themselves a pioneering interracial couple, are our role-models for all of the obvious reasons (race, books, art, etc.,), yet we should only aspire to be so talented and so humble.

These three men have helped shape and influence me as an artist and storyteller.  I feel like I must nurture strength from all of this sadness, somehow.  Art is continuous, and great artists live on through their art, as cliche as it might sound.  I owe it to my children, my children's children, and all of the children out there to continue to do my part.

Three cheers (and maybe just a few tears) to Three Wise Men. 

Celebrate Women's History Month!

Ella Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sonya Sotomayer, Julia Child, Maria Tallchief, Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keefe.

These are just some of the heroines that appear in my book, Every-Day Dress-Up (which came out in October). The little girl in the book ditches her princess duds to dress-up as real women from history every day of the week.

Kirkus Reviews declared it, "a happy antidote to the princess plague".

And the book was put on the Amelia Bloomer List of appealing children's books with feminist content. Very nice indeed!

To celebrate Women's History Month, I have written a special guest post on KidLit Celebrates Women's History Blog, appearing on March 3rd.

Plus, There will be an exciting event at powerHouse Books on March 25th, where I will read from Every-Day Dress-Up along with my husband, illustrator Sean Qualls, who will read from his swinging Ella Fitzgerald book, Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat.

Please come join us!

Sunday, March 25th

3-4PM

powerHouse Arena

37 Main Street, DUMBO

Book Maker's Dozen

It's a great time to shop early for the holidays!

13 children's book makers - who also happen to be friends - have gotten together to form the BOOK MAKER'S DOZEN. You can find us at Etsy selling archival prints from our children's books for just $100 each. Affordable art from some of your favorite books make terrific gifts for loved ones, children's rooms, or as well-deserved treats for oneself!

Who are the book makers, you might be asking yourselves? None other than...

Sophie Blackall

Sean Qualls

Brian Floca

Dan Yaccarino

John Bemelmans Marciano

Brett Helquist

John Rocco

Peter Brown

Boris Kulikov

Aileen Leijten

Sergio Ruzzier

David Gordon

and myself, Selina Alko

There will be not one - but TWO - opportunities to meet members of the Book Maker's Dozen and buy prints in person.

PowerHouse Arena is having 2 holiday party events!

1) December 2nd from 7 - 9 PM; A panel discussion cocktail party where 13 of us will talk about our work, answer questions, and sign books. Join us for some wine and inspiration!

2) December 5 from 4 - 5 PM; Another holiday party where rumor has it Santa may make an appearance. So be sure to bring your little ones!

PowerHouse Arena

37 Main Street

DUMBO, Brooklyn

Art in Wellfleet

Sean and I started going to Wellfleet on the Cape before we had kids, not only because of its breathtaking beauty, wonderful beaches and quaint charm, but also for The Art.

Many summers ago we biked from Eastham to Wellfleet where we stumbled upon a bunch of galleries and artist's homes. We discovered the artist, Selina Trieff. We were struck to find another Selina, and her beautiful work drew us in. We ended up buying a small piece, which I now treasure in my studio. Most summers we try to visit her and her husband, the artist Robert Henry, when they open up their studio/gallery.

Speaking of studios & galleries... Openings are a mainstay Saturday evenings in Wellfleet. This past week we were lucky to be there for Tommie dePaola's at the Cove Gallery. He has been showing his work for 15 years and only has ONE big opening every other summer. Sean, Isaiah, Ginger & I were delighted to attend this year. The kids were especially excited; Ginger coined Tommie, "grandpa" and Isaiah entertained him with funny faces. Tommie was such a great sport with our little firecrackers. You could tell he truly appreciates real-live children– if you didn't already get that from his hundreds of amazing children's books.

And speaking of children's books... Every summer we make sure to visit the Wellfleet library. It's a great local for restless kids– even when it's not raining. One morning last week I took Isaiah to story time and was happy to see, "Im Your Peanut Butter Big Brother" up on the bookshelf. I'm sorry, but I just had to take a picture.

(photos from top to bottom: Selina Trieff's latest work. Selina T with Sean & Ginger. Tomie dePaola and Sean. Isaiah & Sean, Tommie, Ginger & Selina A. PBBB and Isaiah)

Pencil in March Events!

Please join me to celebrate WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH with my talented colleagues, Melanie Hope Greenberg, Miriam Cohen, Meghan McCarthy, Pat Cummings and Aileen Leijten.

I know, I know, it's still Black History Month... (Don't forget Sean's book party for LITTLE CLOUD AND LADY WIND is coming up next Thursday, February 18th at BookCourt!) Still, I wanted to get the WORD OUT on these other cool Brooklyn happenings in March.

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION: Brooklyn Honors Local Artists and Literature, March 2010 with Six Author-Illustrators, Three Bookstores and a Gallery

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* Mar. 4 Thur. 6-8pm SUPERFINE EXHIBITION - OPENING RECEPTION

Artwork from picture books by illustrator/authors SELINA ALKO, MIRIAM COHEN, PAT CUMMINGS, MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG, AILEEN LEIJTEN, and MEGHAN MCCARTHY Exhibition: March 2- March 14

LOCATION: 126 Front St. (DUMBO) Brooklyn NY 11201 718.243.9005

* Mar. 6 Sat. 10:30am GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents SELINA ALKO and AILEEN LEIJTEN - children's book reading.

LOCATION: 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

* Mar. 13 Sat. 10:30am GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG and MIRIAM COHEN - children's book reading.

LOCATION: 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

* Mar. 14 Sun. 11am - Noon BOOKCOURT presents a panel discussion featuring illustrator/authors SELINA ALKO, MIRIAM COHEN, PAT CUMMINGS, MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG, AILEEN LEIJTEN, and MEGHAN MCCARTHY.

LOCATION: 163 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 INFO: 718.875.3677

* Mar. 20 Sat. Time: TBA GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents MEGHAN MCCARTHY - children's book reading.

686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

* Mar. 21 Sun. 4-6pm P.S. BOOKSHOP Group Story Time with illustrator/authors SELINA ALKO, PAT CUMMINGS, MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG, AILEEN LEIJTEN, and MEGHAN MCCARTHY.

LOCATION: 147A Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 INFO: 718.222.3340

* Mar. 27 Sat. 10:30am GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents PAT CUMMINGS - children's book reading.

LOCATION: 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

Ginger Cloud and Mama Wind

This week marked the release of LITTLE CLOUD AND LADY WIND, the children's book by Toni Morrison (& her son, Slade), illustrated by none other than my husband, Sean Qualls.

I can't tell you how excited I am. When Sean was first approached to do this book I almost fainted. I mean, Toni Morrison! A literary Goddess of epic proportions, a true Icon of our times, one of my absolute favorite authors EVER. Ever since reading THE BLUEST EYE back in high school, I was emotionally hooked. A few years later I devoured BELOVED and it stayed with me for a very long time. I think about her very real characters in ways that last, and I carry them with me wherever I go.

Luckily Sean felt the same. With a great debt to her brilliance, he took her newest characters -intended for our youngest audiences - and brought them passionately and vividly to life. He infused Little Cloud and Sister Wind with spirit, texture and depth rendered all his own.

To top it off, I am extremely honored that on some level Sean modeled these characters after me and our daughter, Ginger. The book IS dedicated to us, after all. It's nice to know that after 10 years + of being together I'm still his muse, and now our daughter is part of his visual language too.

Brava to Toni and Sean on your stunning collaboration!

3rd Annual Brooklyn Museum Children's Book Fair

This Saturday, November 21 from 12 - 4 p.m., I will be signing books at the Brooklyn Museum Children's Book Fair. Come by and say hello! This is a great chance to get some nifty signed books for the Holidays! There will be book readings and craft activities too! And while you're there, why not visit the Museum's new Egyptian exhibit? Many of my talented author and illustrator friends are participating, including: R. Gregory Christie, Zetta Elliot, Shana Corey, Melanie Hope Greenberg, Lauren Castillo, Paul Hoppe, Meghan McCarthy, Sean Qualls, Shadra Strickland, Peter Brown and David Ezra Stein.

Brooklyn Museum

Rubin Pavilion

200 Eastern Parkway

Saturday, November 21, 2009

12 - 4 p.m.

SI Workshop Disclaimer

Ok. So I may have mislead you about this children's book workshop Sean and I are giving. I sort of billed it as a 'make your dream come true by writing your inner children's story'... since, of course, everyone has a children's book they want to write, or at least an idea that is destined to be a Dr. Seuss-style classic. Don't get me wrong, our workshop should provide would-be children's book illustrators with handy tips & info about the biz, as well as (hopefully) plenty 'o inspiration. Please note: Sean and I are primarily illustrators, and this workshop (held at The Society of Illustrators) is mainly geared toward visual artists. Between us, we have published precisely ONE book that was authored by exactly ONE of us, and that single person just happens to be me. In other words, our writing-for-children expertise is minimal. Truth be told, for the past year or so I've been working on developing a few new stories and it hasn't come easy. Finding my own voice and creating a narrative is a whole new world! I'm used to sketching, making book dummies, painting, gluing down collage and doing all things visual. I have ideas, but the words do not come as easy. Despite my single publication, I hesitate to even label myself an author. In any event, together with Sean we have illustrated over 10 books, and with my experience in writing thus far, we hope to offer some useful advise for newbies out there!

Before you sign up, here are some basics:

- most children's picture books are 32 - 40 pages

- children's book text alone is about 2 pages

- the Publisher likes to match up illustrator with author (unless you do both!)

- SCBWI.org (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) - if you're just starting out this site is a great resource.

Please don't let my disclaimer stop you from coming to our workshop! It's on October 28th, and coincides with the Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators. It should be chock full of inspiration... at the very least!

Original Art at The Society

Last Thursday I attended the The Original Art Show opening at the Society of Illustrators.  It's an annual show of art from about 150 selected picture books published within the past year (usually around 650 are submitted).  I must say that this year's show was stunning!  It stood out for me from past years partly because the Society has made some changes.  For one, they got rid of that awful carpeting on the walls and painted them gallery white.  The art really pops, and quite a fabulous, diverse selection of art at that!  My husband, Sean Qualls, got both of his books in the show: Phillis's Big Test and Before John Was a Jazz Giant.  His beautifully textured modern folk paintings hang along with Mo Willems' witty graphic, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, Ana Juan's lovely trippy, The Elephant Wish and Kadir Nelson's hauntingly realistic, We are the Ship (which took him 7 years to complete!).  Another new addition to the show is the inclusion of video clips, showing interviews and artistic processes.  For example, there is a cool video next to William Steig's art; he was awarded the posthumous lifetime achievement honor.  At the reception (since we don't get a night out nearly often enough!), it was fabulous to shmooze with editors, art directors, our agent and colleagues... but I will definitely have to go again during the day to spend more time really looking at the art - and the BOOKS.  Yes the actual books.  All of the picture books will be on display and it's always a treat to see them next to their real live art counterparts on the walls!  FYI, the selected illustrator gets to chose which spread (or spot or single page) from their book will go in the show and is responsible for framing it his/herself.  It's always interesting to me to see which image the illustrator choses as THE image to frame and display.  I've been in the show twice and believe me, I know how hard it is to decide.  The show is up until mid November and is totally worth checking out!

Society of Illustrators

63rd and Lexington

New York City