How I Became My Doppelganger

Before writing and illustrating children's books full-time I made money illustrating in other ways. One thing I did was depict a performer each week for a Las Vegas publication called, "Showbiz Weekly". I did this gig for four years, and never did I miss a week caricaturing such famous (read: washed-up) celebs as: The Smothers Brothers, Phyllis Diller and Wayne Brady. I did hundreds of these portraits. Some likenesses were spot-on and some totally sucked. Such were the challenges of illustrating an on-going column.

One week, right after September 11, 2001, I was asked to do Marlo Thomas. This portrait appeared a week later in the mag. Her sunny smile belies the overwhelming angst the Nation was feeling at the time. But then again that's Vegas for you, a faux fur 'n fabulous place to escape reality!

At the time I was also working with a designer to develop my first website and 'graphic identity'. On a whim, I sent him this portrait of That Girl!, and he used it on my stationary, business cards and website. Just like that, Marlo Thomas became me and I was instantly synonymous with this lovely actress.

And that is how This Girl became That Girl!

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!

Twenty Ten; Future Books

Making a picture book can take a long time (sometimes several years!) to complete from beginning to end. Unfortunately, I will not have a new book out this year (please hold back your cries of horror and disappointment!) But rest assured, I will be crazy busy making the art for 2-3 new books that will eventually don shelves. They include:

B is for Brooklyn. An alphabet picture book that is all about my beloved borough, Brooklyn.

Every Day Dress Up. An alternative to the princess pantheon; A girl dresses up as strong female icons her mother teaches her about, from Julia Child to Sonya Sotomayor.

Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama. A holiday book that blends Christmas and Hanukkah into one families' seasonal celebration. A first!

I'm happy to say all 3 books are written. Whew! Since my youngest was born almost 2 years ago, I've been busy working on these manuscripts. Right now, I'm doing the sketches for B is for Brooklyn (Henry Holt) and developing the main character for Every Day Dress Up (Knopf). I will probably be working on both of these book dummies over next few months. Making the color art for each project will take the bulk of time this year. Once I turn in final art to the publishers, the design and printing process will take another year. Then for the rest of 2010, I'll probably begin sketches for Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama (Knopf) and maybe, just maybe, begin to develop some new ideas...

So, even though I won't have a published book to show for '10, I'll be busy working in the garden, nurturing and growing my future book crops. Stay tuned!

Ice Cream Flavors & Family Trees

I'm pleased to report that the Brooklyn Museum Book Fair was a smashing success. This was partly owing to the dynamic craft activities that Sean and I had going on at our booth. Droves of children came by to make self portrait ice cream cones and draw their own family trees. These simple activities coordinated with the themes of our recent books: Ice cream flavors for, I'm Your Peanut Butter Big Brother (Knopf) and family lineage for, Who Will I Be, Lord? (Random House). Check out these awesome kids making art!

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.

Delicious Mixed Media

Being an illustrator and a parent around Halloween is scary pressure for me. Crafty costume makers come out of the closet everywhere and the things people come up with for their children can be pretty darn cool. Last year someone in the neighborhood made a sushi suit for her son. As an artist, it is expected that your children will be THE most original trick-or-treaters in town (in reality, I'm the one who puts these expectations on myself!) This year right off the bat the pressure was off with my eldest, who chose to be none other than Spiderman. Who am I to kill his super-hero dreams? Hey, it makes my life easier... However, since my youngest is still too little to have a say either way, this year she was my creative canvas. I decided my little Ginger would be a gingerbread girl– and her stroller would be a gingerbread house. Pretty yummy, huh? I have to say I had some fun with cardboard boxes (gingerbread), white paint (icing), candy, marshmallows, licorice and, of course, my handy glue gun. After some trial + error (it turns out chocolate doesn't hold well with hot glue!), the house was constructed, and I made cute candy buttons velcroed onto a dress for G to wear. Luckily on Halloween eve, it only drizzled mildly so the stroller wasn't too sticky and Ginger stayed in her dress for the entire night. The funniest thing was witnessing kids completely high on sugar, actually lick the candy right off the gingerbread house. To quote Spiderman, this happened, "for real."

"The Big Talk", X-rated illustrations.

I got a call a few weeks ago from Time Out New York Kids asking if I was interested in illustrating their cover story on "The Big Talk", teaching kids the facts of life. I jumped at the opportunity to illustrate such a racy subject! The myriad of symbols stimulated my imagination, and I was mentally doodling birds and bees before I finished emailing the art director back. My original concept for the main illustration was changed around a lot and they went with a small sketch of a bathtub scene. Time Out NY was very specific about wanting the illustrations to reflect real New York locations, so the bathroom had to be cramped, cluttered and definitely pre-war. It's been a while since I did an editorial assignment and the quick turn-around time gave me a run for my money. But in the end, at least I learned a thing or 2 about what I might say to my little ones when the time is right!

The November issue of the magazine just hit the newsstands.

Halloween, the BBG & Books

This Sunday is the annual Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Ghouls & Gourds Festival. It's a super-fun seasonal outing for the whole family, featuring children's book authors and illustrators, a wacky costume parade, recycled junk instruments, live music, crafts and activities. I will be there signing books– so come on by the book barn to say hello! Kids under 12 are free! It's a good opportunity to see the Garden's gorgeous fall colors and a chance to have your child test run his/her Halloween costume (without the trick-or-treating sugar high and inevitable crash...)! Hooray for Halloween, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and books, of course!

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

noon - 6 PM

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

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!

Dime Bag Paintings

I'll be in a group show with 200 artists this July at Giant Robot NY , curated by Jordin Isip and Rodger Stevens.  Each piece of art fits into a 3" x 3" clear dime bag, and will be hung in a grid-like fashion side by side.  This is the third show of this sort (Dime Bag 3), and the first that I'll be participating in.  With the theme totally open-ended, I had some fun creating on a small scale and was inspired by some key things close to my heart: New York, my family and ice-cream.  

I think these work as a series, but I had to chose just one for the show (it has already been submitted).  Do you have a favorite?