art book
For one week only, my art book is $5! No coupon code necessary.
From today until Sunday, 9/20.
As always, thank you for your support. Stay safe.
Posts
ink drawings
After much consideration (and many requests, thank you!) I’ve decided to make prints of some of my ink drawings.
As this pandemic continues, I try to plan my work and life keeps disrupting it. I have 3 books due by the summer so while I’m working, if I have time for more videos, ink drawings, coloring pages, I will make them. And if I don’t, that’s okay too.
I hope you’re keeping sane and safe.
Thank you for your support, always.
family heroes
To celebrate and honor Mother’s day this year I am auctioning original ink drawings on Instagram. The auction will benefit Break the Cycle, which is the only national non-profit working exclusively on preventing dating abuse and promoting healthy relationships.
Auction ends each day at midnight. Thank you for your support.
I will be with you
My last piece for the Epcot International Festival of Arts – available now!
Moana has a special place in my heart. It was the first Disney film we watched with our daughter. We observed a no screen rule until she was two. Ever since, except on sick days, we only allow tv/screen time on weekends. When she first watched Moana it was scary… limited media exposure made her appropriately sensitive. But she kept asking for Moana over and over again. It’s now a family favorite. Growing up we didn’t have the kind of access to media we do now and so we’ve seen Moana more than any other Disney film… ever.
Our daughter has a wonderful relationship with her grandma. So, although I was drawing Moana and grandma Tala, I tried to capture the relationship I observed between my own child and her grandma – one of gentle, playful attention. And this has become one of my favorite pieces.
I hope to see you in Florida next week!
our happy place, print auction
Our happy place, 14×18, matted print
Rules
Open to US only.
Each item will be signed and can be customized with names.
Bid by commenting on this post. No limits on number of times a person can bid.
Auction will end at 12 midnight, pacific time the day of the post.
I will email the winner with a paypal request, once paid I will ship to address provided.
All funds will be donated to RAICES.
Starting big $40
Fierce tomorrow!
Tomorrow our picture book, I WILL BE FIERCE, written by Bea Birdsong and illustrated by me is out! As I prepare for promotional events in the bay area and beyond, I reflected on the process. From when I agreed to illustrate it in October of 2017 to when it hit shelves, it’s been a year and 7 months! I created the illustrations from sketch to final in 5 months and delivered in July of 2018. In between July and now, our publisher, Roaring Brook, prints and promotes to help build excitement.
One of my favorite pages is in the library (of course!) and below are some early sketches. I receive manuscripts with art notes. From those notes, I drew our fierce girl in a well stocked, inviting school library with a helpful librarian.
But my editor wanted to try a few different ideas, so I drew a more fantastical library.
But we settled on the first take, modified.
Creating picture books is a fascinating challenge. These opportunities allow me to grow as an artist and story teller. Like my graphic novels, I add people from my life into the art. The librarian is based off our local librarian who my daughter loves, the bus driver is my adopted auntie and the grandma is based off my mother in law. I also added the author and her son! It’s these things that make the work personal and fun.
When I held the finished I WILL BE FIERCE in my hands, I felt the same as when I first read the manuscript – happy and strong. I hope that it’ll make you feel that way, too.
Thank you for the opportunity to share this and I hope to see you on the road!
P.S. For any who are interested there’s a free story time kit available to use in conjunction with the book.
books for strong kids
I feel very happy that PASHMINA was included in a list of wonderful books to build strong girls and boys in the Washington Post today.
I’m also very happy to be home (not traveling for a couple months) and working on my next book and some to be announced projects.
I hope you have a good week!
