Bonnie Branson Illustration

Pet's From History: Diva the Skylark

2012-02-14T22:39:00.002-05:00

I'm doing a small series on "Pets from History"

A) To the delight of John Quincy Adams, Marquis de Lafayette's pet alligator spent some time in the East Room bathtub in the White House B) Mozart had a pet Skylark which may have inspired an aria or two. C) "Fortune," Josephine Bonaparte’s beloved pug.

Here is a finished painting of "Diva," Mozart's pet Skylark (I give her that name)

She is singing the "Queen of the Night Aria," from The Magic Flute. (In case you were wondering)

Here is a clip of my favorite "diva," singing the QOTN Aria: Diana Damrau

Here is a portait of Diana I did in the role a few months back:

Good Night!

Illustration Friday: Popularity

2012-02-12T20:18:00.002-05:00

I did a drawing for this weeks theme: "Popularity"

Happy (Early) Valentines to you all!

Happy Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-28T22:37:00.000-05:00

Overdue Update!

2012-01-22T20:09:00.003-05:00

Wow! No posts since October! That's pretty bad. Ever since getting a facebook page for my illustration side of life, I admit that I have neglected this poor blog!

Here are a few things that have happened since last fall:

Bonnie Branson Illustration gets a facebook page!

Updated very regularly! Not only updates on my art but also interesting links and things in the illustration and art world.
Be sure to head over there and click "like" (please? :-P )

Also, due to a class I am taking, I had to get a twitter account. Boy, have I fought that. "I will NEVER tweet!" said I. But sure enough now I am on twitter I can't stop checking it out everyday. I have made a lot of great connections with other artists and illustrators. I can see why it is so popular

You can visit me on twitter HERE

I am going to ICON 7 this year (website HERE) It's a great Illustration conference and this year it's in Providence so not too far away!

Above are posters for the conference, Illustration by Chris Buzeli, lettering by Jessica Hische

In preperation for the conference I noted that I needed to revamp my portfolio so I am challenging myself to complete one illustration a week.

Last week I picked up a sketch, called "Butterflies," I made 10 years ago (whew) but thought it should be completed.

Here is the original sketch:

Final:

This weeks Illustration has Chinese New Year in mind. Currently I am working out the rough color stage and into a final peice. I hope to have this done my mid week:

YEAR OF THE DRAGON (color sketches)

Last month I created a postcard for a co-workers babyshower
(her baby's room is a jungle theme)

What about the story of Miss Strauss and her moving house?
I am continuing to develop the story and book layout.

To help out, I decided to join the "Second Annual Kidlitart #PBDummy Challenge"

What is it?
A 25-week-long online group challenge to create and submit a picture book dummy.

Start date: January 9, 2012

End date: July 1, 2012

More info HERE

I will be submitting my Molly Strauss story. Right now the schedule is on developing the transcript and polishing the story. Next will be Character design.

So far I have two main characters:
Molly (early sketch)

And, of course, Molly's fabulous house:

Ok that's good for now! I hope to keep better updated now that YEAR OF THE DRAGON is upon us. SOUNDS LIKE A YEAR FOR THINGS TO BE DONE :)

Colors: Nope not yet

2011-10-12T22:48:00.001-04:00

Thinking about the color. What is the color theme of the house? What type of mood?
The house has a Ocean and Sea Shell theme going on, so I am thinking about that, but too much blues pull the house down and make it heavy and not fun. The house should be colorful but not an eye soar

Thinking about the different functions of the rooms from the exterior and how that might
influence different parts of the houses color.

Must Keep Going.

Channeling the Architect

2011-10-08T18:16:00.008-04:00

This week I sat down and started roughing out what the house should look like. I started by compiling reference folders on my computer of different styles of houses. I also took a trip to the local library and dragged home a pile of books on Victorian houses, house moving, and books that focus on color schemes for "Painted Ladies."

As I worked I began thinking about the house I live in. I live in a Victorian that was designed in the late 1800's. There is a sign outside that states when it was built, and by whom. THEN I REMEMBERED SOMETHING, a conversation I had with the landlord: "Who was Henry Ross Builder?" I once asked her. "He was an architect. He designed and lived in this house. He made many of the Victorians in this area of Newton," she told me.

Yeah! Cooool! I'm designing a Victorian house, while living in a house that was designed and lived in by a Victorian era architect. I thought about asking Ol' Henry for some guidance, if his spirit is still around hehe. (My roommate suspects that someone is still with us, for her cat, Laney, has a tendency to jump on top of things, stare at the ceiling and cry for a bit. I think it's just birds in the eves that she is hearing and reacting to, but this being New England, we all love a good ghost story.)

Instead of posting a sketch of the house, I made a movie!

note: song used in clip is called Dokkoise House (With Face Covered) by the band "Anathallo" all rights belong to them

Larger version: http://youtu.be/R_oo2-LNp_E

NEXT WEEK: I will start refining the sketch on the computer (and making it STRAIGHT!)
and start thinking about color.

Productive Day

2011-10-05T22:07:00.007-04:00

Today I printed out my computer sketch and started refining things
freehand on my light table. I couldn't find my ruler at first (I'm always losing it. WHY??) so I was just eyeballing it. Later on, of course, I found the ruler, but because some of the previous lines were off, when I started drawing straight lines, they looked crooked! haha

At this point, not worried about things being so tight and straight (Yes I see it's a little slanted!) just figuring out details. There are few parts that...well I'm not sure how it would be constructed, but when I get to the building stage, I guess I will figure out if it IS possible. Fun.

And then of course, finding out about Steve Jobs tonight. Steve had an artists soul. We will miss you. Thank you for making technology so beautiful.

The Strauss House: First sketches

2011-10-03T22:20:00.006-04:00

First sketch, based on a drawing I did this summer. Pretty simple. Not really pushing it. I wouldn't say this is a crazy house yet, but it is a start...

Then I started looking at reference and keeping a mental note of my favorite features of Victorian houses found in books, online and in my everyday life (I am lucky that I live in a area that is full of examples of Victorian, Queen Anne, and Gothic Revival style houses) Still very rough, but getting somewhere...

I have to think about the sides and back of the house as well. Once I have a solid idea on how the house will look like, I will probably build a very basic 3-D model of it. (I'm still trying to figure out how I would do that.) I figure if I build a model it will help me get great perspective shots and creative angles of the house. The house is an important character of the story.

Moving House!

2011-10-02T20:06:00.018-04:00

Last year, on October 1st, I moved to a new house. It was sooo stressful! I had lived in the same apartment for about five years and had accumulated so much stuff, it was a nightmare packing up and figuring out what to keep and what to donate or throw away. Don't we all wish that instead of just moving we could have the house MOVE with us? If you have seen this movie, I know you understand what I mean:

Pixar's "UP"

Though the idea of moving a house sounds fantastical, it isn't. In fact housemoving is a profession that is hundreds of years old. Chances are, a house near you or in your town or state (or Country, even!) has been moved from one place to another.

Last year while deep in the research stage for “A train for Halifax,” I wrote a draft of a story called, “When Molly Strauss Moved House.” The story is about an eccentric young woman who lives in a CRAZY AMAZING Victorian house, and like so many historic homes throughout history, is being threatened to be destroyed. (her house sits where a bridge needs to connect the island from the mainland) Her neighbors think she is simply going to move out, but on the day of demolition, she throws a HUGE party. As they scarf down cake, and balk about why she hasn't even packed a thing, workers and horses show up and her house is slowly dragged into a new location (to the initial horror and delight of her neighbors!)

(“House Moving Day” Winfield, Kansas circa 1870’s)

I have a long fascination with housemoving. My first encounter was when I worked as a costumed interpreter for Old Sturbridge Village. Sturbridge is a recreated village in Massachusetts set in the 1830’s. All the homes in this “village,” are from different parts of New England and were at one point moved to the museum site. One of the buildings I worked at, the Meetinghouse, was moved from Sturbridge to Fiskdale in 1838.

It’s a tall and stately church, but to move it, it was cut in half, and dragged down the street by oxen. When I learned this, I was amazed. I had never heard of such a big structure being moved like this.

My second encounter was through spending summers with family on Cape Cod. My grandfather explained to my why some of the houses in Provincetown displayed a little tile of a house floating on a boat.

The tiles are to commemorate that they were floated on skiffs over the water from Long Point (the very tip of Cape Cod) to where they currently sit. Provincetown was originally settled on the very tip of the cape, back when cod fishing and salt mills were productive, but once the fishing of cod began to slow down, the villagers got tired of living on the very isolated and unprotected part of land and decided to float across to a safer shore.

Up Next on Bonnie's Blog: This month I am going to start working on the design and script of the story. I hope to start storyboarding it by the end of the month. This week I will be facing the challenge of creating the ULTIMATE CRAZY LADY VICTORIAN HOUSE. (fun, fun fun!)

In the meantime, here are some CRAZY house moves for your viewing pleasure!

School of Visual Arts Portfolio website

2011-09-10T18:29:00.001-04:00

The School of Visual Arts, my Alma mater, has a portfolio site. Pretty cool! I now have a page! Come visit and leave a note :-)

Click here :-)

Bonnie Branson Illustration is on Facebook

2011-08-10T22:24:00.001-04:00

I don't have a link box up yet on the blog sidebar, but I wanted to share with you that if you have a facebook page and would like to connect, please visit my page and er..."like" it haha!

Trying to connect with other illustrators on the site so help me out here! :)

CLICK HERE FOR LINK :)

The Farewell

2011-08-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

Almost done with this one. I submitted this to my critique group so hopefully after some changes I can send these out round the beginning of September. This is for a promotional postcard.
Makes me sad to think summer is almost over but...yeah only a few weeks left till school starts up again! Time flies!!!

Lonely Frog...

2011-07-30T21:23:00.000-04:00

Section of a larger illustration I worked on today.

Summertime!

2011-07-17T22:31:00.003-04:00

School has been over for a few weeks and now it's time for...well
summer school! And also time for some personal projects.
This year packed a few punches so the going has been a little slow
in the studio lately, but it looks like things are starting to pick back up!

The flowers from the garden decorate my windowsill.
I decided to do a little color study of them.

Working on a promotional postcard for the fall
Here is a little bitsy sneak peek:

Character design

ICON is now in the hood!

2011-05-16T17:36:00.001-04:00

Ha, so I just leave a conference and what do I do? Why, dream of going to another of course! I always wanted to attend an ICON conference, but every time I got an email or mailing I would sigh, and pass it off because it's usually in LA (though ICON 5 was in NYC) and there is no way in heck I could afford it. BUT hark! Next year it's in Ol' Providence only an hop, skip (no jump) from my current abode, and this makes things VERY tempting.

hmmmmmm

SCBWI New England Conference

2011-05-14T22:49:00.001-04:00

Wow. I'm currently sitting on my hotel bed at the SCBWI New England Regional Conference. Day one and two are now complete. So far it's been an overwhelming experience, but a really positive one. I have been getting a lot of great feedback from my work, meeting a lot of great people, and listening to some fantastic and inspiring stories. It's uplifting and unsettling at the same time. I'm not sure how to explain it! I think it will be a few days, or even a few weeks before I am able to sit down an write a cohesive post about what I have learned and how I feel about it.

It's great, great, GREAT to be with other illustrators again. So much of what we do is alone in our little creative spaces trying to do our work. It can be so isolating. Lonely (As I imagine this to be a similair case with writers)Ah! But there is so much fantastic work being done out there! It's exciting!

Anyway. This is all I can think of right now!

Goodnight dear, blog.

And now Bonnie's annual PSA

2011-05-01T07:07:00.009-04:00

       This month is an anniversary for me. Two years ago I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of skin cancer. I had to get 7 surgeries, including getting facial reconstruction and an artery transplant from my arm and placed in my face, and topped off with a week stay at a hospital where I was connected to 8 machines. After the hospital stay I had to live with my parents for the summer so I could have help with home care and visited by a nurse everyday. I don't go to tan beds; I never sat out in the sun at the beach. I have fair skin and blue eyes, and once in a while I would take a walk or be outside in the sun without a hat or sunscreen.

    When I was 22 years old, I walked home from work on a scorching summer day. I was living in New York, only a few months out of college and didn't have health insurance. After getting home I realized that I got some sun and had killer sunburn on my face, particularly on my nose. Once the sunburn cleared a little freckle appeared. I remembered reading an article in a magazine about skin cancer and decided to "keep an eye on it." I even took a picture so I could keep track in case I suspected it was changing.

Most people didn't notice it. However, I was always bothered by the freckle. Part of it was vanity- it was a little brown spot on my nose and I hated it. Deep inside though, I think I knew that it might be cancer but was in denial. This was not something I should be ignoring, but yet for 7 years that's exactly what I did.

      When I was 29 I was struggling through the tail end of my my first year of teaching. It was a hard job, but I loved the challenge and for the first time I had great insurance!  During February vacation I decided to go to a dermatologist for the first time. As soon as the dermatologist saw the freckle he told me it looked like skin cancer. After a quick biopsy and a week later I got a letter (a LETTER!!??) in the mail confirming that it was Basal Cell Cancer and I should immediately set up an appointment to get the freckle removed.

       It wasn't that simple however, the freckle had been there for 7 years and so had PLENTY of time to spread. After a painful 5 hour procedure in which the doctors took samples of my skin, stitched me back up and had an in-house pathologist study the sample (This is called Mohs surgery ) they sat me down and confessed:

1) This was the most aggressive form of Basal Cell Cancer they had seen in a while, and I was very young, most basal cell patients are in their 70's.
2) Every sample they were talking had cancer cells on all margins. The cancer was pretty much all over my nose.
3) Once I was cleared of cancer I should make an appointment with a plastic surgeon because the damage of the cancer would require me to get my nose and parts of my cheek reconstructed. The face is hard to reconstruct especially the nose area if the cartilage is effected. (At this point I was pretty delirious and I'm thankful I didn't know what lay ahead- I had to get Mohs surgery 4 more times before I had cleared margins.)
4) They had one more test to take. They then took a sample right between my eyes.

    Thankfully that sample was the only sample that did not have cancer cells. The dermatologist told me that if I decided to wait longer to get this checked out the cancer would likely have spread towards my left eye. They would have to remove it in order to get the cancer if that was the case.

     Afterwards, I saw a surgeon and had to leave school for the rest of the year. From February till around early August of that year, I had some sort of bandage on my face. I could not teach this way and also the art room was considered unsafe for my health in this condition. Currently I am still dealing with the scars- both physical and emotionally that this event has caused, but it has made me stronger and more thankful for what I have. I'm still working through it though, I am still scared every time I get a little sun and worry that I might get cancer again- a common fear for former cancer patients.


I took a walk without sunscreen. Such a simple thing. (well that and taking FOREVER to get it checked *___* )

      Skin Cancer is the most common type of cancer, and it is also the MOST PREVENTABLE.

     I was lucky because I had a type of skin cancer that doesn't metastasize to other parts of the body (it only damages the skin it spreads to) if I was diagnosed with Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, I would be fighting for my life.
     So my message is simple: Protect your skin from the sun. Go to a dermatologist once in a while (at least once a year if you can) just to keep it in check. If detected early, a simple biopsy is usually all that is required.

Whew! All right! Stepping off the soap box and getting back to the art! :)

Getting there, getting there

2011-03-28T06:02:00.001-04:00

Due Wednesday!!!

Outside window

2011-02-27T17:55:00.001-05:00

I was at my computer and I saw this outside...the clouds parting a little to show a lighter sky behind the trees. I tried to catch it, but the sun was going down fast so this is as far as I got.

Pondflower Stage Design

2011-02-27T13:00:00.002-05:00

Finished the background today

click to enlarge

Next to place the characters!

Libretto Color Sketches

2011-02-26T21:35:00.005-05:00

I'm submitting 3 paintings to Massachusetts College of Art and Design for an alumni show. (due at the end of March) I decided to submit three images from a series I have been working on here and there since summer. The series consists of designs, costumes, and posters for fake theatre productions. (the series is called "Libretto")

Here is a color sketch for the stage design for an operetta called "Pondflower"

I have posted this one before, but this illustration (currently only called "Pattern Flirt" ) is also from the series, still to be completed!

And so is this, a poster for "La Vita d'Annette" about a lonely Italian housewife who dreams of COLOR and PASSION

I made it!

2011-02-02T13:17:00.003-05:00

I made the deadline! I'm very proud of creating and FINISHING a project in so short a time.

Though I'm tempted to rest, I'm FIRED UP about the New England SCBWI conference in May and have a few months ahead to get my portfolio in shape.

Lots of work to do, but fun work.

First up: Sitting down and creating some goals about what I would like to focus on in my work to show to art directors.

Progression

2011-01-17T23:05:00.002-05:00

I edited out a few people, as you can see. Mostly this was (sadly) because of my deadline. I was cutting it a bit short and didn't have time to fully render some of them the way I would have liked.

The nice thing is though, because this is a self-managed project I will probably go back and spend more time on this image and get those people back in there again!

Two Finals : A train for Halifax

2011-01-17T22:48:00.002-05:00

I have to submit two final illustrations along with the manuscript and the dummy.

One final needs to be in color and the other, black and white (which is odd because that is assuming that your book includes black and white illustrations eh?)

I chose the scene when the train arrives in St. John, Canada for the color final

(click the illustrations to enlarge)

I think I am doing ok. I don't have experience drawing crowd scenes and I didn't have time to secure really good reference so most of this is from my head. It isn't done yet but it's very close to completion!

As I was working I started creating imaginary relationships between the people standing next to eachother

Two passengers on the train stare out at the crowd. At this point in the story, the Bostonians begin to hear and understand exactly what happened to Halifax.

This is the final black and white illustration. This spread is actually the page before the one above.

On this page, I'm explaining to the viewer just how long the trip from Boston to Halifax (by steam train!) takes. 750 Miles and 27 hours. The train is flying through the night and into the morning and it's beginning to snow. On the next page they start to get stuck in the blizzard.

I thought it would be cool to show a "starry" map illustrating the journey.

Influence map

2011-01-11T19:20:00.004-05:00

I saw this on DeviantArt tonight. I hadn't been on the site for a bit so I guess I'm a bit late to the table. I think it's a cool idea - especially looking at ones from artists I admire. It's interesting to see how influences cross pollinate between communities of artists and how common threads are often found between you and artists you admire!

1. NC Wyeth- Brilliant illustrator from the golden age of Illustration.

2. Edward Hopper. Nothing says LIGHT (and loneliness) like Hopper.

3. Russian Avant Guard Film Posters- cool, crazy with the use of color and BOLD with their compositions and use of typography (or it could just be that Cyrillic looks cool to my eye)

4. James Christensen. I was introduced to his work in High School by a friend. Not only does he paint the most peculiar characters, he designs awesome fashions for them to wear.

5. Chris Turnham. Victorian, costumes, drama and the Decemberists. (The Decmeberists are a band that we both love, Turnham has illustrated many of their songs, which are very literary.)

6. Victorian houses. I love them, they are fun and I think a grand painted lady is the ONLY style of house where you could paint it pink and get away with it.

7. Sufjan Stevens. He is an artist. I love him and his music.
8. Kadir Nelson- His illustrations never fail to make me cry, beautiful and very emotional illustrations.

9. Lettering, Typography in general. This sample is: Victorian Lettering from 1864, German Chromolithographer, Louis Prang & Co.

10. Ivan Bilibin. Russian Illustrator

11. Grant Wood- Though "American Gothic" is his most famous painting, but I love his landscapes.
12. Animation. Twas my first love, and one never forgets their first :-)

The Art of the crowd

2011-01-03T22:05:00.006-05:00

Tonight I'm refining a page in which a crowd of people wait for the arrival of the relief train.

It takes place at St. John Canada and it's in the point of the story where the passengers on the train- doctors and nurses, realize that the destruction of Halifax was much worse than suspected.

People line the tracks, eager to get on board, but it is agreed that they should only pick up doctors and/or anyone who would prove useful for the relief effort.

Also, once the train reaches St. John they are stuck in the middle of a wild blizzard. A head of them further in the journey lies Folly Mountain- where the train will nearly derail.

Background only:

Steam trains have a lot of mist and steam about them which is fun to draw. I also liked adding the snow effect. It's cold, snowy and misty as the train stops at the station

Now add people:

I don't have much experience creating scenes with loads of people but so far it's interesting Things are still quite blurry and undefined at this point but I feel like things are shaping up. I started with just scribbles of basic forms and then moving them around trying to figure out their place. All of a sudden a little story starts to happen in the crowd (or at least I start creating imaginary relationships between the people standing next to each other)

I want to show some of the passengers looking out the windows in the dim light.

fashion doodle

2011-01-03T19:44:00.006-05:00

A little warm up sketch before getting down to business. Unfortunately I burned my index finger and thumb on my writing hand tonight while making dinner (don't ask ;-( ) so drawing right now is a little painful...but I HAVE A DEADLINE so a little Aloe and some tears and MARCHIN' ON!

A story behind a story.

2011-01-02T17:54:00.011-05:00

In the fall I went to a Children's Book festival to see my friend Amy and her husband Kazu. I hadn't seen Amy in a LONG TIME (we went to SVA together and were roommates at one point) so we had a lot to catch up on.

While walking outside with her little son, we started chatting about projects we were working, dreaming, scheming on. Amy excitedly described a project she was working on and even able to show some sketches. When it came to my turn I didn't have much to say. I guess it's hard teaching full time and trying to come home and being productive.

And there is my habit of working feverishly on a project for months only to drop it for something else later.

Coming home from the visit that night I felt pretty sad. I have so many ideas but I never let myself succeed with them. As I lie in bed that night, fighting insomnia and insecure thoughts, I started thinking of ways I could get back on track, and more importantly-stay on track.

I need to make a dummy book and finish it. I often have stories but they never quite work out and I get lost the writing, or the opposite happens and I can come up with images but have trouble connecting a narrative to them.

I thought about how I really enjoy history. I love learning about things and sharing what I have learned. I guess that is how I ended up being a teacher. Why can't I take this interest and get my illustration involved?

Then I came up with an idea. I would write a non-fiction story, a story that only needs to be sculpted from history, adapted and illustrated. This is NOT an easy task, but the spark of a story is already there. My job would be to carefully weave a story bound by threads of facts. ( After doing my research and started the process of writing, I likened the whole ordeal of writing historic fiction or non-fiction to that of a card game- you have no control over the hand you have been dealt, much like you can not create things that aren't historically inaccurate or out of place, so therefore you must play out your hand and learn how use your cards to your advantage. In other words, you must entertain with the facts AND remain true to them.)

When I first moved to Boston I went to the tree lighting ceremony for the city's official tree. That night I heard about how Boston helped Halifax during the explosion of 1917. I was immediately fascinated by the story.

Why hadn't I heard of this before?

And also, what a touching gesture!

It seemed to be asking to be made into a book or story of some sort.

I needed to do a lot of research and I knew that that can get expensive. I then thought about applying for a grant. I found a work-in-progress grant from the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators. The deadline is February. I had a plan, and more importantly I had a deadline.

The book is going pretty well. I LOVED the research part but had a lot of trouble editing my ideas to fit a 32 page format (the average size of a children's book) At first I wasn't sure what part of the story to focus on, but reading "Curse of the Narrows," by Laura M Mac Donald I came to a section describing the relief train sent from Boston the night of the explosion. (see previous post for details) It is a very

dramatic episode and is a good introduction to the Boston Tree and the story behind it.

I then started writing and drawing, thinking about the balance I need to achieve as both writer and illustrator. A writer/ illustrator needs to let the writing and the images work together- for example try not to illustrate only what is written and vice versa. My writing focuses on the senses which cannot be perceived in some of the images, while some of the illustrations depict things that are written between the lines.

OK so...

That is my goal, but I am so young in learning this skill that I feel like I am going about this story in a very basic way. I am NOT a natural writer. I don't know a lot about writing and I feel insecure about my writing (I can't spell, I have poor grammar and have a bad habit of switching tenses every other sentence) I would LOVE to learn how to be a better writer. I am an artist first. Am I at least an adequate writer? Good enough to get me through my first few books (Is that too low a goal to wish for? Just to get through!? argh!)

Part of me feels that these feelings are OK. I need to get books out of my system and learn from each one.

Anyway on to some of the art:

I have to submit a rough dummy book along with a manuscript.

Here are some sample pages from the dummy book:

I also have to create two finished illustrations and submit them as well. I will post them soon, once the dummy book has been completed! Wish me luck! The deadline quickly approaches but I am confident that I will make it! (eee I hope!)

Thanks for reading!

Bonnie

Happy New Year: In which I welcome the new year by explaining my lack of posting through a very long winded post filled with hope and destruction

2011-01-02T15:16:00.014-05:00

Yes, happy New Year. To celebrate dear readers, I present to you a picture of a ship on fire

Yesssss. Just what you were craving I'm guessing. No?

Ah well. At least let me explain why I am presenting you a picture of an ill fated ship.

The reason is for the past couple of months I have been learning all I can about the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

Now if you are reading this blog, you probably have some curiosity behind my doings (all 3 of you) therefore I'm betting that you are willing to give me the opportunity to indulge in the following:

1) What the Halifax Explosion of 1917 entails (besides...well an explosion! In Halifax! Sometime in 1917!)

2) What that has to do with this blog!?

Quick answer (well as quickly as I can that is):

1) The Halifax Explosion of 1917 was the largest accidental man made explosion pre-atomic bomb. On December 6th 1917 two ships, a Belgian Relief Ship The Imo and a French Munitions Ship the Mont-Blanc hit each other in the Narrows offshore Halifax. The Mont-Blanc was so full of picric acid and benzene that as soon as the ship caught on fire its crew fled. Because of suspicion of German U-boats patrolling the harbor, ships at that time did not have to fly a red munitions flag, which would have effectively advertised what was on board. Because the Mont-Blanc did not fly a red flag, no one knew off board how dangerous her cargo was. Therefore people on other boats rushed to aide the ship and the harbor was full of hundreds of onlookers dangerously close.

At 9:05 am the ship exploded.

The explosion was the equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT.

People were flung in the air and dropped miles away. Horses were cut in two. The blow caused a tsunami in the harbor and created a sound wave that blew out windows miles and miles away. The city became a "shattered city," for almost every structure's windows had been blown out. To make things worse, the explosion caused stoves, lamps and furnaces to tip or spill, spreading fires throughout the devastation, particularly in Halifax's North End, leaving entire streets on fire. That night, while the injured and homeless struggled to find care and lodging, a terrible blizzard swept through the city.

Wireless communication coming in and out of Halifax was cut off after the explosion, but a few telegraphs and messages managed to spread around the world before communication about the event was censured (Due to the war and suspicions that Germans had bombed the city. It was still unclear or what exactly had happened)

Popular legend says that a message from train dispatcher, Vince Coleman helped spread the message that trouble was afoot in Halifax. Moments before the explosion, Coleman sent a wireless transmission warning trains to stop due to a ship on fire. Train tracks passed right in front of the drama, causing any train traffic to become be at risk.

His message: "Stop trains. Munition ship on fire. Making for Pier 6. Goodbye." successfully stopped all trains in the area.
Shortly afterwards the explosion took his life.

(This film, a "Heritage Moment," that used to run on Canadian TV during commercial breaks is dramatic but not exactly true, there is no evidence that Coleman was running up and down the street to warn others. He really didn't have time for that!!)

Boston received a telegram at noon that day asking for help. The state of Massachusetts sent a relief train that night through the raging blizzard- A 27 hour 750 mile trip. This train led to the creation of an American hospital only hours after its arrival. The city of Boston continued to send more trains and supplies weeks afterwards. Relief from MA and Boston was so great that the Province of Nova Scotia continues to sends thanks today by selecting and shipping a Christmas Tree every year. This tree is Boston's Official Christmas Tree.

And so now we get to #2 (What does this all have to do with this blog)

2) I'm writing and illustrating a children's book about the relief train and the story behind Boston's Christmas Tree. I have been working on it since the beginning to September. Two months on writing and researching (spending many hours at Boston Public Library reading Microfilm and handling official reports from 1917) and currently wrapping up a dummy book.

It sounds like a great topic right? EXPLOSIONS! DEATH!! PEOPLE ON FIRE! YES!! Perfect topic for a children's book!

Er....Ok, maybe not, but the story of a train stubbornly fighting a blizzard and making a 750 mile journey to help and the symbol of the tree does, in my opinion, make a great story.

In Boston, when you watch the tree lighting ceremonies on TV the Prime Minister of Canada comes on to explain why Nova Scotia sends us a present every year. (This also explains why our Christmas is "Brought you to by Nova Scotia!" it's great for tourism.)

This year's Christmas Tree (with me in front of it) is from Gary and Roseann Misner from North Alton, Nova Scotia.

And that, dear readers, is what I have been up to since my last post in October!

Updates soooon!

2010-10-09T13:52:00.001-04:00

September has proved a busy month! I started teaching again, apartment hunted and found a new place to live! Now I'm settling in and still live in boxes but pretty soon I will kick up the art in high gear. I'm excited because my new house is a pretty historic building with nice plaster moldings on the ceilings! I get more light than my place in Boston (I now live just outside of the city)

So here is to new beginnings! More updates soon, I promise dear blog!

Good Night, Dear first of September

2010-09-01T23:43:00.004-04:00

I have a long way to go in way of getting used to the new schedule (back to school back to being a teacher!) but I got something done tonight, despite feeling like my eyes were going to fall out of my head (from being SO TIRED)

Summer Studio Clean up!

2010-08-21T11:57:00.001-04:00

Before

After!

(My Cousin Delmace doesn't mind playing here now!)

Taiko

2010-08-17T13:40:00.011-04:00

I made this for my Taiko teacher. The last class for the summer is today.

Taiko is a form of Japanese Ensemble drumming and it's a lot of fun.
Below is a clip from the super awesome Taiko group, Yamato, preforming the song
"RAKUDA."

If you live in the Boston area and would like to learn more about Taiko
visit: Odaiko New England's Website. (If you don't live in New England, no worries there are Taiko groups all around the world!)

Peace out- 9/16/10

2010-08-16T20:38:00.000-04:00

Summer Swingin'

2010-08-14T19:40:00.004-04:00

Pondflower Logo

2010-07-28T22:18:00.004-04:00

Pondflower

2010-07-18T15:57:00.002-04:00

Costume sketch

Greeny

2010-07-11T18:42:00.002-04:00

fashion warm up doodle

2010-07-09T23:27:00.002-04:00

Sketcherdoodle.

2010-07-05T22:59:00.002-04:00

Happy Independence!

2010-07-04T11:50:00.000-04:00

Flags Left column top to bottom:

1. 1775- New England Flag ♥
2. 1776- The Grand Union flag (Continental Colors) is displayed on Prospect Hill. It has 13 alternate red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner (the canton).
3. 1777 (?) Cowpens flag... See more
4. 1803- Indian Peace Flag (Couldn't find much info about this one)

Flags Right column top to bottom:

1. 1820-30 Bennington Flag
2. 1837 Great Star Flag (my favorite)
3. 1847 29 Star flag
4. 1960- Present Flag with 50 stars Hawaii (August 21, 1959)

Inspiration: Little Dragon

2010-07-01T11:32:00.009-04:00

I have been listening to a lot of "Little Dragon," lately. Little Dragon is a band from Sweden.
I first heard of them (or Yukimi Nagano ) through the Gorillaz ablum Plastic Beach. I love her voice.

This song, "Twice," is pretty sad but very pretty

Good night

2010-07-01T04:21:00.001-04:00

Elemental

2010-07-01T00:12:00.005-04:00

Multi-tasking

2010-06-30T11:33:00.003-04:00

I'm currently working on about 6 paintings, jumping on and off each one when I start to get a little sick of one. I have never worked like this before but it's actually making me extra productive. (At least I FEEL productive. haha) None of the paintings are fully complete yet, but most of the hard parts are being tackled in little breaths which seems to keep my endurance up. I have a problem keep treckin' on with a painting. I get bored very quickly and my attention starts to wander off. This is a bad habit that I'm trying to break.

Below is a little snippit of one of the paintings I'm working on:

I will show the whole painting on July 4th

I had a lot of fun designing her dress!

Inspiration

2010-06-26T20:36:00.006-04:00

Come on rock me Amadeus...

gone with the wind?

2010-06-25T11:51:00.010-04:00

Starting coloring this one. It reminds me a bit too much of the Gone With the Wind movie poster. Anyone else think so?

I swear I wasn't using this for reference, it's just that is just a classic "Smooch," pose. Then once I got started painting it I started hearing Clark Gable's voice.

HEY This is a WWII Period image OK? so knock it off 1860!!!

The next image up...

will have a bustle! (I love drawing bustles hehe) and all patriotic.

I think this is all I will get to today because I'm required to leave the house for a few appointments.

Till Saturday! Adieu.

All in a days work

2010-06-24T21:55:00.010-04:00

A cool opportunity came up and so I'm creating a series for a little business proposal. I'm not going to say more than that but the deadline is very close so I have to work hard and whip stuff into shape.
Here is what was cooking today in my studio:

Now I must go to ZzZzzzzzZzzzZ!

Yeah Opera.

2010-06-23T20:47:00.006-04:00

This is a procrastination doodle I admit. School officially ended on Monday and now I have all day to make stuff, but I can't help stopping working on "Official Things," to go off on doodle tangents.
I love this clip of Diana Damrau from "The Magic Flute," so I decided to try to do a portrait of her.

She is really intense and scary but her mannerisms are so much fun to watch. I tried to make her crazy looking LIKE THIS:

(whoa)

but as you can see, I ended up with a more sensual queen. She seems kind of vain so it's fitting I guess.

***PS
I could have linked to a clip without the German dialogue intro before the aria, but I love the speaking part too. Just stay with it and wait till she starts singing BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST PART.

Summer is a'comin

2010-06-12T22:17:00.012-04:00

And hopefully that means that I will be able to post more often now!

This week I re approached an old Illustration and gave it a little of an update.
I decided to go from this

To this

She got younger! I'm trying to work on a border but to be honest, I don't think I'm very good with them so for right now at least, this is how she is going to stay.

Last weekend I finally got a chance to see "How to Train your Dragon." I really enjoyed it. A friend of mine suggested I illustrate some of the characters.

Next - I'm working on two illustrations about a girl who goes to summer camp for the first time. (Color studies below)

What about Rainetown? Well, I decided that I should work on creating pieces that would help get work in the Children's book Industry and so I need more images of kids and in a variety of situations. Rainetown is not dead, just put on the shelf temporarily.

May is an important month

2010-05-04T21:01:00.007-04:00

May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and I encourage you as the warmer and sunnier months approach to make sure you are protected and know how to detect skin cancer.
Last year in May I was staying in a hospital for treatment for Skin Cancer. It stunk. What really stinks the most though, is skin cancer is THE MOST PREVENTABLE CANCER. Just make sure you protect yer self from the sun!

((steps off soap box))

Onegin

2010-02-27T18:09:00.004-05:00

I was watching the movie "Onegin," with Ralph Fiennes today (bla) and I sketched dear ol' Ralphie in a particular broody moment. I have to say this time period (I believe 1830ish?) I HATE female fashion but LOVE the what the men wore. ah ha!

Poster and shirt design

2010-02-13T12:06:00.007-05:00

I have been keeping busy. I did a shirt design for a school I used to work at. They have a sister school in Haiti called "Wings of Hope." The shirt is being sold to help rebuild the school, which was destroyed in the earthquake.

Original drawing

Shirt print:

The color came out fantastic! They look great and are for a good cause:
Order one here!

And here is a poster for the Rainetown book:

ah

2010-02-02T18:55:00.001-05:00

I really need to learn how to draw BETTER!!!!

>_<

yes

Fish seller

2010-01-23T22:24:00.004-05:00

Because it feels good

2010-01-20T20:44:00.009-05:00

Well I don't really feel like I have made enough progress to really post but it is so satisfying to put up here even the littlest of movement. It just feels like progress...even when it really isn't.

I need the good feelings because this has been a trying week for multiple reasons!! So here is some stuff I have worked on (chick to enlarge)

This picture is getting more detailed. But it has a loooooooong way to go and the couple in the foreground bother me a lot but they are just being blocked in in the moment. bah bla bla bla.

Portos and Leon

2009-12-31T00:00:00.004-05:00

Here are the two finished pet portraits I was commissioned to do this Christmas. (Click to enlarge)

They were a lot of fun! I hope to do more in the future!

storyteller

2009-12-30T20:23:00.012-05:00

I like how his face came out. He has crazy looking eyes!
This is the point I'm at right now....It's coming along very slowly!

screen shotz

2009-12-28T14:36:00.014-05:00

This is an older sketch but I'm finally getting around and started painting this one:

Here is a screen shot of all the junk I'm looking at when I'm
working on a painting. This one is going to be challenging but I have the help of fantastic reference.

Inspiration/reference: Stanhope Alexander Forbe "Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach"
and the one in the corner is a Caspar David Friedrich painting.

Both have fantastic color and also I study the transition between the ocean and the beach- how the water looks when it approaches the wet sand. Also Forbe's Paintings (As well as Winslow Homer ) have given me tips on clothing and lifestyle of "fisher folk"
And here is a little weathervane I painted this morning:

Songs for Winter

2009-12-20T09:41:00.008-05:00

I made Cds of "Wintery" music for xmas presents this year:

Almost done with this little guy...

2009-12-14T23:08:00.001-05:00

His name is Leon, and he likes to sit in the window all day.

book break due to xmas commissions!

2009-12-10T21:42:00.005-05:00

Happily I have picked up 2 commissions for pet portraits! Here is one I'm currently working on:

(Rough coloring stage)

In other news:

More Rainetown coming up during Christmas break. Right now I'm juggling school, homework and making presents!!

town scene

2009-11-07T21:07:00.004-05:00

small color sketch for another page of the book
I love painting skies.
4 more pages then I will have all of the dummy book figured out with rough colors and some pages completely finished. I think after this part- once I see everything locked in place- things should start to move fasssster.

The Tillford's

2009-10-11T22:08:00.004-04:00

Their dinning room. They own a large fishery in Rainetown, and also a "Netterie." A place where women make the long nets that make the city so famous.

EDIT- I decided to can this picture, it won't be in the book. I don't like it very much

picking up anytime soon?

2009-10-01T21:51:00.002-04:00

Well it's been a month and I'm still working on this image and I'm only at the background! Now that work has started up and things are settling in a little, hopefully I can work out a daily painting schedule. I think this book is still going to take a long while yet to finish. I have InDesign now and I think that will help me lay things out, but I have to teach myself how to use the program.

I'm thinking next spring things will be all finished. I just can't work on it every week with my current schedule.

Color study of Mr. Stevens.

2009-08-20T20:54:00.012-04:00

Online I found this photograph of singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens. I always liked the picture because it has fantastic colors in it. (I'm seeing him in Portland ME soon!)

I thought it might be fun to do a quick study of it. There are so many fun parts in this photograph, I knew I would have fun. (Plus I admit I think he is oh so handsome, so I have no problem studying this photo intently whilst painting it...haha)

In the photo there is a little glint of blue light hitting his teeth. Ha! that was my favorite thing to paint.

This is what I was working on when I got distracted with Sufjan:
I lost some art for the book when my hard drive got ...um erased. So today I worked on making another treatment for the title page. It's slicker looking I think, but It wasn't fun having to go back and redo when I need to go forward!

8.17.09

2009-08-18T00:16:00.001-04:00

Molly makes a delivery

2009-08-12T13:49:00.008-04:00

Small and quick color study for a painting. It's harder to pin colors down, especially when it's a
night time scene. (But they are my favorite)

(double click on the image and it gets a little bigger)

Molly and her cart design

Molly's house and Floral Shop burned down ( to See Her House click here ) so she sells them from a cart and wheels it into town

Concerned ladies

2009-08-06T19:15:00.004-04:00

Azur and Asmar: The Princes Quest.

2009-08-05T14:35:00.007-04:00

Azur and Asmar: The Princes Quest. Rating: ***and 1/5
I saw images from this French produced film a while ago and missed my chance to see it in theatres, so I recently Netflixed it. The promotional stills looked fabulous- gorgeous patterns and intricate color schemes adorn this Middle Eastern Fairy Tale. The colors and backgrounds in this movie are amazing. But, when I actually started watching the film I cringed for the first 15 minutes. The movie is computer animated and the figure animation is very stiff and looks like a video game. I immediately debated turning it off, but opted to start working on a project and multitask while half-listening to the story.

However, I'm really glad I started paying attention again because though it took me a while to get around the cardboardness of the characters, their voices (Arabic is such a beautiful language) and the story became very engaging.
The tale begins with a wealthy European boy Azur, being raised by an Arabic born Nanny. The nanny has a son, Asmar, and the two little boys grow immersed in two cultures- English and Arabic. (In the English dub the boy is clearly British, but I imagine it's French in the original film) The Nanny is a natural storyteller and feeds the boys tales of a quest saving a magical and beautiful "Djin Fairy." These stories captivate the boys, and both fight and quibble with each other, vowing to one day out wit the other and succeed in the quest.

Many years later, long after the Nanny is brutally swept aside and banished back to her native land, Azur's travels "far across the sea," to visit the land of his beloved caregiver and try his hand at the quest. Once he arrives, he finds that not only is he not alone in his efforts, but prejudices and superstitions stand in his way. (His blue eyes are deemed bad luck so the boy travels the countryside pretending to be blind.)

Based on a variety of Middle Eastern Fairy tales, this movie is a beautiful and simple morality tale about celebrating different cultures and the importance of sharing a worldly heritage and just plain gettin' along! (So much so that entitles state, "This film was made in Paris by filmmakers from all over the world, and we all got along!!," followed by a list of all the different nationalities of the artists.)

If you can get past the bad mouth syncing and not so graceful movements of the characters, the backgrounds, voices, story and visuals hopefully will draw you in.

Oh man

2009-08-02T22:43:00.005-04:00

My last post was in Feb! This blog is really outdated. I'm going to try to get it back on track and at least fix the html on my template and stuff...but once I start teaching again this fall I'm hoping it won't go back in to disarray. I think I will get a website going again once the book gets closer to publication, and then things will really start to heat up.

I had to take a long pause due to stinky health issues, but things are getting back on track slowly and surely.

I'm much better at updating facebook than this blog or flickr so I'll just push some of the files posted on FB and plant them here for an update!

It's been a crazy year and I have learned a lot about myself which is always a good thing.

Miranda's face has changed again a little bit but I'm not sure if I'm happy with it. She has been a very tricky portrait to pin down. I have a lot of ideas about what she should look like but I haven't quite gotten there yet!

Miranda final painting- wip

2009-02-22T22:56:00.002-05:00

Let's get it on! ((edit: OR MAYBE NOT))

2009-02-20T20:03:00.010-05:00

~~It's official, I'll be sharing a table with the talented Jiaxing Rong at this years MoCCA festival.~~

Turns out we THOUGHT we had a table and were told so, only to find out that we were in fact #21 on the waiting list.

This is OK because shortly after wards I was diagnosed with cancer and so...I wasn't going to be able to go ANYWAY!!!

until the morrow

2009-02-15T16:03:00.005-05:00

Off to watch Coraline with friends will finish this on Monday.
top half of picture

daydreaming weaver with mask layer

2009-02-15T15:07:00.004-05:00

sister winter

2008-11-30T11:07:00.008-05:00

Texture Mexture

2008-07-09T18:12:00.001-04:00

News Papah...

2008-07-07T01:41:00.001-04:00

I'm going to print this out and work over it, to make it look more archaic...it's not exactly what I had in mind, I need to play a lot more with the fonts and may resort to hand lettering. I have gathered up a small folder of reference of period Newspaper Headers so I have some ideas...this isn't it yet.
Yep rough stuff!

The article is about the story surrounding the legend Miranda Tilford.

Miranda

2008-07-06T10:54:00.002-04:00

City Seal

2008-06-29T09:21:00.003-04:00

The Raine Family

2008-06-10T05:42:00.002-04:00

click to see it a tad bigger

Poster- rough idea

2008-06-07T22:58:00.003-04:00

There are a lot of posters, signs, newspaper clippings that are in the book.

The Weavers

2008-06-07T18:01:00.006-04:00

More sketches for the book!

These are really messy and I'm prolly the only one who can understand what the hell is going on here. The color sketch came first, the black and white i'm trying to refine the idea a bit. Actually from this point forward I will make B&W sketches before color like this, I read about others doing this and I really think it's a great exercise in figuring out contrast and focusing more on shapes and composition...gettting that all solidified before throwing in the color. (Not that I ever just...throw color on something!) I

This is in like a ...courtyard like place...I'm not sure, its outside and the girls on the second level are on a wooden like structure. They are all weaving nets, except for the two ladies in the right hand corner. One is telling a joke or story of some sort and the girl is listening, which the lady in the far left is working quietly. Winslow Homer is a big inspiration for these sea ladies, he did a series of images of women fixing nets, carrying baskets and roughing the seas, they are soooo beautiful. I will post more about him and examples soon!!

Sea Bingo!

2008-05-27T10:58:00.001-04:00

Bingo card I made for an art summer program I'm teaching themed: The Seven Seas

Rainy ID

2008-05-24T12:33:00.002-04:00

Dummy Book: Diving into Rainetown

2008-05-18T10:26:00.005-04:00

I'm now diving into the dummy book (mock book for planning) for Rainetown. The next few weeks I will be working on pencil drawings for the layout. I have about 5 illustrations so far that are close to being done, which I will send to blurb along with the drawings to get a print out of the dummy book. These fully painted images will help me see what the colors might look like. I always got the impression that blue was a bit of a deviant color when it comes to printing so this should be interesting. Rainetown is SUCH a blue book. heh heh

Rough Cover ideas:(click to enlarge)

This idea has been canned...though I might use the cliffs and ships for something else.

The back cover is an illustration of a girl looking out at a crow, with pink string snarled in the tree. Front cover you see the crow again flying with the string. I'm thinking of having the crow gathering things (maybe always string) for a nest, being a continuing image throughout the book.

Below: Rough title page

Miranda- (rough sketch) A famous resident of Rainetown. She was blind and weaved very fine nets (there is one draped around her shoulders and is wearing a netting like necklace with shells attached)It is believed that she weaved them from her hair. Also, according to legend, she saved the life of prominent Rainetown portrait painter Jonathan Boslem. (who painted this portrait of her) The story brought fame to Rainetown, and the village became known for net weaving.Miranda also started the trend of Rainetown ladies wearing blue striped clothing..something else the city is known for.

Miranda Sketch

2008-05-10T20:30:00.004-04:00

A famous Rainetown resident(Though she is looking a little zombie-ish here.)

Lara

2008-04-06T13:01:00.004-04:00

From Doctor Zhivago

Project: Rainetown

2008-03-17T09:49:00.009-04:00

I'm self-publishing a book through blurb . It's my little project- a way for me to design, organize and create a series of images with the happy ending that it creates a beautiful little book.

The idea is that the book is a small visual chronicle of a fictional seaside village called "Rainetown." (Named after Captain Johnathan Raine, who founded the town in the late 1700's) The town is actually really rainy and damp so the name is quite fitting. There won't be a ton of prose just mostly images of the village and the different people who inhabit it. It is mostly Victorian in style and sea salty, damp, and very blue in color :-) Should be a lot of fun.

More Molly...

2008-03-02T20:20:00.007-05:00

Work in progressssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Becoming Jane

2008-02-29T20:17:00.004-05:00

It was alright. James Mcavoy has an odd shaped head, and cat eyes. If you think too hard about it, you will see how he is kinda funny looking, but it's interesting how it makes him sort of handsome, these peculiar features. Anne Hathaway, on the other hand (And I didn't bother trying for likeness with either of them) has very delicate doe like features. But no matter what role she plays, I can't escape remembering her as the chick from The Princess Diaries.

There was a fire... (wip)

2008-02-16T19:50:00.002-05:00

Lazy Lines Linda

2008-02-12T19:59:00.001-05:00

Sometimes when looking at my doodles I can hear my pencil- it's a map of my brain saying something like, "where is the form...overhereoverhereoverhere? lalalala...Idon'tknowwhereI'mgoing."

Briony

2008-02-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

From the Movie (and book!) Atonement

3:10 to Yuma

2008-02-10T11:47:00.002-05:00

Christian Bale's character. I loved this movie. Yay! westerns are coming back.

Yesterday's "Detail Detail "

2008-01-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

I did some work after work. 8:30-11pm wants to be a daily painting ritual. Sounds good...but not tonight. I'm beat.\

dotz

2008-01-27T19:13:00.001-05:00

"Oh, there's the usual things; flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep..."

2008-01-25T23:05:00.001-05:00

miss Molly- sells flowers (based on a doodle on a note pad I did while visiting my folks for new years)
Ahh...lets give her a street to sell her flowers on...

And..let there be night!

And let this get finished!!!

And there are LOTS of things to be finished, so I have my work cut out for me.

ps If you know where the title of my post comes from, 5 points for Gryffindor!!!

Oh I miss you!

2007-12-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Blog,
Man, I feel really bad. How I have neglected you! This is because I am student teaching, and responsible for sooo many students! But soon, so soon I will post some art. It will be "teacher art," art that I have made as examples for lessons. After teacher art I hope to start doing my own paintings again. It's so hard to watch 570 children every week making art but have no time to do so myself! But dear blog. Teaching and art making is a tricky track. There are parts of me that want to dedicate all my energy to being a good teacher, but then there is a little voice that says I am forgetting my artist self. It is hard. But blog, I will try to do some art every month for myself. Maybe not great huge fantastic super paint-y things, maybe only little sketches...but I promise to pick you up again.

Because, Oh I Miss YOU!

Sincerely,
Bonnie

Run/Walk

2007-09-25T18:51:00.000-04:00