"Did You Hear" Dress-Up

As an illustrator, I just love it when kids feel a connection to the characters in my books.  The highest praise I could ever receive came today when Ania Kelly sent me this photo of her adorable daughter wearing a custom outfit and dressed up like Emma from my recent title "Did You Hear: A Story About Gossip."  I was absolutely floored!  She looks AMAZING!  Big hugs and a high five go out to this little girl for sending me this memory as we close out 2017!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Total TV Guide

It is great to be able to work on holiday themed projects at this time of year.  They really put me in the holiday spirit.  I am so excited that "Total TV Guide" asked me to do their Christmas cover again this year! Here is the cover, on shelves now in the UK!

Choose me!

MB Artists has released the agency's newest promotional catalog, themed "Choose Me!"  Every page is full of beautiful new pieces from our artists.  Check it out!

Thank you!

 James Patterson's new book "Give Thank You A Try" is now available, and features artwork from so many talented artists.  I am honored to be able to have been able to contribute an illustration to this book!

School Visit

This past week, I got to meet the students of Forest Dale Elementary and speak to them about illustration!  I talked to them about how a book is made, about my illustration process, and about using colors to help an illustration tell a story.

My volunteers helped me create a silly story....with some very silly illustrations!

 

Thanks, Forest Dale, for such a great day, and for letting me share my passion for art and storytelling with your students!

 

"All My Stripes" Translated

Exciting news!  "All My Stripes" has been translated into Danish!  I just got my copies today.  It is so awesome seeing the book released overseas and in other languages!

We Love Fall

Pumpkin patches, apple picking, hay rides, hot chocolate, beautiful weather and beautiful colors!  After a fun weekend at local farms picking apples and berries, and buying home made fudge and ice cream, I felt inspired to paint a fun little piece celebrating one of my favorite seasons!

New MB Artists Catalog

MB Artists just released its newest collection of illustrations, themed "covers".  We all created new pieces that we would love to imagine as book covers!  Check it out!

"Clubhouse Jr." Feature

 Check out the newest issue of "Clubhouse Jr."!  I had so much fun illustrating the magazine's feature story "The Land of Evad".  The imaginative scenes were full of funky colors and reality/imagination blended imagery.  I love the pink trees, blue sand and backyard temple fortress!  Thanks, "Clubhouse Jr."!

Did You Hear....?

Fun mail today!  I got my advance copies of my newest book "Did You Hear", to be released this fall by Magination Press!

I've got it covered...

Thanks go out to Magination Press for featuring my art from "A World of Pausabilities" on the cover of their new catalog!  It was such a delightful surprise to find this in my mailbox!  Thank you!

Town and Country

MB Artists has released the agency's newest catalog, themed "Town and Country".  Check out all of the awesome artwork!

Sneaking into the Field

My newest portfolio piece, inspired by my pony-crazy daughter!

Gold Medal for "A World of Pausabilities"

Great news today! "A World of Pausabilities" (Magination Press) has received a gold medal from the Mom's Choice Awards! Thanks so much for this recognition! 

Olivia's Horse

My new portfolio piece, "Olivia's Horse."  I really had fun with the lighting in this image.

"Seasons" MB Artists Catalog

The new MB Artists catalog is here!  Check out all of the new artwork inspired by the seasons!

"A World of Pausabilities" Released!

 Exciting news today!  My newest picture book, "A World of Pausabilities" by Frank Sileo, is now available.  It has great ideas for both kids and adults to slow down, relax and just be in the moment.  As I was illustrating this book, I realized that there were two different types of pauses - ones in which we tune out the world and look inward, and ones in which we feel our smallness and embrace that we are just a part of a wide wide world.  So, for this book, my art shifts between quiet vignettes and large nature scenes.  From picking apples off of a tree to puddle jumping to chasing fireflies, "A World of Pausabilities" takes the reader through a late summer day, from sun up to sun down, with families enjoying themselves, each other and the world around them.....through rain or shine! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed illustrating it!

Give Please A Chance

Fun mail this week!  I got my copies of "Give Please a Chance", by Bill O'Reilly and James Patterson. Here are some of the books!

Pausabilities and Publisher's Weekly

  

Publisher's Weekly has posted a review of my upcoming book, "A World of Pausabilities."  This title will be released next month, February 2017!  I can't wait!