know now!

I sometimes forget to be here in the now knowing what it is happening now. Today for this tiny moment I am remembering to just be here.

     hmmmmm, how did that shadow get there?

3 inspirations this week

1. Loved this book- The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. She is the ultimate share it all artist and I tend to be the opposite. THis reminded me to open up and be more transparent, invite people in to the process, and ASK, be vulnerable, give someone the opportunity to help you. Its' a must read for an creative being which is everyone. http://amandapalmer.net/home/

2. This section form the NY times Magazine where writers looked back on their books.
Love George Saunders's insight. This is something I spend many moments thinking about.

 http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/06/pen-auction-philip-roth-portnoys-complaint-robert-caro-george-saunders-marilynne-robinson-jennifer-egan-junot-diaz/?_r=0

3. In the 30 day picture book idea challenge this is one post that I enjoyed this morning. Sometimes I'm hesitant to use a word that may be too sophisticated for the picture book reader but then I remember also that the sound of words and how they feel in your mouth are just as important as their meaning. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/149e6dc99083fef4

and this picture book by David Mackintosh makes me smile.

http://www.profuselyillustrated.com/lucky-2/

New collage

random mix

 I have never been very successful at keeping one notebook devoted to one thing. I've tried, many times. This notebook will only be for picture book ideas. This notebook is only for drawing scribble designs. This notebook is only for action lists (to do). This notebook ...yeah, it doesn't work. I tend to treat all paper as equal, and sometimes I draw in a notebook and sometimes on a scrap. Went through some piles of paper and notebooks stashed in a cabinet this weekend.

Here are a few images from the mix.

Piboidmo 2014

                          Yes, I just signed up for a month devoted to picture book making ideas.

http://www.taralazar.com/piboidmo/

collage

3 inspirations this week

from Oliver Jeffers new book

Have been devouring anything picture book related recently

1. Just discovered this podcast. Can't wait to listen to ALL of them. http://lgbpodcast.blogspot.com

2. Oliver Jeffers new alphabet book- brilliant- LOVE
http://www.oliverjeffers.com/picture-books/once-upon-an-alphabet

3. And this illustrator Kitty Crawther- WOW
https://astridlindgrenmemorialaward.wordpress.com/category/kitty-crowther/

Mirror Mirror

One of the smarties (or more widely called dummies) I included in my portfolio at the LA SCBWI conference was one that used mirror paper to create the whole image.
 Here are some pics from a few spreads.

collage all day everyday

This is a collage I made recently inspired by this little character, some bits and pieces of circles hanging around my studio, and the re-occuring feeling that my imagination is swirling with oh so many possibilities.

Collage illustration

I am taking my 18minute collage practice of playing with various bits and scraps and using it to inform some new illustrations. Here is one I did last night based on a New York Times article about growth in long term relationships.

18 minute collage

Lately I have been needing some time to let my fingers play. I have piles filled with a mixture of scrap drawings, textures, sketches, random papers. I decided to use these piles to create some 18 minute collages. I choose a few from the bits to use, set the timer, then go. This is proving to be a great way to spend an hour (or two) and free things up with some unexpected combinations. It is so fun to play  with the color, texture, and portions of imagery already gathered around me. And at the end, my fingers are sticky and my heart is excited to see what will come out the next 18 minute session. Here are a few images from my new pile being created from my old piles.
Try it. 18 minutes to create something. It can be a collage, a poem, a song, a story. See what 18 minutes will do for you and your day.

 



 

3 inspirations this week

1. Discovering this podcast.  So far i've only listened to 1.5 episodes but I'm already in LOVE. This is oozing with gems to keep the creative going. During the whole time I was listening I was shaking my head going yeah, yeah, YEAH. Am excited to explore the whole library of episodes.
www.unmistakablecreative.com
http://unmistakablecreative.com/how-creative-people-get-it-done-with-samantha-bennett

2. Am reading The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
and so far am enjoying it.
This line stopped me today. "The only option for a creative person was constant motion- a life time of busy whirligigging in a generally forward direction, until you couldn't do it any longer."
Like the use of "generally" here, implies that sometimes in order to go forward there is time needed for sideways zigzagging exploration

3. Ok. I'm so loving this podcast that i'm writing it twice. Is that cheating? Maybe but i'm listing it again anyway..
 www.unmistakablecreative.com

SCBWI LA conference

and then the Little Moments, all the Little Moments held hands. 
They didn't know it at the time but by linking palms, 
they gained momentum, 
they grew a never been named shape, 
they rang sang spoke a new word.
It sounded like yeahwoooooshwooshweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
and then....

a Big Moment appeared.
Yes indeed it did.
Last night at the SCBWI LA conference I won an Honor Award for my illustration portfolio.
I am very very very very very very very excited. And I was able to meet some amazing illustrators, writers,...so much talent and passion all around.

Hope you have a little moment today...it may hold hands with some others and before you know it.........yeahwoooooshwooshweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

SCBWI conference little moment

I'm attending the SCBWI LA conference for the first time. Today I had a moment. A little moment. Well I had lots of little moments, isn't that what a day is made from. But this one moment I am referring to gave me a boost just as I needed one.  The door to doubt was creaking it's nasty hinges open into my heart. I could feel it, swingin, slappin, rising it's thunder fire doubt, all those, what am I doing here? when will I ever? why? how? and also where is an  EMPTY SEAT. I was feeling overwhelmed.
So I paused. Stood where I was. Put my hand on the stair railing to sit down. And that's when I saw it. A little gift. For me. On the railing was a tiny plastic bag pink taped. I opened it up slowly and this is what I found.

 Stay Curious. Yes. Hmmmmmm. I again breathed. I remember now. When in doubt, pause, sit down, and look what is right there, right here, at my fingertips. Curious indeed. There is magic happening. Always.

Thanks Kathy Ellen Davis for reminding me and for spreading the good vibes. www.kathyellendavis.com

Hope you have a little moment today.

little drawing - little poem

 a boat

wrote sea

a little note

or was it the sea
that wrote boat:

stay afloat

blue skies are on your spray

thank u project

i remember and 

then I forget to remember

thank u,

that thank u feeling

is always

available

for tuning my heart

bright

love you like I do

recent collage craziness happening

3 inspirations recently

1. This illustrator- Rilla Alexander... and This book- Her Idea.....love it.  I can relate to all of it.
      Brilliant. Yum- Red too.

                                         

http://www.byrilla.com/folio.html?func=viewcategory&catid=57

Video about the struggles of bringing an idea to life-http://vimeo.com/53424300

.
2. Neil Gaiman's commencement talk. "Make good Art"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI

3. swimming today for the first time this summer.

Pause

when i do take a moment to just pause and actually see feel breath notice

all that already is,

there is a powerful knowing without it being knowing

that life really is a mind googling ever changing

continuing blossoming 

wonder.

and when you feel that 

even if it's for a micro second on your way out the door in the door

opening a door,

then thank shines through

 tiny hand leaves breathing veins

and the day unfold follows

     

tiny steps

I realized that just thinking about something isn't going to make it a reality.  

Action.

 Moving towards that which you want to create.

 Every day. 

Even if it's the tiniest 

fragment of the whole. 

These steps, even tiny steps matter. 

They add up and bridge each action to the next. 

Sometimes I forget about my mountain.

I see other people's mountains. I see trails that twirl and meander around a lake. 

I ponder about trails that twirl and meander around a lake. 

Sometimes I have absolutely no idea how I will ever build a spiraling staircase around a mountain on roller blades with no map, no scaffolding, and only popsicle sticks in my pocket. 

But I keep on going.

Clarifying my mountain even as it changes day to day.