PolkadotStripes

Moon on a String

2012-01-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

New painting

Even the moon on a string wasn't enough for her.

Switch Today!

2012-01-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

Mushroom Land

2012-01-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

Here is my latest painting.

Gingerbread house

2011-12-23T18:56:00.000-08:00

My daughter and I made a gingerbread house a couple of days ago.

We use lemon juice and powdered sugar as glue.

We didn't have enough dough, so we had to use Graham crackers for one side of the roof.

She had the idea for a pond with a frog in it.

It took so much candy.

And, we had to run back to the candy store 3 times for more candy... She didn't mind.

She asked if she could choose one candy a day to eat.

Happy Holidays

DAC Holiday 2011 Pop-Up Sale

2011-12-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

December 16 – 21, 2011

Hours: 11 AM – 7 PM
Opening Reception: December 15, 6 – 8 PM

50% of sales benefit DAC and the creation of new art!
50% of sales benefit the participating artists!

Dumbo Arts Center (DAC) is hosting a Pop-Up Holiday Art Sale! Prices starting as low as $30.

Dumbo Arts Center is pleased to present our 2011 Holiday Pop Up Sale, featuring more than 50 artists selling art affordably priced, with special selections by each artist at $30! 50% of sales benefit DAC and the creation of new art and 50% of sales benefit the participating artists! So you can get great art and support emerging artists!

DAC will use the funds to continue our cutting edge programming, like building a summer library, making human pyramids that represent the economic system, doing experimental mediations, and more exhibition and events than you can shake a candy cane at. While we can’t say for sure what the artists will do with their share, we are pretty sure it will go to producing more art.

Particpating artists include:
Leesa Abahuni, Nicole, Abahuni, Steven Anderson, Nicole Antebi, Bridget Batch, Sarah Bostwick, Jude Broughan, Robmat Butler, Sean Cavanaugh, Barb Choit, Elizabeth Conn, Megan Cump, Kenneth Dale, Rodney Dickson, Tim Dowse, Karl Erickson, Shingo Francis, Gina Fuentes Walker, Jesse Gelaznik, Katy Hamer, Linda Herritt, Cathrin Hoskinson, Patrick Jewell, Aileen Leijten, Catherine Lewis, Jen Liu, Lia Lowenthal, Peter Max Lawrence, Kayla Mohammadi, Kaveri Nair, Rick Parker, Walter Patrick, Tara Romero, Bill Roundy, Jennifer Schwartz, Sam Seawright, Karen Shaw, Janos Stone, Holly Sumner, Gabriela Vainsencher, Michelle Vaughan, Barbara Weissberger, Bradley Wester, Michael Wilson and more!

The image above is a detail of one of the two pieces I have in the show.

Winter Fair Pictures

2011-12-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Winter Fair at the Brooklyn Waldorf School was more fabulous than ever!
There were so many amazingly beautiful and fun activities to do. One of the many highlights was the Enchanted Forest. I was running around the whole day and only found time to snap a few quick pictures with my phone, of the school craft booth.

The Brooklyn Waldorf School Winter Fair

2011-12-01T05:33:00.000-08:00

Come check it out!

ThanksGivaway!

2011-11-24T18:42:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I am giving away one of my 'Books' prints through Katy's amazing blog NO BIG DILL.
Please visit her blog to find out how to participate.

Natures Wonders

2011-11-22T07:34:00.000-08:00

The other day, we were in Amherst, MA walking, when we came upon a tree that had the greatest little mushroom growing on it's side, between the bark.
It looked exactly like a little lady with a bonnet.

It was amazing.

I'm slowly getting known as the mushroom lady...
Hmmm, I wonder why.

Done!

2011-11-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

You are cordially invite to visit my brand spanking new redesigned website.

Good Morning Dear Friends

2011-11-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

Every morning in my daughters KinderGarten class, they say this beautiful verse together.

I find it a great way to start the day.

The Earth is firm beneath my feet

the sun shines bright above.

And here stand I, so straight and strong

all things to learn and love.

Little drops of water, little grains of sand,

make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land.

Little deeds of kindness, little words of love,

make the earth below like heaven above.

Here I am, my friends I see.

Good Morning to you and Good Morning to me.

Good morning dear friends.

Halloween Mushrooms

2011-11-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Off course we had to be mushrooms for Halloween.

Street Art

2011-10-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

A sweet friend of mine recently emailed me some great pictures of street art.

I chose a few to share with you.

Website Redesign

2011-10-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

At the moment, I am deep in the trenches of redesigning my website. The design part is close to done and the programming part (definitely not my favorite) has started. I am using Dream Weaver and some basic HTML programming. Dream Weaver has changed since the last time I used it (so has my memory, more holes...) and, I am scrambling around the software, trying to find the functions I need.
I hope to have a spiffy new site up by the end of the month. Please bear with me.
For now, I am lifting up the tip of the veil to give you glimps of the look and feel I am going for.

Back 2 School

2011-09-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

Oh my, August came and went...
Tomorrow is the first day of school for us, and the weather is certainly announcing the fall here is NYC.

When I read other people's blogs, I always enjoy seeing their process and sketches. So, I want to share my process here with you.
My 'Back to School' painting from sketch to finish.

Renegade Report

2011-07-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

I never reported on how the Renegade Craft Fair went for us in Brooklyn. Though a little late, here are some images and impressions.

Day 1: A rainy and dreary start, followed by a serious thunderstorm in the middle of the day. Regardless of the weather there were many visitors who courageously came around. People were full of wonderful compliments and liked to hang around for a while.

Day 2: The weather was better, more people passed through, and came back. We seemed to attract people with cameras. Almost everyone took lots of pictures. A blessing or a curse? Some people asked first, most didn't.

All in all it wasn't a huge financial success, but we certainly learned a lot, and met a lot of nice people. Being able to accept credit cards on my Iphone certainly helped. Thank you everyone for your support and help.
Some of my creations are available on Etsy. To find out what Adrienne Patrick is up to, you can visit her Blog.

Dams & Stacked Rock Sculptures

2011-07-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more refreshing on a hot day, than standing with your feet in a cold stream. But standing around doing nothing is not something enjoyable, so we started moving rocks around.

Moonbot Promo video

2011-07-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Making Of Morris: Part 1 (The Power of Story) from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Karakuri

2011-06-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

Karakuri from Matthew Allard on Vimeo.

Renegade Reminder

2011-06-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

It's almost here, and the weather will be cooler.
Come say hi to Adrienne Patrick and myself at the:

We are stall number 51, see below:

2011-06-08T16:44:00.000-07:00

A very nice review of 'Hugging Hour', by Lovely L. on her amazing blog, Omphaloskepsis.

Just today, she did a great review on John's new book 'Blackout' too!
Thank you, Lovely L.

Kooky

2011-06-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Puppet Faeture Film trailer by Jan Svěrák.
Very promising.

I can't wait to see it.

2011-06-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

A very nice review of my little FeltForest Shop, by

Renegade Craft Fair

2011-05-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

Adrienne Patrick and I are sharing a spot at the Renegade Craft Fair this year! The Renegade Craft Fair is the best of it's kind, by far. I've been going for years as a visitor, and now we are part of it. Adrienne will be selling her wonderful creations made from all recycled materials, and I will have my felt creations, Children's Book prints, and necklaces.

There is food available, all kinds of arts and crafts, and it runs two whole days. Be sure to go check it out, and come by our tent to say hi!

We are booth 51 (See below).

Mr. Finchenheimer

2011-05-12T05:49:00.000-07:00

After making the finch illustration I decided to make Mr. Finchenheimer as a felt sculpture.

Recent Illustrations

2011-05-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here, three of my most recent illustrations.

Geahk Burchill - Marionettes

2011-04-05T06:10:00.000-07:00

I just HAD to share this video with you. This man is such an amazing, wonderful artist.

Fairy Garden

2011-03-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

A wonderful friend of mine came up with the idea of building fairy gardens from things we found in nature. We each brought whatever we could find in parks and on the streets around us, we also brought a glue gun, clippers, glass jars, and some sheep wool and we started building. Here are a few of the gardens that came out of our creative endeavor.

Sweet Paul Magazine

2011-03-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

Karin Schaeffer from the wonderful Brooklyn based Toy Store, Acorn, got my felt petit fours in Sweet Paul Magazine.

The magazine is beautiful and the picture of the pastries/petit fours too.
Thank you karin!

NYC Toy Fair Interview

2011-03-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

I was invited to do a needle felting demonstration at the Toy Fair in NYC. Needle felting is my new addiction. I make character illustrations first and then spend my evenings sculpting them out of wool.

I am also contemplating a way to incorporate my mushroom girls/gnome ladies into a book.

A friendly journalist from the online magazine TDMonthly came by and asked if he could do a quick interview. The sculptures are available on FeltForest.

Mushroom Ladies

2011-02-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

My new needle felted creations.

Marzipan Madness

2011-02-12T17:10:00.000-08:00

I love Marzipan, I love turquoise, red, and cream. My friend thought of me when she came across these marzipan creations by Design team Eugene & Louise in collaboration with Tinne Hermans for an exhibit in Antwerp, my home town.

Handmade Gift 3

2011-01-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

The third handmade gift is a guardian angel for two dear friends.

Needle felted.

Handmade Gifts 2

2010-12-31T16:26:00.000-08:00

Upon his request, I made a needle felted woodpecker for my husband, John. I also made a house for the little bird. John has only seen pictures of his present, because we are out of town and I didn't bring it with me.

Handmade Gifts 1

2010-12-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

This year I made a Waldorf Doll for my daughter's Christmas. I took a workshop with Beatriz Smith at the Brooklyn Waldorf School, and over the course of 8 weeks, I made the doll. Here are some pictures.

She named her Rosie.

Sergio's Picture Book Lists

2010-12-21T05:44:00.000-08:00

Sergio Ruzzier invites people who love picture books to send him a list with ten of their favorite picture books, for kids (or not). The books can be from any time and any country.You can be an author, an illustrator, an editor, an art director, a bookseller, a librarian, an agent, or anyone who has a passion for picture books. I sent him my list. To see the books I chose, go to Sergio's blog.

BMD on SLJ

2010-12-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

If you missed the Book Maker's Dozen Panel discussion at the Powerhouse Bookstore last Thursday. You can see it now, here, thanks to the School Library Journal Blog post.

Book Maker’s Dozen Hosts First Exhibit from School Library Journal on Vimeo.

Brooklyn Public Library Interview

2010-11-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

Book Maker's Dozen

2010-11-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

Thirteen children's book illustrators have joined forces to create fun events around their artwork and books.

We, (yes, I am one of them) have a blog now, an Etsy shop, and many fun events coming up; including a panel discussion at Power House Books in DUMBO. Thank you John Rocco, for making this happen.
Here's who we are, with links to our respective websites.

Come join us on December 2nd!

Do you want to know more about Belgium?

2010-11-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know. I grew up in Belgium.

Do you want to know more about Belgium? (subtitled NL/FR) from Jerome de Gerlache on Vimeo.

Johan Ku

2010-10-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

A very dear friend turned me on to the fabulous creations of Johan Ku. Ku was born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1979. He started his career as a graphic designer but went on to get a BA and an MA in Fashion and textile design. He started his own studio in 2005 and is currently based in London.

His signature, sculpture like dresses are true works of art.

I'm in the movies....

2010-10-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

Doing a drawing Demonstration.

If you haven't seen the show yet. It's still up in the Brooklyn Public Library until the end of the year.

Pencil Sculptures

2010-10-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

This morning, I found these images in an email from my sister.
The artist who makes these tiny sculptures out of the graphite tips on pencils, is called Dalton Ghetti. Needless to say, Mr. Ghetti has magical fingers. What beautiful tiny creations he makes! I looked him up and found more information on the Kidrobot blog.
Ghetti was born in Brazil and is now based in Connecticut, he apparently does this as a side project, next to being a professional carpenter. He has been perfecting his art for the last 25 years and has never sold one sculpture. He gives them away to friends...

These kinds of finds inspire me and make my days happier.

Stranded - A quick note.

2010-09-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

I'm stuck in the airport together with other unfortunate stuckees. All flights are delayed due to weather. (hard to believe while looking out at the clear blue sky) I am amazed at the sense of camaraderie that is developing between us stuckees (except for some frantic ac outlet hogging behavior all around).
Luckily, I am feeling calm and serene form a relaxing and recharging visit with my dear West Coast friends, who I can't thank enough for being the great people and faithful friends they are. (Yes, you know who you are).
I've been switching back and forth between my lab top and a really good book one of my very special friends lent me. David Foster Wallace's, A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, is making this wait so much more significant and bearable. I have quickly fallen in love with this writer, and now have to read everything he has ever written.
I am ranting, sorry. It's just that I'm stranded...

Drawn in Brooklyn

2010-09-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Drawn in Brooklyn, is the Brooklyn Public Library’s festival and exhibition of children’s book illustrations! Brooklyn’s diverse, vibrant environment is home to the most remarkable concentration of children’s book professionals on the planet. This fact is put on brilliant display by the work of the illustrators featured in this exhibition, and I am proud to be one of them.

The art exhibit is curated by John Bemelmans Marciano, and will be up for 4 months. Many other related events are happening during that time.

September 21st - Exhibition opening

September 26th - Panel Discussion

Children's book author and illustrator John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans, discusses the world of children's literature and illustration with fellow illustrators R. Gregory Christie (Bad News for Outlaws, The Champ), Sophie Blackall (Big Red Lollipop, Meet Wild Boars) John Rocco (Fu Finds the Way, Moonpowder), and Melanie Cecka, Bloomsbury's editorial director for children's literature.

October 5th - Meet the Author/Illustrator, Aileen Leijten
I'll be doing a presentation at the Central Library, Dweck Center.

October 16th - Family Day: Illustrators Festival

10:30 am – 3 pm Central Library, PlazaAll ages can enjoy this fair that features readings, workshops, book signings and music. (In case of rain, this will be held in the Dweck Center.)

Check out the Brooklyn Public Library calendar for more presentations and workshops by other artists, both at the festival and throughout the fall.

(above illustration by John Marciano).

Brooklyn Book Festival

2010-09-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

I know it's too late for this post, the Brooklyn Book Festival has come and gone. But it was so much fun despite the rain. My daughter and I sat in the children's area tent and listened to hours of story time.

We heard:

John Rocco (Fu Finds the Way; Moonpowder) Off course!
Sergio Ruzzier (Amandina; Hey, Rabbit!) Picture above.
Judi Barrett, (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs; The Marshmallow Incident)
Chris Raschka (Big Black Crow; Peter and the Wolf)
Brian Floca (Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11; The Racecar Alphabet) Picture below.

I was great to see those people in person reading their books and drawing their drawings.

But not all is lost. Drawn in Brooklyn is coming up and there will be many more readings, signings and drawing performances. (Blog Post coming very soon)

A Great Day at Princeton Day School, from A Year of Reading.

2010-08-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

A recent post from the awesome blog, A Year of Reading.

Bev and Rebecca enjoying some lemonade before dinner!

A few weeks ago, I spent a day working with teachers atPrinceton Day Schoolin New Jersey. It was a great day put together by 3rd grade teacher, Bev Gallagher. If you don't know Bev, she is an amazing 3rd grade teacher who is also committed to quality professional development. I had met Bev several times and had heard about the work of the Princeton Day School from others who had visited. As I expected, Bev organized an amazing day for teachers. We met in a great room and had energizing learning and conversations all day. It was such a brilliant group of teachers. So much powerful discussion on so many topics connected to literacy.

One of the highs of the day was hearing Rebecca Kai Dotlich read fromBella and Bean. Bella and Bean is one of my all-time favorites. Love those girls! So, imagine how thrilled I was when I found out that I'd get to meet Rebecca during my day at PDS. Well, not only did I get to meet her, but I got to hear her presentation and we had lots of time to chat on the way to/from the airport, etc. What a thrill! To hear an author you love read a book you love, what could be better!? I am waiting patiently for the next Bella and Bean book to be published. I have hoped that these girls become their own series since the first time I read the book. Still crossing my fingers!

Rebecca reading from BELLA AND BEAN!

I was also thrilled to discover that IN THE SPIN OF THINGS: POETRY IN MOTIONhas been released in paperback. Rebecca was kind enough to share a copy of the book with me. I have a copy from long ago but its availability in paperback opens so many doors. Having several copies of this book in a room would be great for poetry reading and writing. This poetry book, if you don't know it, is a book filled with poems about ordinary things. Rebecca brings a joy to these things that only her poetry can. The rhythm and surprising word choice makes these fun for kids of all ages. If you know WHEN RIDDLES COME RUMBLING by Dotlich, this book has a similar feel to it. I am excited to know that it is out in paperback.

I feel so lucky to have spent the day at Princeton Day School with such amazing teachers. I learned so much from Bev and Rebecca. But I also learned from all of the participants of the workshop. I was lucky this summer to be part of some amazing professional development sessions across the country. To end the summer at Princeton Day School was quite a treat!

Final Drool touches

2010-08-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Drool's hair was a real challenge.

The curls had to be just right,

and still be soft.

Her arms had to be moveable for easy positioning.

Drool is ready for the show at the Brooklyn Public Library, on October 16, 2010.

Drool update

2010-08-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hi, here a quick update on the evolution of my little Drool sculpture/doll.

I painted the face and added hair, but haven't photographed that yet. Soon.

COZBI

2010-08-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

I happened upon Cozbi's store by accident. We were walking on Court Street in Brooklyn, on the way to our friends house when we came by a very cute storefront. It was late, but the store was still open and Cozbi was there. We met, talked and talked, and looked around a lot. Cozbi makes clothes, dolls, quilts, children's books; all of it exquisite.

If you are not in Brooklyn, make sure you visit her website. But if you are, go to the store, it's worth the trip.

Packing Tape Art

2010-07-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

I just found these pictures on the ArtDoll blog, and had to share it.
Packing Tape Installation by For Use/Numen at the DMY 2010 Berlin's International Design Festival, held in June.

Adrienne's Dreamboat

2010-07-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

My friend Adrienne Patrick, created a beautiful dreamboat. I am again in awe of another one of her amazing creations.

Check out her blog. She is a wonderful artist and a great human being.

Sault Falls Inn Summer Days

2010-07-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

It's been hot in the city and we've been trying to get out of here as often as we can. We usually escape to the Sault Falls Inn with family or friends. It's been a blessing. Here some pictures.

Have a nice summer.

Drool Doll

2010-07-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

It's hot, hot, hot on the East Coast, not at all the right time to be playing around with wool and felt. Between visits to the swimming pool I have been working on a Drool doll for the Brooklyn Library show, in September. It's still a work in progress, but here are some pictures.

More soon.

Stay cool.

New Etsy shop

2010-06-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

I opened a new Etsy shop, I am focussing on natural Waldorf toys.

I am using all natural materials. Felt and wool are wonderful to work with.

I found a good source for buying plant dyed, all natural wool felt online, at Weir Dolls and Crafts.

Having fun!

Coming up in Brooklyn

2010-06-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

John Bemelmans Marciano is curating an amazing children's book art show, "Drawn in Brooklyn". The show will take place in September at the Brooklyn Public Library.

In conjunction with the show, there will be illustrator appearances, art workshops and special story times in different Public Library locations around Brooklyn. Along with many very accomplished Illustrators, I will be part of the show and so will my husband John Rocco.

The art will be on display at the main Central location, (picture above).

More specific information, dates and locations later. Just a heads up.

NICK CAVE – SOUNDSUITS

2010-05-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

I came across a book about Nick cave's Soundsuits at the Book Expo, yesterday.

Immediately intrigued, I went and found a movie about the artist and his creations to share with you.

Ennoblement - Fundraiser

2010-05-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I have been helping two of the four designers of the event below and I am very excited to see the whole show. Come join us if you can!

Aileen

The Largest, The Coolest, The Best Event
of 2010
for the Brooklyn Waldorf School

Get your tickets now!
Click Ennoblement TICKETS.

The Ennoblement

(an evening of Fashion, Performance and Fun)

THIS Coming Monday

May 24th, 2010, 7:30 p.m.,

at the Bell House (149 7th Street, Brooklyn)

"The success of this evening is essential to the continued growth and success
of The Brooklyn Waldorf School, the school to which you have chosen to send
your child, offering the education you desire for your child.
Without your support there can be no Brooklyn Waldorf School!
Demonstrate your commitment to the Waldorf movement in Brooklyn, for your children, for all children, with a full heart,
with a full wallet, and with good cheer." From the board.

Don't wait another moment - go online to www.brooklynwaldorf.org and
purchase your tickets.

See Sarah Haughton in the office to purchase
one of the 16 VIP tickets.

See you at the party - the fundraising committee says it
will be an incredibly great time!

What is
The Ennoblement?

(an evening of Fashion, Performance and Fun)

Monday

May 24th, 2010, 7:30 p.m.,

at the Bell House (149 7th Street, Brooklyn)

We are planning a choreographed evening drawing from experts in
Waldorf "Ennoblement" and the broad talents and energies of our
amazing community. We will bring our vision to life in an
unforgettable event that will inspire and elevate the idea of what
fashion can attain.
The objectives of the event are to benefit our schools financial
health and to inspire Brooklyn Waldorf School newcomers and veterans
with the spirit of our unique community, and provide all with an
exciting experience of the strange and wonderful marriage of fashion
and Waldorf philosophy.

The evening includes:
· Appetizers and Beverages (Note: Ticket purchasers receive two
complimentary drink tickets for each ticket order)
· The Ennoblement
· Dancing
· 20 Select Silent Auction Items.

Ticket Pricing is as follows:
· VIP Box Seats - $250 per person
· General Admission - $100 per person
*

TRUNK

2010-04-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

Near the corner of Jay Street and Front street in DUMBO, is a store called TRUNK. It's a collective of clothing, jewelry and furniture designers. Various rotating art installations and shows, make the store even more inviting and impossible to pass by. I read my books for story time at TRUNK, yesterday morning. Not many people showed up, due to the lovely weather, but it was a nice experience and if I had some extra cash, I would have left with a bag full of new wonderful clothes.

Hiatus and Jump

2010-04-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

My apologies for the long hiatus in blog posts. I'll do my best never to lapse that long again. Here are my excuses, we went for a long trip to Europe. One of the things we did was snowboarding in the French Alps. The weather was fantastic. Not far from the place where we stayed was this huge airbag, installed after a pretty steep ramp. I was told it was virtually impossible to hurt yourself jumping onto the bag. The first two jumps were awesome, but let me tell you, the third one was not painless... Here it is. You can see that the landing wasn't ideal.

Good News!

2010-03-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know yet, Bella & Bean has won the Golden Kite Honor for text!

Yeaaay!

Also, the original art show we had in honor of Women's History Month @ Superfine, was great. Sadly, it's over, already.

Last but not least, the last Women's History Month group event will take place this coming Sunday at PS Bookshop from 4-5PM we are all reading from our books.

John Bauer

2010-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

Today, after the author/illustrator's panel discussion at BookCourt, someone approached me and asked who my influences were. I looked around for a couple of chairs for us to get comfortable while I pondered that question. Then, I realized that he wanted the short answer, two or three names at most. I defaulted to Toulouse Lautrec, Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt.

On the way home, I realized that I only became familiar with those artists in high school and that I had been drawing since I could hold a crayon. Then John Bauer popped into my head. A swedish illustrator who illustrated my favorite fairy tale book ever, The Fairy Tale world of John Bauer. Bauer was born in 1882, and was best known for his illustrations of Trolls, Tomten and Gnomes. He died at the early age of 36 together with his wife and child in a shipwreck. I want to share some of his art here with you.

Amazing Paper Animation

2010-03-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

This is the best animated short I have seen in a long time!

Miss Blum - A Fabric Heroine

2010-02-28T16:56:00.000-08:00

I hereby introduce to you, Miss Blum, my newest creation.

Miss Blum, a little uptight and very vain, was a school teacher for 155 years. Nowadays, she spends her time in front of the mirror, getting ready to find the right partner in crime.

Of Seashells and Sandcastles

2010-02-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

We just had to get out of the cold. Midwinter break was a perfect time to go visit our dear friends Doris and Jimmy in Florida. What a treat!We spent lots of time at the beach.

Off course when you have busy hands, you have to keep them busy.

Women's History Month Book Events

2010-02-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

To celebrate women's history month six author-illustrators, three bookstores and a gallery, are hosting and organizing book readings, signings and an exhibition.

Melanie Hope Greenberg, a wonderful author illustrator and the organizer for these events, has put together a great program.

Participating Author Illustrators

Selina Alko

Miriam Cohen

Pat Cummings

Melanie Hope Greenberg

Aileen Leijten

Meghan McCarthy

Calendar

*Thursday March 4th. 6-8PM

Superfine, 126 Front Street, Brookly

Opening Reception, Picture Book Art

Saturday March 6th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore , 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Selina Alko & Aileen Leijten.

Saturday March 13th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Melanie Hope Greenberg & Miriam Cohen

Sunday March 14th, 11:00AM

Book Court, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn

Group panel.

Saturday March 20th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Meghan McCarthy

Sunday March 21, 4-6PM

PS Bookshop, 147A Front Street

Group Story Time

Saturday March 27th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Pat Cummings.

Stop by to say hi!

Anton Pieck

2010-01-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with Anton Pieck's work when I was 6 years old, and I still am very much in love with it today. Anton Pieck is a Dutch painter, artist and graphic designer, born in the Netherlands in 1895 and died in 1987. His rich imagination was very fairy tale like, and his playful line reminiscent of Albrecht Durer. He was incredibly prolific. In addition to the hundreds of fairytale inspired paintings, woodcuts, and etchings, he designed the first and most important theme park in Europe, The Efteling. I don't come across his work very often here in the states and wanted to share some of his paintings with you.

So beautiful.

My Brooklyn Studio

2010-01-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

I just read an fascinating article about artist's and writer's work spaces. The article came with pictures and I couldn't get enough of them. Some people work in tiny messy spaces, or large sprawled out places. Others work in organized minimal looking rooms. Everyone is so different. It made me look at my own space. My studio is on our home. I initially carved out a small section for myself, but my stuff keeps spilling over into other areas. I have many interests and thus need and use many different supplies. There are paints, pencils, paper, pastels, clay, beads, felt, fabric, wool, thread, ribbon, spread out everywhere. I like to have an overview of what I am working with and I'm always running out of table surface space. Here are some pictures. I did clean up a bit...

btw, it is national hugging day today!

Winter Sculpture

2010-01-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

I am in the very early development stages of a series of sculptures based on the seasons.

For some cold reason, it made sense for me right now to start with winter. This might evolve into a book, it might not. We will see.

The initial research and sketches for the first sculpture are mostly done.

I made and armature and filed it up with aluminum foil, next I took wood paste and started sculpting.

I still have a lot of sculpting to do and the wood paste is much harder to manipulate than I imagined. I am worried about the hands because I want them very long and slender, almost skeleton like. And the face!? Another concern is if the armature is strong enough to hold up the weight of the entire sculpture. I guess I will find out soon!

Stay warm.

Gris Grimly

2010-01-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

Gris Grimly's art work is dark, whimsical, fun, cool and inspiring. His pen and ink line work in particular is stunning. If you like Edward Gorey, Tim Burton and Henry Sellick, you will love Grimly's illustrations.

He both illustrated and wrote quite a few children's books over the past few years, among which many picture books. Be sure to check them out. Be warned though, they are not for the very young or the faint at heart.

Here are a few of my favorite Grimly illustrations.

Enjoy!

These are 3 of the 9 Freakatorium prints.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-30T16:55:00.000-08:00

2009 is coming to and end, and so are the crazy Xmas days. We bought ourselves a wall full of shelves and consequently have been going through a complete house overhaul. Oh My, will I ever get through this mess? My desk and drawing table are covered with piles of stuff I don't know what to do with, the xmas tree is raining needles, and there are toys EVERYWHERE. Help!

But, that's not want I want to focus on here. I want to thank all my good friends, family, and the lovely new people in my life, for a great year. You made 2009 very special and inspiring for me. I wish all of you good health and happiness in the new year.

An image from one of my very favorite illustrators, Elizabeth Zwerger. Cheers!

January 21 is National Hugging Day!

2009-12-26T17:18:00.001-08:00

Can you believe it?

It is the perfect day to give my book, "Hugging Hour" as a present to all your friends! ; )

Keep an eye on my blog, I will be giving away three "Hugging Hours" myself that day! Details will follow.

Winter Fair follow-up

2009-12-10T11:07:00.001-08:00

It was a success!

Our booth looked great.

Set-up completed.

We had a lot of fun, and we sold well.

Adrienne Patrick had these beautiful marionettes. Her birds and my pastries were a hit!

Winter Fair

2009-11-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, I will have a table at a fair. I chose the fabulous Brooklyn Waldorf School Winter Fair to be THE one. In fact, I am happily sharing a table with Adrienne Patrick, who makes incredibly wonderful things. You can find some of her creations at Takashimaya.

If you are in Brooklyn on Sunday December 6th, definitely stop by!

The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren

2009-11-05T06:28:00.000-08:00

The scandinavian Tomten are gentle gnome-like little men, who take care of and protect homes, animals and people. They live for a very long time and stay with the same family for generations. We follow this particular Tomten on his nightly visits around the farm he protects. We visit the animals in the barns, the dog in his little house and the sleeping family. Everyone is blessed with an encouraging message that caries them through the cold winter night and beyond.

This gentle, ageless book, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen award, is so soothing and full of wonder. Astrid Lindgren wrote many other favorite childhood books, one of which is Pippi Longstocking. The watercolor illustrations, Harald Wiberg created for The Tomten, are all masterpieces, in perfect harmony with the text. I grew up with this outstanding book and I am so happy to be able to share it with my daughter and now, with you.

Booooooo!

2009-10-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

This year we are the ghosts of xmas past, present and future.

A Happy Halloween to all of you pumpkins out there!

Getting Better

2009-10-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

My mother in law is out of the ICU after three long and scary weeks. Soon she'll be going to rehab and we hope she'll be better than ever in no time. Positive thinking, right? I am very much looking forward to having my husband back in NY with me, and to life resuming it's usual course. There has been very little time for work, but this morning I was finally able to finish the dummy for one of my new books, Flower Girl. Here is one of the test color test illustrations.

Tomorrow, I am dropping it of at my agents office and hopefully she will find it ready for shipping off into the wide world of publishing.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Little Gnomes and the ICU

2009-10-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

We are over the middle of October and I haven't had a chance to blink yet. It took us a while to smooth out the process of getting my daughter ready for school every morning, preparing her healthful lunch and making sure she has the required clothes/classroom contributions in her bag before 8:00AM. We chose the Brooklyn Waldorf School for our daughter, and we are very happy with that choice. The school however, is not around the corner. Dropping off and picking up takes time. I quickly got sucked into the school craft committee and I am using most of my creative energy to create little treasures for the big annual Winter Fair. (Little gnomes and felted mice in picture) Consequently, my personal work time has greatly been reduced. Then, my husbands mother, who lives in another state, had to have surgery and has been in the ICU for a week now, dealing with complications from the surgery. My husband is with her. That leaves me and my daughter at home, school continues... Needless to say, we are all a little over extended, and anxiously waiting for little bits of good news. This month will not be a big blogging and tweeting month for me. I'll be back though!

Fu Finds the Way

2009-09-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

My husband, John Rocco's newest book, Fu Finds the Way is coming out tomorrow! We have an advanced copy and it looks gorgeous. I am so proud of him. The book is bound in cloth and has a golden teapot on the front, all protected by a beautiful dust jacket. The story is very zen and the art is breathtaking. He also made a really cool trailer for Fu.

Fall Necklace

2009-09-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

Here is the missing picture! You can see more images on Etsy.

Feeling Fall

2009-09-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

The end of the summer has been a whirlwind. Rearranging my city workspace, preparing a little one for nursery school every morning, and finding a new rhythm in it all. The beautiful fall weather has been luring us out of the house, which has taken its toll on my work time. We are starting to get ready for Halloween and are trying to find a creative way to make a less typical, more spooky princess costume. I did make some skellington inspired earrings for my Etsy shop, and a fall color necklace that put a smile on my face. I hope it does the same for you!

Duck Tents

2009-09-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Our newest picture book acquisition happens to be Duck Tents, by Lynne Berry, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. Five little ducks go on a camping adventure in the backyard. They each set up their own colorful tent, grab their poles, tramp through the woods, go fishing and toast marshmallows. These ducks are going for the whole camping experience. When the owl starts the nighttime sound symphony with a loud 'Whoo-whoo' five little ducks change their tune.

The cover of this book immediately caught my eye, brick red with a plaid spine surrounds a charming watercolor painting. They story is cute although somewhat predictable. The inside illustrations however, completely live up to the beautiful cover. Nakata's use of color is superb, her details super cute without getting too sweet, and her page layouts are refreshing. A welcome addition to our picture book library.

Polymer Clay Beads

2009-08-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Over the last year, my daughter and I have been making miniature candy out of polymer clay, to diffuse the desire for real sweets. It worked.

A few weeks ago, while in California I started thinking of making beads out of the clay.

I knew we would be spending 3 weeks in the country upon returning to the east coast, and a beading project seemed appropriate for the rainy days and the TV free evenings coming up.

On our last day in L.A., my dear friend Julie watched my daughter, who was asleep in the car, while I ran into an art store. The store didn't have much clay left, but I found a few colors, enough to mix and make more. I couldn't wait to get started and once we got settled and unpacked in our house in PA, I got dove right in.

Making beads turned out a lot more complex than I anticipated and it took many days for me to get to a place where I was happy with the results. It has been two weeks now and I finally completed three necklaces, check them out!

Mrs Nelson's Bookstore visit

2009-08-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Nelson's Bookstore was new to me, but what a pleasant surprise! We arrived early and walked around the entire store looking into every red trimmed window.

What a wonderful, big and very comprehensive store! The people from Mrs. Nelson's were welcoming and very sweet. They had a gift basket for me with water, fruit and a scone. How great is that?

A quilt was spread out for the children to sit on, in front of a comfortable armchair, framed by a window streaming early morning sunlight. Children and parents started trickling in.

The reading was pleasant, relaxed and much fun.

Someone from the store had downloaded a free coloring sheet from my website, and coloring time for the kids was scheduled after I was done reading. Another brilliant idea.

My book Hugging Hour sold out immediately. Unfortunately they had not received Bella & Bean in time for the event.

My dear friend Michael also didn't make it in time for the reading; he drove an hour to La Verne. But let me tell you, the store alone is worth the drive, and I was very happy to see him for a little bit anyway.

Overall we had a great experience at Mrs. Nelson's, and we are sure to go back there whenever we can.

Vroman's Bookstore visit

2009-08-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

I've always liked Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, so when Marla Frazee and my publisher both told me about the bookstores weekly story time, I knew I wanted to be part of that.

The story time organizers were so nice. They had provided a great space to sit, flanked by books.

Vroman's had ordered a lot of my books, both Hugging Hour! and Bella & Bean.

Attentive kids and thoughtful adults showed up and listened happily as I read.

I recognized many dear faces in the audience.

The whole trip to California turned out to be much fun. Story time at Vroman's was a highlight. Oyher highlights were the Pecha Kucha at Big Buddha Baba, the Book Party at Sue's, and the reading at Mrs. Nelson's. The photo's from Story Time at Mrs. Nelson's will follow shortly.

A short week in Los Angeles

2009-08-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

So far our trip to L.A. has been a whirlwind: parties, a Pecha Kucha, book readings and visits with dear friends. I have one more reading coming up and soon I will have plenty of pictures to post.

It never seems long enough; I never seem to be able to spend as much time with my friends as I would like to. My husband likes to refer to this week as my West Coast Book tour. Call it what you want, it's great to be here and to see everyone.

Pictures and more coming soon!

Week 1 in PA

2009-07-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

It is POURING today. Millions of nature's teardrops are playing a rhythmic tune on the red metal roof. Leonard Cohen is singing in the background, offering to be my man and next to my luminous screen, a cup of cherry tea sits steaming .

Wait a minute, isn't it supposed to be summer right now? I should be sitting by the pool with a watermelonade in my hand, squinting at my dark-looking screen. The crickets should be singing their summery serenade in the background.

But, to take a look on the bright side. We only have had two rainy days this last week, and the waterfall across the street will be wonderful tomorrow. And I am sending good weather vibes out there right now. Next week will be bright and sunny. I'll be sitting on the back porch with my computer and sewing machine, surrounded by art supplies. I will be making many a beautiful thing.

So far, the lawn is mowed, garden furniture pillows are being recovered, cookies have been baked, and a workspace has been carved out. I am ready for week two.

Moving to the country...for 6 weeks.

2009-07-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy summer so far, driving back and forth between the country and the city, packing, unpacking, planning, driving, catching up on mail, emails, etc. Again and again. Consequently I haven't been able to get much else done. I want to work on my books! I want to make crafts! Blog! Tweet! We decided to try another way, so we found someone special to live at our place in the city for a while.

The big day has arrived: tonight we are driving to North Eastern PA and staying there until the beginning of September, except for a 7 day interlude, a trip to Los Angeles. So, here I am packing up half the house. No time to blog much longer, but I wanted to give you a warning. The next few blog posts might center around frogs, snakes, birds, a vegetable garden, the weather, cooking and baking cakes. Yum!

The Lonely Moose by John Segal

2009-07-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

Every night we pick three books to read. Both my husband and I love picture books, so we have a lot of them. Yet I find myself reaching for the same few books again and again, partly because my daughter enjoys them, but mostly because I like to read the books to her. The Lonely Moose, by John Segal is one of those. A reluctant loner moose rescues an injured bird. The bird follows the moose and ends up living on the big animal's antlers until it can fly again. When the bird finally takes off, the moose feels lonely. Suddenly, being alone is not that much fun anymore...

Segal tells a simple, sweet story with an unlikely grumpy hero. The watercolor paintings convey the atmosphere of the story perfectly with their simple beauty.

When my husband came home with the book, I thought it looked a bit boring but it immediately grew on me. My daughter laughs out loud every time we read the part where the bird convinces the moose to eat a worm. I know we will keep reading this book often for years to come.

Waldorf Doll

2009-06-30T07:42:00.000-07:00

My daughter was in one of the local Waldorf parent-child classes this spring. The program focussed on a slow separation process between parent and child. Towards the end of the school year, the parents could leave the children alone with the teachers, but had to stay close. That is how I happened upon a parent craft circle that was happening weekly in another room. Everyone was making Waldorf dolls. The basic pattern for each doll was the same and the technique very specific and meticulous. There were three different skin color fabrics, and after the head and body were done, everyone chose how to make their own hair texture, color and style. The clothes and accessories were also endless and much fun to explore.Here is the doll I ended up making. The mornings went by too fast. We all had a lot of fun, and I can't wait for school to start again in the fall.

The Weaving of a Dream, Marilee Heyer

2009-06-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

For this post I decided to review one of my favorite NOT new picture books. I have quite a few. When I looked some of the books up on Amazon, I saw that many of them were out of print. How disappointing. These are fantastic books; they should NEVER go out of print. Why do books go out of print that fast? Luckily, Marilee Heyer's The Weaving of a Dream, is still available, even though only in paperback. The book is a retelling of a Chinese folk tale. The water-color and color pencil art is breath takingly beautiful. Heyer's attention to detail is unbelievable and she is a master at painting fabrics, patterns and texture. I heard Marilee Heyer speak at an SCBWI conference years ago. She has a background in fashion illustration, and has a strong interest in history, antiques, and combining Eastern and Western themes. These interests are represented in her work in the most wonderful way.

What Makes Us Happy?

2009-06-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

I just came across this wonderful article on a study done by Dr. George Valliant.

He has been following the lives of a group of men for decades, hoping to find out what makes a happy life.

The article is fantastic, the embedded video is endearing, eye opening, and wonderful to see.

Enjoy, and be happy.

Paper Flowers

2009-06-02T07:36:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the hiatus. It’s been a busy two weeks. But I am back and it’s time to talk about Flower Girl. Where I grew up in Belgium, children exchange flowers for shells on the beach every summer.

It’s been a tradition for as long as anyone can remember. The flowers are made with crepe paper, thin metal wire and plant sticks. The paper comes in all different colors and the sticks in many different lengths. The result is a colorful array of personal creations. I went back there not so long ago and there were bright little flower shops all over. My childhood beach memories washed over me like a big wave and I came up spitting bubbles and a new picture book idea. I did research, then started sketching and writing. Here are a few images I want to share with you.
I tried out a few different approaches. This image is watercolor and china ink. The image below is painted on newspaper covered wood.

The Story Blanket

2009-05-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

I picked up a picture book at our local independent bookstore. The Story Blanket, written by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz, illustrated by Elena Odriozola. I am always on the lookout for new and fresh looking illustration styles and the cover of this book, immediately jumped out at me.

I leafed through my new find and was happy to see that the cover wasn't the only lovely illustration there. Believe me, it happens often that a book doesn't measure up to it's cover, but not this time. "You didn't read the story?" you ask me, "It's a picture book, a quick read!" I have to admit a little secret of mine, I didn't read the story, and it's certainly not the first time I buy a book just for the art. Last night I read The Story Blanket to my 3 year old daughter. Oh, what a nice tale. I loved it. The main character Baba Zarrah unravels her beautiful story blanket piece by piece to secretly knit warm clothes for the villagers. There is a lot of snow and no way to go to the town for new yarn. The story is sweet and warm and good. And, as I said before, the illustrations are great. Every single page is beautiful. Elena Odriozola, I am a big fan. The layouts and use of white space in masterful, the bright colors complement each other fabulously and the character design is original and fresh. A new favorite book in our picture book library.

Knit Bella & Bean Hat

2009-05-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been a while... What can I say. I have been knitting. After being asked a few times if the Bella & Bean hats were available somewhere, I decided to knit a couple of sample hats. You know Bella & Bean, from the book Rebecca Kai Dotlich wrote and I illustrated. The one that is at the top of your shopping list! Anyway, so here it is the hat as Bean sports it in our book, and below is the knit version.

It's a pretty tall hat!

I am planning to make some in different colored stripes. Maybe I will have to open that Etsy shop I've been thinking about, after all.

Lovely Mayfest

2009-05-04T13:20:00.001-07:00

In between rain showers, in a nearby park, we celebrated the coming of spring, with people from my daughter's school. Everybody brought flowers to share for making crowns, we danced around a Maypole holding ribbons and we shared a delicious picnic. We had a lovely time and I wanted to share some pictures with you on this dreary NY day.

Breakfast with Seven Imps

2009-04-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Kay Dotlich and I just enjoyed a fabulous cyber breakfast with Julie, over at Seven Imps.

What a fun experience we had. Come see and taste with us.

Madame Pamplemousse

2009-04-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite writers is Roald Dahl, in particular his books for children. Even though I reread his books again and again with great pleasure, there is always a sad empty space in my heart longing for a new Matilda, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or any of his other whimsical and incredibly funny books. The unfortunate fact is that Roald Dahl will never write another book because he went to Oompa Loompa heaven.

Recently, however, that sad place in my heart became a lot smaller. I discovered Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles, by Rupert Kingfisher. Madeleine has to wash dishes in her terrible uncle's restaurant every summer. She is a very promising little chef, but Uncle Lard is a very insecure and jealous man. Luck brings Madeleine to Edibles, a little shop owned by Madame Pamplemousse. But then Uncle Lard forces Madeleine to spy on Madame Pamplemousse and that's when things become complicated...

I loved, loved, loved this book! Kingfisher's very fulfilling world of heroines and villains is one to be reckoned with. From the dark and musty store, Camembert the incredible cat, to the pig-like Mr. Lard, Madame Pamplemousse kept my attention from the moment I opened the book until I put it down. I can't wait to read more of Kingfisher's work! And I have to mention that the cover art is very inviting, and the pen and ink interior illustrations are much fun. Sue Hellard certainly lived up to the challenge. Thank you for a great book.

Our First Week-End in the Country

2009-04-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

We just went back to our fixer upper in the country after a five month hiatus. All in all it wasn't bad. No major plumbing explosions, no break-ins or roof leaks, just a decaying dead dear in the front yard, (yuck!) some new critter house mates, a dead bird in the chimney, and the usual suspects, an army of little biting black flies waiting to eat us up as soon as we set foot out the door.

Don't get me wrong, we had a great time. We assessed all the work we still need to do on the house and the yard. We ate outside on the back porch, we walked to the river and we pulled out many many weeds. Okay, we're a little overwhelmed, though nothing the soon to be sweltering heat of the City can't take care of.

Felted Easter Eggs and Nest

2009-04-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

Time for another craft entry. This time, for Easter, I decided to make an robins nest and eggs. I love decorating eggs but decided to try some felting first. I am happy with the result, still have all my fingers (although some have little red dots on them), and I didn't brake my one and only felting needle. Hopefully, Saturday morning will allow for some egg painting. All depends on my husband being willing to blow out half a dozen eggs and my daughter not to brake them. Wishing you a happy Easter.