Where have they laid Him?

From Tell Me the Story of Jesus,
by V. Gilbert Beers and Cheri Bladholm

Wishing you and yours a Happy Easter!

Illustrator Therese Cilia

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts,
Courtesy Therese Cilia

This week's featured artist is Therese Cilia. Her thriving business at Strawberry Snail showcases her delightful pen and ink watercolors.  Therese's style is light and whimsical, reminiscent of  Master illustrator Quentin Blake.
Check out her portfolio or buy a print from her Etsy shop.
I can't wait to see her work in picture book or chapter book format.
I expect it won't be long before she attracts the notice of publishers here, or in her native Canada.

PPBF: Daddy, Could I Have an Elephant?

Today's pick for Perfect Picture Book Friday

Daddy Could I Have an Elephant?,
Written by Jake Wolf ,
Illustrated by Marylin Hafner

Daddy, Could I Have An Elephant?
Written by Jake Wolf and Illustrated by Marylin Hafner

Greenwillow Books, 1996, Fiction, ages 4-8, word count 327

Themes:
Pets, Animals, Imagination, Responsibility






Opening:
"Daddy," said Tony, "I need a pet."
"You do?" said his father.
"Yes," said Tony.
"What kind?" said his father.
"Could I have an elephant?" said Tony.

Synopsis:
So begins the dialogue between father and son. Tony wants a pet, but nothing ordinary will do.  His father patiently asks common sense questions about taking care of exotic animals in a city apartment.  Undeterred, Tony's answers become more and more imaginative.

What I Love:
There are plenty of books about kids who want outrageous pets.  I like this one for its wordless beginning and ending.  I love the relationship between father and son in this book: the dad is subtly teaching his son how to think through a problem.  Each time I read this as an adult, I suspect Dad has a plan in the back of his mind and is just stalling for time.  My 8 year-old reader loves the comic backstory that is added by the illustrator - an extension of the text the author wrote.

Bonus:
1. Take a trip to the local pet store, or better yet, a shelter.  Kids can visit and volunteer at an animal rescue center.  They have plenty of information on what it takes to care for a pet.
2. While you're at it, why not organize a drive to collect donations for your town's animal shelter.  They are always in need of food, toys,  towels, newspapers, and other supplies.  Check with the front desk to see what they need most.
3. Older readers will enjoy making origami elephants or a host of other animals available online.

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday for March 29, 2013.
Thanks to Susanna Leonard Hill 

Looking for books with similar themes?  I like Tight Times, Teacher's Pets, The Trouble With Elephants, Children Make Terrible Pets, or If I Had a Dragon.

Babybug Illustrator Interviews

Babybug, from the Cricket Magazine Group, is full of wonderful art and ideas.  But who knew Babybug's blog is too?  Illustrator Carolyn Flores did!  She introduced me to the monthly illustrator interview.  Each month, Babybug blog delves into the creative process of their cover artists.

Babybug, March 2013

The March issue of the magazine features some colorful mice by artist Laura Susan Thomas.  Incidentally, this issue also contains a poem  beautifully illustrated by Bookish Ambition fan favorite Beth Bogert.  Grab a copy to share with your favorite toddler.
Thanks Carolyn!

Beth Bogert,
Illustrator

Canta, Rana, Canta,
 illustrations by Carolyn Dee Flores

Art by Laura Susan Thomas for Ladybug Magazine

Writing Fears: The Vision

The Lucy Variations,
by Sara Zarr

YA author Sara Zarr writes about the revision of The Lucy Variations.  She shares some vulnerable thoughts, trying to convince herself that "Yes, I succeeded in writing this book by completely making friends with the idea that I might have a massive failure on my hands."

I was struck by her view of the vision for her writing, and think it is easily applied to all of what I do as a maker of children's books.

She says:

It wasn’t until I read over the final page proofs for Lucy that I felt satisfied. It wasn’t perfect, but I felt: I did it. Though nothing ever matches the vision and the vision always changes, I wrote the book I wanted to write and didn’t think I could. And in that moment I knew that no matter what anyone else would think of the book down the line, I’d accomplished something deeply important to me. When people ask what’s the best thing about being a writer,that’s what I can never articulate. It’s a feeling of personal triumph. It’s a battle you fought, against all of your worst fears and insecurities and predictions of doom and homelessness and blacklisting and having to flee the country. Only know how close you came to not doing it, to running away, to intentionally getting your hands caught in industrial machinery so you’d have an excuse for missing a deadline . . . Maybe this isn’t true for all writers . . .But fear–even to the point of feeling hopeless–isn’t a sign we should stop doing the hard thing . . .

We move forward and through, and the rewards in that act alone are immeasurable. I’m at that stage I always come to in the writing process of savoring that, for these last few weeks while the book is mostly mine, then soon I will happily turn it over to you–because that is the completion of the satisfaction, wanting, hoping, to move others with what moved me or them making unexpected connections completely apart from my vision–and then see what’s next.

Five Steps to Fearless Creativity

These five steps are adapted from Dan, at EmptyEasel.com.

Sometimes I'm Afraid,
by Maribeth Boelts and Cheri Bladholm

1. Take a risk.  Or I might say, experiment.  I took the advice of a friend, and the gift certificate I received for my birthday, and headed to the art supply store.  I bought materials I don't use and don't feel comfortable with.  I also chose supplies that had an immediacy so I wouldn't procrastinate.  No one will ever see that stuff, but the experimentation has reintroduced fun and decreased the stress in my other illustration projects.

2. Document successes.  Last February I started keeping a journal of accomplishments toward my goal of a fulfilling art career.  It's to-the-point, takes a minute or less to write, and gives me the sense of moving forward, even when my current project is a little stalled.

3. Analyze failures.  If you fail, make a list of reasons why so you can focus on improving those things one at a time.  I might start researching a way to improve one thing, but in my daily sketching, work to improve something different.   I don't want too many doubts paralyzing me before I begin the next project.

I Will Not Be Afraid,
by Michelle Medlock Adams
and Jeremy Tugeau

4.  Diversify.  My art professors poo-pooed illustrators who did murals, commissions, and t-shirts.  But I've always admired artists who aren't afraid to try something new (see #1).  The 21st century is the perfect place to spread your artistic wings.  Almost any creative endeavor can have a positive impact on your work.

5. Commit.  Join a critique group.  Enter a contest.  Set some deadlines.  When you commit, you force yourself to see it through.  And yes, you might fail.  See above.  Learn.  Move forward.



These steps can just as easily be applied to writing.
Next week I plan to share some advice on fighting fear from a writer's perspective.

Check my previous posts on this topic: Advice from illustrator Greg Pizzoli, designer Martin Glaser, and others.
Thanks to all who shared this information with other struggling artists.  The sense of community gives me greater courage.

Never Give Up

"The only difference between a published author and an unpublished author, is the published one didn't give up."

-Mark Twain

Free bookplate from My Home Library
Art by Posy Simmonds