New Chapter Book - Grandma and the Depicters

What a great year 2009 was! It's been one adventure after another trying new techniques and methods as well as revisiting old mediums and exploring new ones. I've been painting with gouache, a digital tablet, and pen and ink with watercolour. It's eye opening to explore a variety of mediums and it's amazing how each one affects how you paint with the other.

My final project of the year was the art for Rosalie Silverstone's 11 chapter book 'Grandma and the Depicters'. When I was first approached to do this book I thought it just might be the perfect project for pen & ink with watercolour since the interior illustrations were to be black and white. After working for so many years in acrylic and oils I'd forgotten how wonderfully lively this combination can be and I'm glad have them as part of my repertoire again.

'Grandma and the Depicters' was written for children aged 7 – 12 but I loved it, guess I'm still a kid. You can get this highly enjoyable book at http://www.thedepicters.com

Oil Painting to Watercolor - Illustration

Thank You
6 x4, Watercolor with Pen & Ink

It's been an experimental few months and I'm not done exploring yet. Recently my agent Deborah Wolfe of Illustration OnLine suggested we give our clients another illustration style to choose from, something loose and free, like watercolors which used to be my medium of choice. It was a great idea and I'm loving the spontaneity of these.


Flowers For Mom
4x4, Watercolor with Pen & Ink

This illustration is one in a series that depicts a small story in only 6 steps with no text to describe the story. The pen I'm using to do the inking is my Aunt's which she used when she was just a young woman. It's in my studio now and I'll treasure it forever.


Smart Car Journey
7x6, Watercolor with Pen & Ink

Smart cars are a pretty nifty mode of getting around but they do have their limits.

Am I done exploring? I don't think so. A commission for another trunk has come in and this one has a Cuban theme. The research phase is underway and inspiration is starting to flow. Still lifes in oil, whimsical watercolors and acrylics, and functional art, it's going to be a fun and very creative summer.