New Logo

I've been busy with holiday
promo art and a NEW logo!
Will it be Art Hen...
#1,#2,#3,or #4?
Thanks for your help
Abby !xxx

Fast Forward

Life's been busy for months with graduations, a wedding, moving kids, traveling, the Highlights Illustrators Party, a book signing and our IN-SCBWI conference! I'll fast-forward to November with a few posts & photos!

November IN -SCBWI news to come soon!

In October, I had a fun fall weekend at the Highlight's Illustrators Party!! This years theme was 'Pick a Day." Any DAY in the year that inspired you to create a costume for the party. I was Lost Sock Day (who knew there was such a day?) My costume was a laundry basket/skirt with every lost sock I could find. Thank you, friends and neighbors for all your contributions! My get-up was sort of a tribute to the game, Sock Hunt, I created/illustrated for Highlight's High Five Magazine.
Pictured below, left to right are a group of PBAA gals, Rebecca Thornburgh, Emilie Boon Sheila Bailey, Sharon Lane Holm and me!

The Beach Lake fire hall is where the dinner and big shindig/square dancing takes place.In September, I was one of many authors and illustrators at the Reach out and Read -Indiana, fundraiser. We spent the evening reading and singing books in the Indianapolis Children's Museum atrium.
I did an animal drawing lesson and had some great artists participate!
The kids loved the book cake!

Hope Card Clip!

We have completed our contribution to the global "Hope Card" effort to support those effected by the Australian fires and flooding this past February!

If you are interested, here are the specifications of our card.
Illustrators and authors create ONE HOPE card
a.. with drawings from your illustrators
b.. words and/or signature by your authors
c.. to the Australian KIDS and FAMILIES
d.. sending love and hope

We received 17 submissions from IN SCBWI and I have found a great way to display ALL 17 in a single card. Please take 17 seconds and watch this clip. You will see a demonstration of the "map book" card which I have come up with to make this a fun thing to read.



By taking an 18X18 piece of colored paper, I was able to get 9 individual 6X6 squares totally 18 individual mounting sides. I added a cover with a title, Hope Card from Indiana USA SCBWI. When folded, just right, you have a single 6X6 hope card - tied with a bow!

Although it took a while to come up with a suitable way to include everyone's effort, I think we will have done it! Thanks to all that took the time to help make the IN SCBWI Hope Card a success!

Hope Card Art

Back in February, Australia was hit very hard with devastating fires and flooding. In response to this tragedy, chapters from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) have made donations and are still in the process of creating Hope Cards. Many chapters from around the world will feature their local artists and authors on their cards. Our Indiana chapter asked me to create art for our card. I based my illustration on an anonymous quote:

"Dreams are like stars …you may never touch them, but if you follow
them they will lead you to your destiny."

I hope those affected by the fires will find comfort from our cards and begin the process of rebuilding their lives, homes, and communities. I used acrylics and some colored pencil to create this ‘starry' illustration. Hopefully it will give those in Australia a positive outlook for the future!

New art on the PBAA Promo Poster! !

I'm a member of Picture Book Artist Association (PBAA)
and our Spring Promotional Poster is on our blog-
The Dust of Everyday Life!

Please visit PicturBook Artists Online Store see the wonderful
poster created by our PBAA Promo Committee (and more!)

Can you spy my Green-House art in the poster? GO-GO GREEN!

Happy Spring!

The weather outside is still cold and wintery!
But spring has officially arrived in the studio with
this new painting (just completed) for a custom invitation.
Please respect the © Thanks! Happy Spring!

Flakes, Friends & (Upcoming) FUN!

As the last of the snowflakes were falling ... dumping more than a foot of snow on Indianapolis, (marking the city's biggest snowfall in 13 years) I was chatting on the phone with my friend, poet and author (and neighbor)Rebecca Kai Dotlich. We caught up on news and discussed plans for a Bella & Bean Valentine's Day Party - and Book Sale at the Simply Sweet Shoppe in Carmel, Indiana.

Our beautiful, turn-of-the-century neighborhood candy store has every type of confections one could imagine. The Valentine's Day Party will take place February 14 from 2:00-4:30 pm on the second floor of the shoppe, which is the home to the Second story Playhouse, a performing and visual arts studio for young people.


There will be a book signing by "Bella & Bean", author Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Valentine cookie decorating, and Valentine card craft with the help of Rebecca and myself. Bella and Bean is illustrated by Aileen Leijten who has a wonderful sneak-peek website with links to the characters, activities, and reviews!

I hope you can join us in this magical place, for a Valentine's Day filled with friends, FUN, and hopefully NO snowFLAKES!

A portion of the proceeds from this book sale on February 14 will go to Best Buddies Indiana.

The theme of Flakes, Friends, and Fun inspired me to post an illustration I did for one of Rebecca's poems titled, What Is A Snowman Made Of?