Friday Studio Links - BiG News

 

Last week my art "Time to Wish" that went to Italy won an honorable mention at the Bologna Children's Book Fair! The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators proudly presented a gallery of images from 34 of it's members as part of the 2014 SCBWI Bologna Showcase. At the fair one winner and 4 honorable mentions were announced for this BiG (Bologna Illustrators Gallery) award.

Time to Wish

I was in great company along with the winner Dorothea Rohner, and three other honorable mentions - Kris Sexton, Ingrid Kallick, and Tanja Wooten. Can you imagine having your artwork show up on the BiG screen at such an enormous event? It would have been amazing to be there, but since I wasn't, here's the next best thing. Check out the links and you can virtually be there too. Thank you everyone for the photos and videos!

In this link from an article in Publisher's Weekly, you can get an idea of just how big and exciting this event is!

The SCBWI Booth with Dueling Illustrators

The SCBWI Booth with the BiG Posters

And in case you haven't seen enough, here's a link to the Bologna Book Fair Photogallery with tons of very cool images.

And a fun video that shows the scope of how BiG the fair really was.

BIG Opportunity and Perseverance

I have something BIG going on! Looks like I'm going to Italy. My art that is! I've been selected to be featured in the SCBWI 2014 "Bologna Illustrators’ Gallery." My piece "Time to Wish" will be displayed on the showcase booth walls at The Bologna book Fair.

This leads me to thinking about perseverance in this business and the art of never giving up. That's a hard thing to do when you've spent years chasing a dream. Sometimes receiving encouragement, other times rejection. Then more rejection. Then the rejection turns into a no response, because the business practices have changed, and a no response means rejection. (But in the back of your mind you think there still might be hope - maybe they just haven't gotten back to you yet?) Then you get a good critique, a featured spot, or even a rejection letter with a positive note. And you think just maybe you can make this dream happen.

Someone recently gave me some very sound advice. We were discussing the need to look for a paying job or to continue putting everything you've got into following this dream. She asked me "Which one would leave you with regrets?" Years from now would I regret most not taking a menial job or giving up on publishing?

And that leads me to Bologna. I'm not going to give up. I just got a kick in the butt to remind me of what I want and what this particular piece means to me. This piece is from my heart. It's from a story I started a long time ago and "cut my teeth on" in this business. It not the same story it was when I first wrote it (or for that matter first illustrated it.) It has grown along with me. It's been written many times, revised many times, and sent out many times. Then shelved.

I've worked on other things since then. I started new picture book projects, I've illustrated books for other writers, I even started writing a novel of my own. Recently an Art Directer reviewed my portfolio and told me this piece showed how much I loved working on it. So I pulled it out from the dark drawer again, made more revisions and decided it's good. The writing is good. The concept is good. I think I got this. I think it's time to start shopping this story...again.

Please Note: This month's Friday Studio Links has been delayed. Check back next Friday for more information.

The Business of the Business

It seems like the last month has been filled with the business end of what writers and illustrators have to spend a good chunk of their time doing. Running a business. Yes, I'd rather be in the studio drawing or sitting at my desk researching and writing. But a gal's got to do what a gal's got to do.

Design a new look and logo- check!
Design new business cards and stationary- check!

Postcard design and printing- check!
Mailing list of publishers and who is where- check!
Print mailing labels, stamp, and mail postcards- check!
 
Create a new portfolio- check!
Decide on portfolio images- check!
Print images- check!
Assemble portfolio- check!

Register for the local SCBWI-AZ Conference- check!
Prepare and mail portfolio- check! (Yes, a second one!)
Mail PB manuscript and dummy book for conference critique- check!
Proofread, print, and mail first 10 pages of MG novel- check!

Redesign website- check!
Photo shoot  for website- check!
Select and size images for website- check!
Launch new website- check!

Phew! Now back to some writing and illustrating. Right after I write a synopsis and cover letter for that MG novel...

Be sure to visit my new website.

SCBWI Featured Artist

I just found out I was selected as the latest "Featured Artist" on SCBWI website. For those not in the biz, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is a professional guild for writers and illustrators. An international organization, it has more than 19,000 members worldwide, making it the largest children's writing organization in the world. And for those in the biz, you know! It's the freekin’* SCBWI!! And my work is on the welcome page! What perfect timing. I just sent out art samples to publishers and am preparing a mailing to agents. I'm on cloud nine!

*If my kids read this, sorry. I just couldn’t think of any word that said it better than this.

Mermaids and Contests

Leave it to those Disco Mermaids! They sure know how run a contest. And since I tend to win things, I'm entering! How about you? In honor of the sale of Jay’s first book, Thirteen Reasons Why those Mermaids are going to pick up the tuition tab for one lucky winner to the SCBWI Summer Conference. Looking for a way to get to LA this summer? Here's your chance. That is unless I'm the winner.

Logo design by Don Tate II