new season, new projects... August 31, 2011

The last day of August and fall is creeping in. Goodbye, summer. Goodbye, hot studio. Goodbye, iced coffee. 

Hello, latte. Hello, rabbits. Hello, witches..... 

Bandits book giveaway! August 16, 2011

PDX Kids Calendar and Green Bean Books are partnering up for a Bandits giveaway. You can read all about how to win, right here!

Beware! BANDITS are on the loose! August 16, 2011

Caution!!! Bandits, has been released into the wild today! Be on the lookout for this book!! It has been spotted at the following places....

Powell's, IndieBound, Macmillan, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local bookstore!

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2—Bandits are rarely presented in as endearing a manner as in Wright's delightful book about six troublesome raccoons that prowl the neighborhood digging through trash, stealing, and leaving a mess. The text reads like free verse, and it's clear that the words have been carefully chosen. "But those bandits are careless/Leaving clue after clue/And when they are caught/They will never confess!/Back on the run." The true star of this book is the amazing artwork. The textural, expressive paintings are full of life, movement, and humor. While the artistic process is evident through visible canvas texture and messy lines, each illustration is fully realized. The spread showing the raccoons as "They sneak and they creep" exaggeratedly toward the village at dusk perfectly introduces the rascally animals. Children who have experienced these nighttime visitors will enjoy seeing their version of events and the fanciful depiction of their activities. This quirky little story is best suited for one-on-one or individual reading. Given the chance, these bandits will easily steal readers' hearts with their charming mischief.—Anna Haase Krueger, Antigo Public Library, WI

Publishers Weekly

here we go... August 08, 2011

I just shipped off the final illustrations to NYC for The Best Bike Ride Ever, (by James Proimos, Dial Books, 2012.) I can't believe it's done!! 

For those of you that have been keeping track, I've been working hard on this book for over a year now. It's been an amazing process, and I'm really proud and happy about it all.

Well, this awesome kiddo kind of sums it up.....

More Bandits... August 01, 2011

Just two more weeks until Bandits is released! 

You can read a lovely review over at Seven Impossible Things, right here.

And for you Portland peeps, I will be doing a book signing and reading over at Green Bean Books on August 20th, at 2pm. You can read more about it on their list of summer events. Hope to see you there!

Bandits etc.... July 14, 2011

What you’re seeing here, is a hardcover copy of Bandits, on our brand new floors.. two extremely exciting things colliding. The Bandits hard copy looks fantastic, and makes me swoon with delight. I can’t believe the pub date is nearly here! August 16th, peeps!

The floors...oh our dear floors. Majority of the downstairs of our old (old!) house had fir floors that were so ancient and thin, there was a lingering fear of falling through to the basement when we did any vigorous dancing. Not to mention any piano arranging. So, floors have been replaced with the beauty that you see here. Walking barefoot (without any fear of splinters...) has been amazing and liberating. 

Ok, ok, enough about our dang floors. You can pre-order Bandits at Macmillan, Powell's, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon. Hooray!!

pantyhose! June 30, 2011

The creative hounds are out, people. That's why I've been so quiet around here. 

Gabe and I have worked out operation, Wakey Wakey Eggs and Bakey, for yours truly, so that's what I've been doing. Getting up absurdly early, before the baby wakes if you can imagine that, to sneak off to the coffee shop to write and think. Sadly, eggs and bacon are usually not involved, though lots of coffee and toast seem to be.

The getting up in the wee hours is mildly painful, (especially when there are baby snuggles in the mix…)  but I've found that getting up for something that I'm desperately excited to do, is much easier than...oh I don't know....getting up and putting on a pair of pantyhose and heading out to a job where pantyhose are required.

I know that for many many people, putting on a pair of pantyhose does not feel like they are squeezing their soul into something tube shaped and wrong, and I salute you. For me, a pair of pantyhose in the wee morning hours is enough to reduce me to pitiful, weepy wails. It's also enough to inspire me to keep making a living as an artist, even though that can be a tough sometimes. And I must admit, a major perk to working for myself is wearing whatever I please. 

More soon....

etsy store is open!!! June 18, 2011

My store is finally open again. Hooray! I have prints and some mini paintings available right now, with new products on the way. You can check it out, right here.

Thanks so much for your patience. More soon!

Bridget Zinn June 02, 2011

Last week friend and YA writer, Bridget Zinn, passed away from colon cancer at the age of 33. It's taken me a bit to write about this. What to say? How do I wrap my mind around the loss of someone so young and vibrant and awesome? Impossible, really. 

I was in my studio the other day, and I just felt like I wanted to paint something special for Bridget's sweet husband, Barrett. When in doubt, paint. That is my (very unofficial) motto. 

The more I started thinking about this painting, the more I wanted to share it with others, and I thought it might be nice to sell prints of this painting, in memory of Bridget, with all of the proceeds going to Friends of the Cooperative Children's Book Center, (an organization that Bridget was very close to, and the chosen place for memorial donations.)

Bridget's husband thought this was a good idea, so it's now in motion! If you would like to purchase this print, you can do so right here.

**update***  

The In Memory of Bridget Zinn print is still available! Thanks to all for supporting this piece and Friends of the CCBC. I know that some of you were concerned that it was sold out, but I've just ordered a new batch of prints. For those of you that have already purchased a print, yours will be shipping on Monday, June 20th. Thank you again!

May 25, 2011

Where has the time gone? What the heck have I been up to the last few weeks?

Sunshine. Baby love. Book stuff.

Sketches and paintings and more paintings and more sketches. And...maybe a few spring-y breaks with an IPA and a sunset and some Clover Twig sketches and a giant eraser...and..and..a little fun reading because it's nearly summer. The Penderwicks, of course.

Sigh. Goodness.