A Hole Is To Dig

With all the buzz about that darn NYTimes article on the demise of the picture book and the great rebuttals-- (http://www.philnel.com/2010/10/08/picture-book-is-dead/ )

I decided I too shall rebut.

Because I love picture books. I adore picture books. I lurve them.

So I thought I'd post this fabulous Maurice Sendak illustration from Ruth Krauss' A Hole Is To Dig. One of the all-time great picture books, in my estimation. And it doesn't even have a narrative arc!

Subtitled "A First Book of First Definitions," the author thanks some kindergarten children, who I assume provided the amazing text. Words like 'A face is something to have on the front of your head' and 'The sun is to tell you when it's every day' and 'Cats are so you can have kittens'

Had to be written by kids. I just don't know any adults who are that perceptive. So let your kid be a kid and let your kid use her wonderful visual thinking to understand the concept of story and let your kid read picture books! As long as they want to, even when they're all growed up.

Because, like the final page of A Hole is To Dig says, "A book is to look at."

Self-Portrait at 30

Going through a forgotten portfolio, I came upon this painting. What I remembered was working on it for many months, and then showing it to my (not very pleasant) housemate at the time. She looked at it and didn't say a thing.

So I figured it wasn't any good. And I didn't even like her!

Now I find it and say, 'wow!' I guess I need to learn not to listen to unpleasant people. Why has it taken me so long to figure this out?

Think of all the people in your life (including your inner critic) who in so many ways tell you it's no good and might as well give up. Now take a big eraser and erase them all!

Then find a critique group (or other supportive people) who want to consider what's good about what you're doing (and help you figure out what needs to be changed.) Surround yourself with people who believe in you and want you to succeed. And when you find them... or if you found them already.. give them a big hug.

Because we do need to believe in ourselves. But it's also great to have other people who do, too. (thank you, Secret Gardeners!)

My Hands Won't Keep Still

I was lucky enough to attend the SCBWI Carolinas conference this weekend-- with some of my fellow Secret Gardeners! (you know who you are)

Of course I drew some of the presenters--
pictured here (roughly sketched):
Alan Gratz, wonderful (local!) author
Liz Waniewski, Senior Editor, Dial Books
-- also awesome and sweet!
Alvina Ling, Senior Editor,
Little, Brown Books
-- so funny and smart (and prettier than my sketch!)

I would have drawn the talented and fun Elizabeth Dulemba or the charming and handsome Laurent Linn, Art Director at Simon & Schuster, BUT they kept showing us these fascinating images, so I had to keep my gaze upward...

BUT during the other presentations, sketching seemed unavoidable. Like crossing and uncrossing my legs. My hands seem to want to keep moving. It's almost annoying. And I worried about being distracting (or annoying) to other attendees.
(at least I stopped rattling my candy wrapper when you told me to, Donna!)

I don't want to be a compulsive person (she says, rolling and unrolling a scrap of paper) but maybe crazy-hands is part of being an artist. (horrors!)

hey, at least I'm not robbing banks.

How do you direct your crazy energy (when you're not at your computer/in your studio) Were you the one with the candy wrapper sitting right behind me? Don't worry; I understand.

apologies for not doing that linking thing w/ everyone's name-- can someone tell me how to? You definitely should check out Alan Gratz's great books!

Roald Dahl's Birthday!

was this past Monday. (I believe he would've been 94.)

And a peculiar thing happened, which led to another peculiar thing, which led to the most peculiar thing of all.

The first peculiar thing was our most wonderful indie bookstore, Malaprops, hosted a Roald Dahl event: local authors were invited to read from James and The Giant Peach.

My daughter was in afterschool, and for a second I thought, 'Well, I guess I'm not going, then,' but the next second I realized how much I wanted to hear James and The Giant Peach. So I went.

The next peculiar thing was that while I was greatly enjoying all the local authors' renditions of James and The Giant Peach (and drawing them and sorry I didn't get their names, but that wasn't the point, really) our most wonderful Asheville bookseller, Caroline Green, approached me and whispered something in my ear.

One of the authors hadn't shown up. Would I like to read James and The Giant Peach?

Would I?! And practically become one of those legendary local Asheville authors right then and there?

The next peculiar thing was I overcame my aversion to standing at a podium before even a small and book-loving group of people and got up and read. The final peculiar thing was looking at the audience and registering the dearth of children. And realizing we love Roald Dahl because we love him, not because we know he makes our children happy.

Because we love great books. And that's who we are. That's why we were there, at Malaprops Bookstore, listening to each other read about cabbage-faced aunts, giant snarky centipedes and Cloud Men.

Thanks, Caroline. And thank you, Roald Dahl. And Happy Birthday!

Summer Reading

The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were a big part of my summer. Suzanne Collins is so brilliant, and I aspire to be some fraction of the storyteller she is. I don't have a copy of Mockingjay yet :( Go ahead and pity me. But I am #9 on the waiting list of my local library. :(

Also loved Clay Carmichael's Wild Things. She does a great job of making a stray cat a very real (and complex) character. Plus I like her drawings.

And I actually read two grown-up books this summer. The first was The Memory Keepers Daughter, because I'm always behind the times in my reading list. Awesome and amazing.

And I caved and read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, because my mother-in-law left it at our house and his books are taking up a huge section of Malaprops, my favorite local bookstore.

Before I started reading, I asked my MIL if it was very violent and she said 'not really' so I went for it. In fact, it's extremely violent, especially by my wimpy standards. I think I'll stick to YA and MG from now on. Or maybe I'll just read picture books (my daughter and I are currently re-reading the Traction Man books by Mini Grey, which I think are my favorite contemporary pbs.)

BUT, you might say, Hunger Games is also violent. I can't deny you are right about that. So why do I love them? Of course, they are disturbing books. But also strangely uplifting--- because I believe Katniss and all the good people will prevail in the end? Maybe also because, as futuristic novels, I can read them as metaphor and therefore the violence is a little more distant.

Do you know what I mean? Do you stick with YA? And what did you read this summer?

Starting Second Grade

Today. I hung around awhile, then asked my daughter, "Do you want me to stay?"

"Whatever you want," she said.

She was at the table with all her little friends happily decorating her math folder. The girls were drawing flowers, spirals and rainbows.

You want your kid to be independent. And then she's independent and suddenly you have a hollow feeling in your stomach.

Another parenting dilemma. Is this worse than the terrible threes? (probably not)

But what am I going to do when she wants to go to college? Just say no?

The Best Reason to Marry A Musician Is...

free concerts!

At Bar Bes on 9th Street in Brooklyn, for example. At your local cafe. Even at Joe's Pub, once, which is a very elegant venue and part of the Joseph Papp Public Theatre.

Sometimes it's just me listening to him practicing in the bedroom. Near my computer. Sometimes it's irritating!

But sometimes it's a bunch of musician friends hanging out on the porch late at night drinking beer and jamming. That's the best. I love hearing great musicians on my very own porch. Sharing the love.

And now I'm sharing these drawings with you. Musicians are great to draw! So expressive and gestural. Plus they often make weird faces while playing.

So go ahead and bring your sketchpad next time you go to The Wedge Brewery, here in Asheville (where my husband plays) Or draw a street musician.

Or draw yourself singing in the shower! Maybe you'll put even put it on your blog.