Soon to be new website!

So I'm working on a new website! Like, totally starting from scratch new. I happen to be in close cahoots with someone who makes a living doing fancy online computer stuff, and who has offered to help me make a super high-tech-running site! I will still be doing all the design side though, and I really like how it's coming along. I will be using my first-ever custom designed font, which I originally made to avoid having to handwrite all the dialogue for a certain nameless, all-knowing entity in Lilith, but which I have come to see as my own personal font as well. I'm not sure what that says about how I feel about being an artist--am I the god of my work?

I'll let you know when the unveiling happens! It won't be for quite awhile though as we are in the barest beginning stages.

Point One for Paper!

Came across an article on NYT last night about how while the world moves on to e-readers (myself included, god how I love my Kindle), actual "dead-tree paper books" are still the preference of tech-saavy parents. I have to agree. The benefits far outweigh the costs in this case. My top reason my children will read on paper for as long as they can: the illustrations! I want to see each one big and right out in front of me, not squeezed onto a limiting screen. But there will always be that delicious sensory and romantic feel of a paper book that you can't get from the screens we use for everything else all day. New paper smell is one of my favorites!


Some Things Should Stay the Same
via nytimes.com

Introducing "Lilith": A Webcomic!

Well here it is! It's only been in my head for five years now! It feels so good to make real. What a relief. It's like all this creative pressure just builds up inside my head, and it can even make me kind of moody if I don't let it out (what a temperamental artist, I know). It was one of those things where I had these vague perceptions of who the characters would be, but I couldn't for the life of me get it all out correctly on paper. NOTHING satisfied me when I tried to sketch this thing out, but I knew I loved my concept. Then one day, I just blocked out a chunk of uninterrupted time and forced myself to start it. Not sketch or plan, but just jump in. It turns out that method works for me! I have about 9 comics drawn and ready to go, all loaded up on the website. It's such an exciting feeling. I really needed a change from picture books after trying again and again to start one only to have it either be too similar to one on the market, or to just not be feelin' it. It's always going to be hard to top Lizzie Fox-Top I think because it was a story so close to my heart and it was about someone I cared about so much (who just passed away this Easter). I needed a new creative outlet, and I think webcomics are it.

Webcomics are scary though, I have to admit. It's like the first time clicking that "send" button for the printer of Lizzie Fox-Top, except it's that feeling every day. That nervous build-up, quadruple-checking to make sure everything's how I want it, and then the brief but immediate moment of panic just after I hit "publish." Because once it's up there and everyone sees it, I really can't go back. Every decision has to be final. That will be something to get used to.  Anyway, Lilith will be updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at midnight (yay automatic uploading!) so please check back to hear more of the story each day. Lilith is also on facebook, so please "like" her! Thanks!

Big Art Show! and Lecture at CCP tomorrow

Hi all,
So the Big Art Show has been up at The Caring Center for over a week now and it's looking really fabulous.  Here are some pictures:

After a professor from Community College of Philadelphia saw this show last week, she found me in the lobby and invited me to speak to her early childhood education class tomorrow.  I am excited but nervous.  I am used to talking about my illustration now, but I will be talking about teaching tomorrow.  Let's just hope I know even a little bit more about teaching than the education students!