Here she is...

photo by Paula Renda

Monhegan Library

Here are some photos from one of my favorite library events of 2007- the reading/signing I did at Monhegan Library on Monhegan Island, in Maine.

note: I brought the illustration I was working on to the library that day, to show people an illustration in progress. If you look closely, you can see the partially-painted picture from Lady Liberty displayed on the easel. The final illustration is now on my web site.

Yaz

I guess it's time to take the autographed picture of Roger Clemens down from my studio wall.

There goes one childhood hero. At least I still have Yaz... I drew this picture of Carl Yastrzemski in 1983, when I was 7. If I remember correctly, I was coloring at my grandparents' coffee table on the day of Yaz's final game at Fenway. I think I copied a photograph from that day's Boston Globe.

(note: I still think Z's should face the other way...)

Robert's Snow- For Cancer's Cure

All the snowflakes for Robert's Snow 2007 are up on their web site! The first round of bidding starts on November 19. My snowflake is in the second group, which starts on November 26.
Here's my snowflake, entitled "Sunset Over Manana":

NYC

I'm really excited for this weekend, because I'm going to be doing a presentation and book signing at Books of Wonder in New York City with one of my favorite illustrators, five-time Caldecott Honor winner, Jerry Pinkney. And as if that's not exciting enough, I'll also be joined by Barbara McClintock, Christopher Myers, and Wendell Minor. Wow!

So if you're in the New York City area, and you love picture books, stop by Books of Wonder on Saturday, October 20, and meet some of your favorite illustrators.

rain

This is a study of rain and clouds I did while I was working on Mudball. The whole story takes place in the pouring rain, so I spent a lot of time looking out the window on rainy days, trying to figure out a good way to draw rain.
rain study, 12.5" x 9", watercolor and pencil, 2003

baseball bookmark

Yesterday, I was asked to make a bookmark for an upcoming school visit, with a little sketch and my signature, so the teachers could pass them out to all the students. I drew this with a black pen, holding a baseball in my left hand while I was drawing. Feel free to print one out.