Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Another Star for HELEN'S BIG WORLD!

"The full images, without borders, invite children into Helen’s world, while showing how big it truly became.... A dramatic spread shows the pupil and teacher in a boat, majestically cresting a wave, emphasizing what the youngster does experience more than what she does not. While there are many books available about Helen Keller for this age group, this title offers a unique and beautiful perspective on her life."
*School Library Journal (starred review)


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Starred Review in The Horn Book!

I'm always happy when my issue of The Horn Book Magazine arrives in the mail. But it's especially exciting when this is inside:

A starred review in The Horn Book Magazine (!!) for my upcoming book, Helen's Big World, written by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by me, published by Disney-Hyperion. Here's a snippet:

"Tavares's illustrations for Helen's Big World are, per the title, big and bold and often in intense close-up. Stirring and awe-inspiring..." *The Horn Book (starred review)

Thank you, Horn Book!

Helen's Big World also got a nice review in Publishers Weekly this week. I especially like their description of this illustration:




























"Dark and almost demonic, it conveys instantly both the catastrophic nature of Helen's disabilities and the steely will that raged to be unleashed." -PW

I almost scrapped this picture and started over, because I worried that it was too dark. I like it now, though.





Friday, August 24, 2012

"The Puddle Jump" etching, 1995

Here's another one I found when I was looking through my old portfolios. It's an etching I did in college, of "The Puddle Jump" a crazy annual tradition at Bates College.

Every St. Patrick's day, a hole is cut in the ice on Lake Andrews (aka, The Puddle), and in a strange sort of cult ritual, students take turns dunking into the icy water. I never participated, but I did go watch and take pictures, which I used as reference for this etching. 

The Puddle Jump, etching, 4" x 6", 1995



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

High School Self Portrait

Cleaning my studio, I was just looking through an old portfolio from high school and found some artwork I hadn't looked at in a really long time. Here's a somewhat melodramatic self-portrait I drew during my junior year in high school, when I was 16.

I think I added the globe in the background so it would look like it was "about something", but I was really just covering one eye because it was much easier to draw myself in a mirror with one eye closed. Looking at it now, I really like it. Just wish I hadn't put the earth in the background! Oh well...

self portrait, 1992, pencil, 18" x 24"


Friday, August 17, 2012

The Original Art 2012

Just got some great news! There Goes Ted Williams was selected by the Society of Illustrators to appear in their annual children's book exhibit, The Original Art 2012! Woohoo!

The exhibit opens on October 25 at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators in New York City. It's always an amazing show, so if you are a fan of children's books and you happen to find yourself in New York City in October or November, definitely check it out!






Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Kennebooks Event Tomorrow!

One last stop on the Van Dusen/Tavares 2012 World Tour...

Tomorrow, Thursday, August 16 at 10:30 AM, Chris Van Dusen and I will be reading and signing our new baseball books at Kennebooks in Kennebunk, Maine. If you happen to be in southern Maine, come join us. Maybe I'll bring a wiffle ball and bat and we can having a little Team Tavares vs. Team Van Dusen wiffle ball game after the signing...

me and Chris at one of our baseball events this spring