Latvia

Just returned from a trip to Latvia - what an amazing country and people. Lots of inspiration both in my work and just generally as to what people can endure and come through. I don't think I have ever been anywhere where the folk are more friendly.

Meanwhile busy with the latest illustrations for Juno and beginning work on the 'Earth' themed illustration for I Colori Del Sacro. I'm taking inspirado from Latvia and the field and fertility god Jumis for this one, using photos from the trip as a starting point.

I've just watched the trailer for the Where the Wild Things Are film (twice!) - it looks amazing, just gorgeous. This is my favourite book of all time, by my favourite illustrator of all time and I was worried that the film might ruin it, but it doesn't look so! Roll on December...

I also found a site selling Sendak's original roughs and studies (above), what I wouldn't give to own one of these... http://www.everypicture.com/original-art/maurice-sendak/3860/max-roars.html

operation garden clean up, day 1

Day 1. It's raining. It has rained all day, alternating beween heavy drizzle and steady downpour. So far Operation Garden Clean Up has consisted of me unwrapping my new secateurs and staring forlornly out of the window, interspersed with playing the harp and trying to cheer myself up listening to Gil Scott Heron.

Now planning to watch Chicken Run with Jack... again.

the dog run

Over the winter I have been giving Kenzie the husky the run of the garden, with the result that it now resembles just that - a huge dog run! Hence the only photographs I am showing are in extreme close-up!

I am amazed by the amount of destruction one dog can wreak without really even trying, it's actually quite impressive... However, as this is the year I plan to start my herb garden and also want to plant a mini orchard, it's time to rein in Kenzie's destructive gardening tendencies so I've splashed out on a kennel with a dog run. It will arrive next week and I can begin to reclaim the garden. It also means Jack's small friends can come over to play without fear of being bowled over by an overenthusiastic 'wolf'! It's a pity wolves get such a bad press in kids stories - it means most children are terrified of her before she's even had a chance to do anything! (and in reality, she's just a big softie anyway).

If I feel brave enough I may post before and after garden pics... talking of gardening pics, I finally got round to updating the growing boy blog

echo exhibition

I received a photograph of the finished Echo the Bat panels by email this morning from Heather at Creative Link Fife. The panels were output at A0 and formed the centre of a larger exhibition. I wish I'd made it down to the exhibition to see them in person, I would have liked to see how the illustrations looked blown up to this size!

Meanwhile, I've had my invitation for the next Italian children's illustration exhibition. The theme this year is 'earth' - mulling over whether I can come up with something and get it to Italy before June...

the painted forest

I do seem to be spawning sites and blogs at an alarming rate this week! My latest is http://www.thepaintedforest.webeden.co.uk/

After completing the bird cupboard I found myself very taken with the idea of reviving old pieces of furniture and giving them a new lease of life. It's painstaking (I can't possibly work at it fast enough to keep up with the flow of ideas running through my head!) but I have finished the first piece, which I'm calling Bird Table (above). The Painted Forest site will be the online gallery/shop for the furniture pieces and limited edition prints (although I may decide to keep the pieces for myself, not sure yet!). The website is still very much a work in progress as finding the time to get it up and running is proving tricky!

growing boy planted elsewhere

As this blog is mostly taken up with my rambling and random stuff that I'm working on, The Growing Boy book has been planted elsewhere in his own blog. I hope that now he is no longer languishing in the dark he will begin to flourish....