posted: September 22, 2008

Summer is over and I can say that it was a great one, and that I got a lot of painting done, did a couple of readings and signings of my picture book, and had quality time with my wife and kids.

I had the time to paint for clients and myself as well.  I am looking forward to the next few weeks of fall. It is perfect weather for me to hang out in my garage studio and do some letterpress. I plan on developing the plates in the next few days from selected sketchbook drawings.

Some good news- my editor wrote me the other day and mentioned that You Can’t go to School Naked is going to be reprinted!

 

posted: July 14, 2008

Welcome Everyone!

You Can’t go to School Naked is now released! After nearly two years of fine tuning this story, it is great to get the advance copies of my book on my doorstep, seeing it available on Amazon for purchase, and the relief of seeing the first two reviews of the book come back positive. I am now focusing my efforts on setting up readings and signings, and have a couple of signings and readings set up for this next month, and possibly a third signing this fall in New York and California.

Since the time I began working on this book, I have had many conversations with people who have shared with me stories of their children not wanting to wear clothes, and even a story or two where their elderly relatives have refused to wear clothing. I will share some of these stories here in the coming days and weeks, and I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did. 

While going through and organizing my studio the other day, I took some time to go through all of my drawings related to my book, and I was reminded of how the very first image that came to my mind when I read my mother-in-law’s story was of a crossing guard/policeman holding a stop sign in front of a child at the crosswalk. It was this image that got me excited to work on this book, and I am proud to say that it was the illustration we all decided upon for the cover of the book.

I want to thank Ted and Betsy Lewin for their crucial support and help in the beginning stages of my work on this book!

posted: January 8, 2008

It was a great holiday season for me, and I honestly can say that the book my wife gave me this year rates up there with the Millennium Falcon I got from Santa when I was five.

Charley Harper’s work is absolutely amazing! This is a book for the ages. It is MASSIVE, and Todd Oldham did a great job laying out Harper’s work. This thing has to weigh around 25 pounds or so, and it is type set in Neutra!

If I am not mistaken, Steve Wacksman knew Charley Harper?

The first hardbound copy of my upcoming children’s book arrived around Christmas. My wife took it, wrapped it up, and left it under the tree for me to discover. What a nice surprise! It was a great feeling to hold in my hands all of the work that I had done for the past two years or so.


You Can’t go to School naked is available right now for pre-order on Amazon.com. You can purchase your copy by going here.


Another holiday surprise was to receive my two complimentary copies of “Illustration Now 2” by Taschen books. I am honored to be included in this book with some amazingly talented artists. In fact there are a few other Drawgers and friends included as well- Richard Allen, Edel Rodriguez, and Alex Nabaum. I hope you have received your complimentary copies as well.

Lastly, I have been able to work on some paintings that I have had to put off for some time due to work and teaching obligations. I bought a bunch of framed wood panels, and have really enjoyed working on a different surface.

posted: August 28, 2007

It has been a very busy and productive summer for me. I have been working on my children’s book for about a year and a half now, and it is close to wrapping up. It has been a lot of fun working on this book, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with my editor and art directors over at Putnam/Penguin books. I now have a better appreciation of the work involved in creating/illustrating children’s books. My hat is off to all those illustrators who have been doing children’s books for years!


“You Can’t go to School Naked” is a story that my mother-in-law wrote ten years ago for a writer’s group that she was part of. She joined the writer’s group as a way to pass the time after retiring from having worked as a pediatric nurse. She is a polio survivor, has a brilliant mind, and I am so happy for her that she will be a first time published author at age 63. She is an inspiration to me, and it has been a special experience for me to work together with her on this book.

The story is somewhat educational in that it warns you of what can happen when you go to school naked.

I will post more illustrations from the book as it gets closer to the release date, but here is a sampling in the meantime.

“You Can’t go to School Naked” will hit  bookshelves in the summer of 2008.

It has been a very busy and productive summer for me. I have been working on my children’s book for about a year and a half now, and it is close to wrapping up. It has been a lot of fun working on this book, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with my editor and art directors over at Putnam/Penguin books. I now have a better appreciation of the work involved in creating/illustrating children’s books. My hat is off to all those illustrators who have been doing children’s books for years!


“You Can’t go to School Naked” is a story that my mother-in-law, Dianne Billstrom, wrote ten years ago for a writer’s group that she was part of. She joined the writer’s group as a way to pass the time after retiring from having worked as a pediatric nurse. She is a polio survivor, has a brilliant mind, and I am so happy for her that she will be a first time published author at age 63. She is an inspiration to me, and it has been a special experience for me to work together with her on this book.

The story is somewhat educational in that it warns you of what can happen when you go to school naked.

I will post more illustrations from the book as it gets closer to the release date, but here is a sampling in the meantime.

“You Can’t go to School Naked” will hit the bookshelves in the summer of 2008.