Exciting News from SCBWI Summer Conference!

Last weekend I attended the SCBWI 2012 Summer Conference, where I was thrilled and incredibly honored to be a recipient of the 2012 Mentorship Awards.  Along with four crazy talented co-mentees, I had a critique session from an awe-inspiring pack of industry pros: David Diaz, Priscilla Burris, Laura Godwin, Cecilia Yung, and Pat Cummings. There was a lot of consensus about what direction my portfolio needs to go in, and I'm excited to get cracking. I'm also really happy to be joining the larger mentee community, and to participate in the mentee blog, kidlitartists.com. It's a great place for tips, resources, news and inspiration for picture book illustrators.

The 2012 Mentees, from left to right: Lisa Anchin, Jen Betton, Karyn Raz, Maple Lam, and Brian Won, who is pictured via his business card triptych and who wasn't there when this pic was taken. Photo by SIDEKICKS author/illustrator Dan Santat.

Mentee Winners and Portfolio Display. Photos by I'M BORED illustrator Debbie Ohi.

Here are my TOP TEN QUOTES from this year's conference:

1       1.  “Fill your portfolio with what you LOVE to do.” -Lauren Rille

2       2.  “Work every day.” - Melissa Sweet

3       3.  “What would ten-year-old Tony want that old Tony can make?” - Tony Diterlizzi

         4.  “Be a boxer.” - Dan Gutman on rejection

         5.  “Quiet is the door into the temple.” -Deborah Underwood 

         6.  “Aim to exceed expectations.” -Steven Malk
 7. “Write about something you care about deeply.” -Arthur Levine 

         8.  “Reveal yourself.” -Ruta Sepetys

         9.  “Don’t doubt your book can change a child’s life.” –Gary Schmidt

        10.  “Some go ankle deep, some go waist deep, some go to the top of the\ cliff, jump off, go all the way in, and commune with God." - Bryan Collier on the creative process

        For more conference take-aways, check out the awesome blogs of my pals

        authors/illustrators Mary Peterson and Ken Min.

Harbinger Interview and Exhibit at Hive Gallery

Here's a piece I created for the Hive Gallery exhibit for Sara Wilson Etienne's amazing young adult book, "Harbinger." Artists were asked to recreate a moment from the book. You can check out all the art created for the show, as well as my interview about the piece, my process, my studio, and more on the Harbinger website.