NYC sketchbook
The subway.
Coffee shops.
Madison Park.
Wherever.
Whenever.
The habit started years ago in art school….tcp
I spent a great week visiting schools in State College, PA.
Radio Park Elementary is full of students and teachers that are excited about reading, writing and drawing. A great school. A fun school visit.
One of the best parts of visiting schools is getting artwork and letters from kids!…
I was barely home in Vermont…when letters started arriving…I spent this morning answering them.
One of my favorite comments came from a child that likes that “my editor works in a building that looks like a slice of cheese.” I showed students a picture of the Flatiron Building so they could see where I go when I say “I’m go to see my publisher”.
Thank you to Mary Robert and her second graders for all your thoughtful letters…Here is a small sample…I’m off to the post office to mail all of the replies!
Elephant and Gracie helped me sign books in my hotel the night before my visit…
The day of my visit..I was greeted by this poster of MYRTLE in the library. It was drawn by a parent (and artist)…I love how she picked up on the patterns!
Myrtle Poster by parent
I had fun presenting and drawing with the students…I left drawings for the school…they were stuck all over the walls!
More drawings from presentation
Mrs. Grim’s Kindergarteners gave me an Elephant before I even left the school!
I brought him back to my hotel…tucked him in…and Gracie read a story to 2 Elephants that night…Thank you Mrs. Grim and Kindergarteners!
Thank you all! A special thank you to a swell librarian…Emily Herring…for all of your hard work. I enjoyed meeting everyone. It was a great day.
To the kids in Radio Park..keep reading, writing and drawing!…tcp
Red Grooms in VT?…Really?
Yes. I was lucky enough to be at the Brattleboro Museum to hear him speak about his work in his interview with Stephen Hannock.
In the 1970’s, my teacher John Gundelfinger introduced me to Red Grooms’ work while I was studying at Parson’s School of Design. John, a generous teacher and wonderful artist, invited me to his studio…my first visit to a real artist’s loft in Soho…I’d been drawing on subways as well as making life size people out of pantyhose.
John gave me a wonderful silk screen by Red Grooms of a wild street drawing of Madison Ave…that Red had given him–“The Discount Store”. John said…”look at this…get out on the street…draw…”
John also apologized for giving me an unsigned print.
A turning point in my career as a young artist…I ended up letting go of my studies in “fashion illustration”….looking for a new direction…I went down the hall…and
stumbled into Maurice Sendak’s class.
Now 2013…I’m still drawing on the streets and subways…and making picture books. Thank you John. Thank you Red for signing my print last night.
This wonderful show is up through October 20th…it is worth the trip to Brattleboro…I’m going to see it again…tcp
http://www.brattleboromuseum.org/2013/05/20/red-grooms-whats-the-ruckus/
http://www.wwo.org/document.doc?id=213
Ps…and I have a show up at the Brooks Memorial Library through the end of October…serendipity?….hmmmm.
ELEPHANT’S STORY by Tracey Campbell Pearson
published by Farrar, Straus, Giroux OCT 22, 2013 ISBN 9780374399139
Elephant and Gracie are excited to be taking part in the Original Art Show at The Society of Illustrators in NY.
They are thrilled to be surrounded by wonderful art by wonderful artists in a wonderful show….cool.
Although there is the “Elephant in the room” concern…but maybe there will be more elephants…they can have an elephant party!
It’s a great show of original children’s book art…hope to see you there!….tcp
“The Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration is on display at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators from October 23 through December 21, 2013. Founded in 1980 by artist’s agent Dilys Evans, this exhibit showcases the year’s best children’s books. For editors and art directors, it is an inspiration and a treasure trove of talent to draw upon. For art students, it is a marvelous opportunity to examine—up close—the work of the best in the field. And for the public, it is a chance to appreciate the enormous range of creativity in children’s books and to see both the printed pages and the original paintings, drawings, prints, and collages they represent.”
http://www.societyillustrators.org/The-Museum/2013/Original-Art/The-Original-Art.aspx