On Inspiration

Sometimes, like buses in England, everything seems to happen at once. Perhaps it is just because I haven't blogged for 2 weeks (due to gadding off to Hollywood) and there is a lot to tell. But I will do my best. First, here is one of the most inspiring speakers I have ever seen:

Mr Ashley Bryan, the closing keynote speaker at the Los Angeles Summer Conference (SCBWI). His poetry renditions were just AMAZING. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. I came home with his tones ringing in my ears, inspiring me to do more! Thank  you Ashley. And I am definitely going to take you up on the offer of a visit to your studio in Maine! I was lucky enough to sit next to him and chat during one of the sessions and eat dinner with him at the Heart and Soul Ball. But I do so wish that I had a photograph of him wearing my nodding heart headpiece, but we can't have everything in life!

The conference was just fantastic.Packed programme, a beautiful hotel, fun and interesting people, great weather. I do love this world of 'children's content creators!' For once in my life I am in the right place at the right time. Other speakers I was inspired by at the conference: Loren Long ... what a funny and lovely person (have you read Otis??). I got to sit next to him in one of the sessions too. I know there is a lot of name dropping, but it is so inspiring to be able to communicate directly with those who have done the hard work and are out there inspiring children! EB Lewis .. no words, because he is a smooth as silk and talent incorporated. Stood next to him at dinner also! (He declined to try on the silly heart headpiece ... you can't have everything.) Dancing with Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted writer), crazy lady! M.T. Anderson (what a singer!), Rachel Vail, Jon Scieska (Stinky Cheese Man) - funny, funny man, Stephanie Owens Lurie (Disney Hyperion Editor - great information on thinking like a publisher), Marion Dane Bauer had me in tears with her poignancy, Rubin Pfeffer (Agent) - great words. And so many others.

But the best part - consolidating friendships and making new ones. They say this is what it is all about, and they are right (these 'they' people.) Because when you are back in your studio or office or workshop, all alone, plodding away at the good work and the not so good, it is comforting that all over the country (and world) are those you are connected to by the thread of INSPIRATION.

We (me and my buddy Sheri and I am happy to say our friendship has survived a week in the same room) arrived a day early and we went to the J P Getty Museum. It was wonderful and fed our souls. What a beautiful building and gardens. Like a medieval castle rearing up from the hillside. All white granite and smooth surfaces. A labyrinth of rooms filled with exquisite work. Saw the Gerome exhibition ... what a talent and so prolific.



And here I am, back home in Maine. 'Im indoors held the fort while I was away and kept the menagerie (including himself, fed and watered.)

Right then, lastly, 3 exciting pieces of news from the world of the Wacky Brit!

1. The LAD (Lovely Art Director) and I have almost finished negotiating on the illustrations on the book on Autism. YIPPEE! Lot's of celebrating ... my first 'real' contract. I will begin the illustrations (it's a 42 pager) first week September, finals for Thanksgiving, so it is a tight schedule. They are all b&w and I will be doing the text by hand too. So stay tuned for more details as and when.

2. Just before I left the conference I received an email from a publisher in the North East! (YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD ME HOLLER IN THE LOBBY!) Not too many details yet but they are starting up a new company and interested in my style ... oooohhh. So I am excited about this too, as they have done great books in the past. I will know more next week.

3. BUT MOST EXCITING! I have been accepted to be part of the Nevada SCBWI Mentoring Programme that begins in October 2010 until April 2011. You can read about it here. I will be working with PRISCILLA BURRIS, National co-ordinator of illustrators for the SCBWI and a prolifically published illustrator herself. So that means I get to go to Virginia City, NV in October for a meet up and the Nevada Conference. So you KNOW I am jazzed! I think this is just what I need at this stage in my career. Thank you, Priscilla, for choosing to work with me as one of your mentees!

Whew. OK, I am all out of news, and you are all out of reading. I am looking forward to my Brit friends coming to stay next week. We have many fun things planned and it will be good to have some BRIT TALK.

OH ... I have notes from the conference available ... if anyone would like a copy of the whole PDF, please leave me a comment or send an email. Here are a few snippets ....


Hopefully next week I will have some incriminating photos to post.

Right, that's it for now. A very excited Wacky Brit signing off and thanking you for reading along.

TTFN
Hazel

PS No new books on the shelf ... exhausted.
PPS No prizes for me in the Portfolio Showcase, but completely overawed by the talent, and congrats to the winners!

"Pleasure bent again, Lizzy!"

It has to be my favorite quote from 'Pride and Prejudice'. I say it every time I am going on a fun trip ... I have even got 'im indoors saying it now. So, yes, 'pleasure bent again Lizzy' - in just 5 days to Hollywood ... yippee! If you missed the it (and I can't imagine you haven't been following the thread) I am attending the SCBWI summer conference in Los Angeles. Just seems to have been one fun trip after another this year, and it's not over yet! Lucky me (mixed with a lot of hard work). So I feel the old quote will be dragged out several more times before I am done with 2010.

It will be fun to meet up with Sheralyn Barnes, a gal I met at the NY winter conference (and fellow illustrator/author) . Yee gads, we are even rooming. This could be make or break for our friendship. (Check her work out). But I am predicting a lot o' fun. networking and possibly the odd cocktail. (Or two.)

Meanwhile, back at the drawing board, what's been going on in the attic ..... ?

OH! OH! The Lovely Art Director (from here on in known as LAD), emailed me to say I have been chosen to illustrate the Lovely Publisher's book on Autism. VERY EXCITED. So watch this space for more news. Giddy to tell all, but you know what it's like. So LAD will hopefully be calling me today to discuss NUMBERS. (I am good on 1 to 10 thanks). ETC. Whatever ETC is. I am really going to enjoy this project because I am also going to get to do all the text by hand which I have always wanted to have a go at. So - CELEBRATION in LA for me!

In between 'cleaning ship' (as we used to say in the Royal Navy) in prep. for the visit of in-laws (arrive today) I have been working on my portfolio. I have stuck to the same style this time ... and OMG it is so PASTEL (colour I mean not medium). Totally odd for me, cos I do like my dark colours. Well we will see.

Here are a couple from 'Share the Bear' which are in there.


Portfolio organized ... new biz cards and postcards ... small photo size portfolio to fill and I'll be good to go.

SERIOUS MOMENT: Bought 'Reading Magic' by Mem Fox this week (as recommended by Allyn Johnstone in a seminar). Excellent so far. Gave myself a break from chores/work yesterday and bimbled over to Tim Horton's for some carbs (which I DO NOT NEED - note to self). Sitting munching and reading away quite happily. Mem talking about how early you should begin reading to your child. Now, I was only thinking the other day that I have no real memories of being read to particularly. I remember laying in bed reading 'A Child's Garden of Verses' when I was 5, and then I was on to chapter books and beyond. I have virtually no memory of picture books, although I am sure there were a-plenty.

My childhood was somewhat unsettled in many ways. I think my mother fell out of love with books when the general wear and tear of real life got to her, and, apart from trashy novels, I never saw her read much. But I know she did as a child and teenager and loved Dickens and some of the classics. But it was something I had to come to on my own; books and art were my escape.

And then, as I was reading Mem Fox's words, I suddenly remembered images of my sister reading with me ... a memory that was buried deep down. My sister is 9 years older than me, and although we do not have a close relationship now, she looked after me a great deal when I was young. And right there, in Tim Horton's I found tears pouring down my cheeks! Oh no! I dabbed them away, feigning something in my eye, as you do, even though no one is really looking and sniffed all the way home. So that's the last time I take a book to read in Tim Horton's on a lunchtime! But it does remind me how potent childhood memories can be, and how serious this fun occupation of writing and illustrating for children really is.

Right-o ... I must get back to gluing down the floor tiles in the kitchen and cutting the grass so the place is the best it can be for the relatives inspection. Why do we feel the need? Sigh.

I'll be back to the blog after I return from Los Angeles.

Now, where did I put the Tums? Must remember to pack them.

Tatty Bye from Maine.

Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit.

PS ... Here are some of my notes from the last conference ... it's a wonder I ever remember anything!

Art Directors, Agents and Authors. Welcome to the letter A.

And you can't have too much Alliteration in the title of a blog post. (Oh, Alright then, you can.) (Plus After reading my last blog post ... groan, barely literate in parts. I blame it on the boogey.)

Anyway:
ART DIRECTOR: Postcards do work ... sent out my latest promo postcard last week (if you must see it AGAIN, here it is - the poster from the NESCBWI conference, I know you are tired of it.)

Anyone who would like a postcard just send me an email with your snail mail Address to hazel-mitchell@hotmail.com and I will gladly mail one to you. So, I digress; I received an invitation from a Smashing Art Director to submit sample sketches for a book they are working on. Hopefully I will hear next week if they CHOSE ME. Or not. Still, gratifying to be Asked. The main character is a teenage boy ... here's what I came up with  ... the one at the end is the one they like best (so far.)


Also they may want the whole book hand lettered and I would LOVE to do that!

AGENTS: Regular readers (hello Mrs Trellis from Wales!) may recall that I was in a state of high Anxiety last week Awaiting the call from the Lovely Agent (said in the voice of Father Jack - note to reader go rent 'Father Ted' from Netflix or similar). This Lovely Agent and I are not, Alas, to be married in Author/Agent bliss ... Ah well. NEXT!!

AUTHORS: (And Illustrators.) We had our second meet of ReVision (our Central Maine crit group). We met in Augusta and went to the Harlow Gallery for a talk by Author/Illustrator Jeannie Brett. Small Attendance, but lots of good information and it is Always a treat to rummage through the roughs and dummies of Another Artist. Five of us came along, and we swapped news and ideas before hand. It really is excellent to have like minds At hand - the energy created by being together really helps when you are back Alone in the Attic.

A busy week in All. A rainy sail on the Isaac H Evans last Sunday, but nice to be out on the sea, in the ocean timewarp. Met a fellow tin whistler on board ... so we had a little toot.

And I Am Almost done with 'Share the Bear.' all scanned in, text to be Added. You never know by the end of next week I may be ready to submit All four manuscripts to A Lovely Publisher. And then I can quit boring you with them! It will be a relief to get them out into the slushpile. Oh no. Then I will have to decide what to do After that!

Addled is what my brain is by the heat ... how About you? Although it's breezy today, for which I am thankful. Snow ... it seems a distant dream ...

Alas I must Away back to my layout now, and leave you in peace. (Did I over-do the Alliteration do you think??? Guffaw).

Adios mon Amigos
Hazel
(AkA The Wacky Brit).

PS. 12 days to LA conference.

PPS. On the bedside table this week:
"Going Bovine" Libba Bray
"Imagine a Day" Sarah L Thomson/Rob Gonsalves
"The Circus Ship" Chris Van Dusen
"Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach" Melanie Watt
"Owen" Kevin Henkes
"Artist to Artist" Philomel Books