Pens and Paints: May 2024 Adventures in Creativity
May is a bustling month, deadlines to meet and the start of the gardening season which always feels like a promise of new beginnings. The longer days spark fresh ideas and inspire new projects. I find moments of calmness working in my garden for a break from doing rough sketches for my 3rd author/illustrator picture book. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
Where the Magic Resides
MAY 31
∙
PREVIEW
If you were to ask me what part of making a book I love the most, I’d point to a very specific spot: thumb-nailing.¹ It’s almost gained a kind of sacredness in my process. It’s where the words and illustrations get worked out for the first time, sometimes messily and sometimes easily, but almost always with life. I will reveal more as it goes along. There is an interesting parallel to tending to plants, watching them grow and thrive, mirrors the nurturing process of developing my stories and creating art for it.
Some images from my Mommy love project
At The Toronto Botanical Garden
I partcipated at the TBG Plant sale this month selling art prints and my recent picture books- Aliya’s Secret and Meena Can’t Wait
Plant and Gift Sale at the Toronto Botanical Garden
Group Book Launch at Toronto Public Library
I was part of a group book launch for books that came out spring 2024 with Authors Booking Service, organized by Caroline Fernandez. It was held at the Toronto Public Library at Orchard View on Yonge and Eglinton on May 26th. A lovely afternoon talking about our books mine was Meena Can’t Wait published by Orca Books, and cheering each other on. Lovely to meet everyone in person for a change!
Meena Can’t Wait is featured on CBC KIDS