ArtBizCoach.com features my illustration!

Alyson Stanfield, the owner of Artbizcoach.com publishes a fantastic email newsletter each week that is full of inspiration and tips for artists who actually want to make a living creating art. It's aimed towards the fine artist, but as an illustrator, I've found her words extremely helpful and timely.

In this weeks newsletter she features one of my illustrations! Thanks Alyson!

ArtBizCoach.com - Artist Business and Career Resources

Infomercial trouble

My 6-year-old son was flipping channels the other morning looking for his shows and he got snagged by an infomercial about these "amazing" knives. He was absolutely glued to the charisma of the presenter and was sold to the idea that no other knives in the world could do what these knives could.

"Wow! That knife is so flexible!"
"Can our knives cut tomatoes too?"
"Look at that 'Flavor Injector'! You can put flavor just where you want! Do we have one of those?"
"Yes son, it's called a 'baster'."
"That knife can cut bread slices so thin that your unwanted guests will want to leave! Ha ha ha!"

And on and on and on through the whole show, and for an hour afterward. I just hope he never flips across an infomercial for Viagra.

4th Book Done!

I just finished my 4th book! Yipee! It's a teacher's manual for instructing 1st grade children how to raise butterflies. I've got a transcript for a book on the same topic but for 2nd graders. It's challenging coming up with fresh pictures for the same topics. The children have to look older on each book too (I also did one for kindergarteners).

Insect Lore has been a wonderful company to work with and they like my stuff enough that they asked me to illustrate and design their whole 2005 toy line. This has been a wonderful learning experience. I'm going to be working with my next door neighbor's son, Eric Wilson, who is a brilliant sculptor, to model some of the toys from my concept sketches. We are in the contract/negotiating stage right now, and I hope it all works out. Here's a sample of his work.










The August 2004 People Magazine will be featuring a story on the rings I designed for the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games, and my name will be mentioned! Next, the cover of Time! Just kidding.

I just got me a beautiful Apple PowerBook last week. I can't believe how much more productive I am with this thing, now that I'm not glued to the corner of my room or studio to get things done. Heck, I'm writing this while sitting in the bathroom... no, not that... but being a lifeguard over my 16 month old daughter playing in the tub.

Where I get my inspiration

The other day I was getting ready for work when I saw my son peeking through the bathroom door. The light from the bathroom was glaring in his eyes and he couldn't quite focus up on my face. So I crouched down to his eye level and greeted him with a good morning. He rubbed his eyes. I suggested he get back in bed to which he declined, saying he wanted to be with me while I was getting ready for work.

I shaved while he waited patiently on the bathroom stool. Then I went downstairs to iron my shirt and he followed. He then spoke up and asked,

"Dad, where's the fire in the iron?"

I smiled and said, "It's not fire that makes the iron hot, son."

Before I could explain further, he asked, "So, there's salsa in it?"

This is where I get my inspiration.