It’s amazing I’ve had success, because my books are so idiosyncratic and personal and striving for inner things rather than for outer things.-- Maurice Sendak.

Today is the vernal equinox and despite all the (grey) snow out there, it's spring.

Maine does not give spring it's due, so we have to forge forward ignoring  the temperature and reveling in the teeniest little hints of things coming out of the ground.  Maine is a spectacular place to live except for the lack of spring.  It's muddy, then it's summer.

But it's a perfect day  to begin a blog--the day of new beginnings which includes muddiness. 

When I first set out to be an illustrator I read that Joyce Carol Oates said to spend the same hours working everyday, and I took it to heart.  My studio is part library, art supply store and kindergarten class room.   The process of making art has always been the most interesting part of what I do, and it's what I'll share here, winging it, as usual. 

For more reading about process, Mary Lee Hahn did an interview with me on her blog about two books that came out last year: Tupelo Rides the Rails and A River of Words by Jen Bryant.  She asked me great questions, things I had never thought of. Read the interview here.

Last Saturday, an amazing tribe of authors, illustrators, librarians and friends threw a grand fete for me in Portland in celebration of  the Caldecott Honor for A River of Words. It was such a thrill to get the award, and I was anointed  all over again on Saturday. 

Gorgeous cupcakes abounded, kids and adults made collages, Mark Mattos snapped photos with antique polaroid cameras (real flash bulbs!) while the  Puppini Sisters serenaded us.  We had great pointy party hats from eeBoo that I had saved for probably 10 years, waiting for someday to use them. This was the someday, to be sure.  My thanks go to Kirsten Cappy,Keith Fitzgerald and Jean Paterak for hosting it at the very cool Zero Station. There were a host of party givers and goers, and I tip my pointy party hat to all of you.  You thought of every detail and it was magnificent.  A feast for the eyes and spirit--it doesn't get any better than that.
 
 

Thank you. 

All the pictures of the studio and the party were taken by Erin Wallace who has a wonderful website and blog.

I never get  enough of her photos. See more of her work at e.wallace photography and Bluebirdbaby.