| e's news: 1 September 2022 Forward | Web Version | Subscribe |
Thanks to all who have decided to join me! In the tradition of Romper Room's Magic Mirror - I see Sherry D., and Stacey G. of the MMCRU Schools, and Leszek W., and Rosie W., and Sandi B. from Regional School Unit 5, and Chantal S., and Vicky D., and Cynthia B., and Leslie L. from St. Martha Catholic School, and Francina S. from the Jersey City Free Public Library, and Ella Chen from Storyland (hi!), and Emily F. from the Brownsburg Public Library, and Gelsey W. from NorthSouth Books, and Stacye K. from the ABBE Regional Library System, and Patricia C., and Joe S., and Mary G., and Cynthia M., and Chrystal C., and Ruth C. from the Chandler Unified School District, and Gerie L., and Melina S. from the Randolph Co. Public Libraries, and a few others who didn't include their names.
Welcome - I'm glad you're here!
Did you know that I'm happy for librarians and teachers (and booksellers) to use my images to decorate their spaces or use on free handouts? All I ever ask in return is that you please "check out" (HA!) my books to see if any might be a good fit with your readers.
If you still have any questions about usage of my images, visit my angel policy page or email me at elizabeth at dulemba dot com. Meanwhile... on to the news!
| COLORING PAGES |
I saw so many baby deer this summer at Hollins University, I have fawns on my mind! Hope you enjoy this sweet one!
BONUS IMAGE! Corgi riding fairy!
Now that I'm only sending out quarterly newsletters, I miss my favorite holiday for coloring pages - Halloween! Although, for some reason, Halloween came to me through a Corgi this year - HA! At least the fairy is carrying a pumpkin! (Click here for more Halloween-themed coloring pages and CLICK HERE for lots more coloring pages in general!
Or, please consider a one-time donation if you just love this one image:
| GROOVY UNIVERSITY NEWS |
How is it possible I forgot how beautiful it is at Hollins University? During the drive up I grew giddy as the Appalachians unfolded before me. Mountains and hills rolled in compact layers with light dappling across them, creating every shade of green and blue imaginable. Hollins itself is kept so pristine, it is simply a healing landscape. Click here or the image above to see more lovely photos.
After two years online, we were finally back in person to our gorgeous Hollins campus for the MFA in Children's Book Writing and Illustrating programs. We had a new inaugural event this year - placing the story book characters (created by author/illustrator Ashley Wolff) all around campus. Everyone got to choose a fave, then go find a fun spot to display it. It was a great way to get to know campus; and it meant we had beloved children's book characters all over the grounds - SO FUN!
I invited my friend Vicky Alvear Shecter to come talk to my classes at Hollins University because she's an amazing author and a Docent at the Carlos Museum at Emory University, which is all because she's an expert in Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology. She gave an amazing talk to my "Figure of the Goddess" class on the supression of the Goddess in literature, history, and mythology that I co-taught with the illustrious Dr. Chip Sullivan. The class was born from our pandemic-era summer theme of The Goddess, a chapter from my PhD thesis/dissertation, and Chip's expertise in Welsh (and others) mythology. Click here or the image above to read more about it.
We started a new tradition this summer... we started a lovely fire in the outdoor fireplace by the gazebo and made s'mores! Click here or the image above to read more about it.
We were thrilled to have R. Gregory Christie (a.k.a. "Greg" or "Gregory") teach with us this summer. And lucky him - his birthday fell right in the middle of the semester. His wife Claudia decided to throw a surprise party for him. She told him they were going to dinner. So he got dressed up. But then a group of us showed up at the door with balloons and horns and food! We got him! He was surprised and thrilled! His wife and artist, Claudia, who is from Columbia, even made him a piñata! Here is E.B. Lewis (who also taught at Hollins this summer); Claudia; Ruthie, daughter to Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen (who also taught at Hollins this summer); and a happy Greg! Click here or the image above to read more about it.
Every summer at Hollins, we have an end-of-semester celebration for students graduating with a Certificate in Children's Book Illustration. It's a great opportunity for students throughout the program to show their work in the art show, while celebrating their friends' accomplishments. Ashley Wolff's doggie, Rufus, is the Commencement Speaker. (Kidding - it was our Chair, author/illustrator Mary Jane Begin and Ashley!) Certificates are handed out and fun is had by all. Click here or the image above to read more about it and see fun photos!
It's always hard to leave Hollins. Most people drag out their educations as long as possible, just to keep returning to this magical campus, where light seems to kiss the ground rather than simply illuminate it. It's truly a magical place and we are so lucky to get to experience it - our beautiful bubble where like minds come together to study topics we're passionate about. How lucky we are! So, until next time, dear Hollins... keep the campfires warm for us! Click here or the image above to see more beautiful photos (and fawns)!
Convocation ceremonies always get me excited about the coming academic year. The speeches are inspirational. Everyone looks amazing in their regalia. The students are eager with wide eyes - their enthusiasm is contagious!
This year I get to teach an amazing line-up of classes: Figure Drawing, Illustrating Children's Books, and Animation 1! Yes, Animation! I've been working with Toon Boom Harmony to get licenses for my students, and purchasing all sorts of awesome equipment with the Course Hero Grant Funds I received. This year, I set up a VR Lab, beefed up our new Cintiq Lab, opened a Reading Room/Library, and created a Print Lab - all in The Treehouse (our classrooms on the 3rd floor - up in the trees) for our budding illustrators to use! I've got such great students - a hard-working bunch - I'm thrilled to be working with them again. Here's to a great semester!
| EVENTS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS |
At the beginning of the summer, I attended my first ChLA conference - shocking, I know! This conference is for the academic side of studying children's books. Scholars gather from all over the country (and the world) to share papers and discuss the evolution of the scholarship. This year's theme was "City in the Forest" since it was held in Atlanta. The obvious topic being about climate change; although these guidelines are always widely interpreted. My talk was called "Employing The Nature of Tricksters to Discuss Climate Change in Children’s Literature." CLICK HERE to read more about it!
I teach in the MFA in Children's Book Writing and Illustrating programs at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia every summer. Before the pandemic, I used to arrive a week early to host a workshop on "Picture Book Trends." A large portion of the workshop was going through the marvelous books publishers sent us as submissions for the Margaret Wise Brown Prize (she was an alum). One copy of each book submission goes to the judges, and one copy goes to Hollins. However, with the pandemic, we couldn't host the workshop; so the copies we received were piling up, uncurated. We still couldn't run the workshop, so it became my job to go through the books and pull out the best of them all to be added to our permanent collection. With three-years-worth, I had over 600 books to read and evaluate. 600!!! CLICK HERE to read more about it!
The 11th Illustrators' Conference, a.k.a. ICON 11, hasn't happened for four years because of Covid. Even during regular times, it's only a biannual event. But this was my first time to attend. Happily, Hollins University signed on as a sponsor, so M.J. Begin and I traveled to Kansas City, Missouri for the event. M.J. and I are good friends, so this was destined to be a party in Kansas City, Missouri!!! CLICK HERE to read a whole lot more about this FABULOUS event!
I was thrilled to be invited to share my thoughts on Sustainability in Children's Literature for the upcoming Communicating Sustainability International Conference and the Roundtable at the University of Glasgow. When my alma-mater asks, I always say 'yes' - even if it's only visiting virtually. It's my pleasure to still be a part, and I miss everyone so much! I hope attendees find my comments valuable!
| BOOK FEATURES |
Meanwhile, here are the latest additions...
CATCHING FLIGHT
written and illustrated by Rebekah Lowell (Hollins U graduate)
Cover Reveal! It will come out next March from Doubleday, and I'll have Rebekah back for a full feature. Meanwhile, here are some details:Catch the current
of a bird's wing.
Dance with hope
into open skies.
Intricately detailed birds seemingly fly off the pages of this beautiful message of resilience, from avid birder and acclaimed wildlife illustrator Rebekah Lowell.
Readers will find inspiration in a Yellow Warbler rejoicing in the sunlight, a flock of Canada Geese supporting each other in their V-shaped migration, and a plucky Norther Saw-Whet Owl braving a chilly night.
This stunning gift book is both an encouraging parable and a glorious celebration of the outdoors. Nature lovers, bird-watchers, and all readers seeking motivation will be swept away by its poetic and positive message.
The Willow Pattern Story by Allan Drummond
Allan Drummond created The Willow Pattern Story twenty years ago - it was his first picture book. It is so beloved it has recently been re-released by North/South Books. I was thrilled to have him visit my blog recently to talk about this magical book. Click the cover to visit the interview!
GIANT ISLAND written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Doug Keith
I was thrilled to have both author Jane Yolen and illustrator Doug Keith visit my blog recently to talk about their latest book from Flashlight Press, Giant Island! I hope you enjoy learning more about the process behind this magical book. Click the cover!
As I mentioned, I read over 600 books this summer—three-years-worth of submissions for the Margaret Wise Brown Prize the week before I start teaching at Hollins University. Here were my absolute faves out of all of them. Happily, two of these were our 2022 Margaret Wise Brown Prize winners as well: Wishes and The Longest Letsgoboy!
PICTURE BOOKS ON MY RADAR
What made these books special? Some were beautifully illustrated. All were superbly clever. Some handled difficult subjects with grace and care. And some made me laugh so hard, while I actually learned something too! Kudos to these creators for creating works that, I feel, are the best of what picture books can be!
Click on the covers to purchase them through your local independent bookseller (via Bookshop.org).
A PLUG
TEACUP by Bae Broughton (that's me)!
"Broughton Street" was the street we lived on in Scotland! I'm still celebrating the release of this long-time-coming picture book about a tiny doggie who feels lost in a big world. Who doesn't? I hope you enjoy it! (Sales are going so well, I'm working on a sequel!)
CREATIVE THINKING
With all the questions raised from when we sold everything we owned to move to Scotland (we call it "The Great Purge"), and the pursuant pandemic (when we were no longer able to rely on the outside world as our extended living space), I've been asking myself the question of "How much is enough?" Or more specifically, "How much is enough for me?" I know I don't need a mansion and cars and shoes galore to be happy. Other than my extreme book buying habit, I'm not a terribly materialistic person. The answer I've come up with is that I need a sanctuary.
ON SANCTUARY
What do I mean by sanctuary exactly?
For many people, it's their house. A friend of mine recently bought her first house and it has become her refuge from the storms of life. For a city dweller, perhaps it's someplace quiet in nature. For creatives, it's often their studio. Wherever it is, it's a place where one can be completely themselves, content, and calm. It's a place where you can leave your stressors at the threshold and proceed unburdened.
Sounds like a vacation, doesn't it? And yes, sanctuary can be a vacation. But I'm looking for sanctuary in my daily life. And I think I might be on to something with the studio idea. A studio is a physical place where a creative can go into "the zone" - that creative space where time stops and the outside world disappears. But a garden can do this too. I used to be a Master Gardener. I loved being out in my garden—the whole world came down to pulling that next weed. It was very satisfying.
But I don't have a garden right now, or a home-studio at the moment. We landed in this lovely flat overlooking Main Street right before the pandemic, and it became our cave. It's not felt right to buy a house yet. (We've dipped our toes in a few times only to swiftly withdraw.) I'm feeling rather transient.
So, I'm looking for what can work for me as sanctuary right now, until I have that physical space that I can designate as my sanctuary.
You probably see where this is going... I'm beginning to realize that sanctuary is within me. It's not about where I am so much as my attitude about where I am when I'm there.
At Hollins University, I like to go brush the horses. (Stay with me, there's a point here.) Horses are BIG, dumb animals. All of my major injuries have been from horses. (Ever notice I have a crooked nose? That's a story for another time!) However, horses are extremely intuitive. You cannot be stressed out around a horse. If you are, they will pick up on it and become agitated. An agitated horse is a dangerous horse. Therefore, to brush a horse, I have to take myself down several notches. I have to come to them already calm, and I have to stay that way while I'm with them. As a result, brushing horses is Zen for me. It's how I calm down. And yet, it's not the horses calming me - it's me calming me.
If I can do it around horses, I figure I can do it elsewhere too.
So, my exercise for myself this semester is to find sanctuary. And I might not need to look any further than my own (crooked) nose.
Quote of the Day: "Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been." ~ David Bowie
A Rock Hill Sunrise
Despite what the name might imply, Rock Hill is very flat, which means that we have a lot of SKY. I wake up early when a semester is about to begin - remembering last minute items. As such, this was the view from our flat on Main Street the other day - looking across the sculptures and Oak Trees to an amazing sunrise. (If you can believe it, I didn't touch up this photo at all!)
BITS AND BOBS
Women's March 2022
Click the image above to find a march near you!
To prepare, I've made protest art! Email me to order my "Uterus Dragon" umbrellas! Here it is at work with my friend Dr. Karen Stock (the Butterfly Lady!) at a recent protest organized by WREN in Charlotte. (She was also grateful to have the umbrella because it rained!)$15.00 each (does not include sales tax and shipping)
Or order my "Women's Rights are Human Rights" hat on Redbubble (click the image)!
(It's also available on tons of other items.)
This is how I do my part - I make art!!
My Online Stores!
I have lots of my art available on items in MY REDBUBBLE STORE:
MY BOOKS!
One of the reasons I create my coloring pages is to draw (ha!) attention to my books. Word of mouth is my best advertising, so I'm counting on you to help spread the word! Click the covers to learn more.
COPYRIGHT GUIDELINES: Did You Know...
I create my coloring pages for teachers, librarians, booksellers, and parents to enjoy for free with their children, but you can also purchase rights to an image for commercial use, please contact me. Meanwhile, if you have questions about usage, please visit my Angel Policy page.WHO AM I?
I am an award-winning illustrator, author, teacher, blogger, and speaker (including TED). I have a PhD in Children's Literature from the University of Glasgow, an MFA in Illustration from the University of Edinburgh (I blogged about my Scotland adventures extensively HERE), and a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Georgia. I have about three dozen titles to my credit including A Bird on Water Street, awarded Georgia Author of the Year, and my latest picture books written by New York Times Best-selling author Jane Yolen. I was the Illustrator Coordinator for the Southeastern SCBWI Chapter and a Board Member for the Georgia Center for the book for about six years. Currently, I am Associate Professor of Illustration at Winthrop University during the fall and spring semesters, and Visiting Associate Professor in the MFA in Children's Book Writing and Illustrating programs at Hollins University in the summers (links below). I've been blogging since 2007. And if you're reading this, you know about my newsletter. Thanks so much for spending time with me!
Thanks so much for reading!
All Artwork © Elizabeth O. Dulemba, - Y'all play nice, Okay?
