Women's History Month Book Events

To celebrate women's history month six author-illustrators, three bookstores and a gallery, are hosting and organizing book readings, signings and an exhibition. 

Melanie Hope Greenberg, a wonderful author illustrator and the organizer for these events, has put together a great program.

Participating Author Illustrators

Selina Alko

Miriam Cohen

Pat Cummings

Melanie Hope Greenberg

Aileen Leijten

Meghan McCarthy

Calendar

*Thursday March 4th. 6-8PM

Superfine, 126 Front Street, Brookly

Opening Reception, Picture Book Art

 

Saturday March 6th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Selina Alko & Aileen Leijten.

 

Saturday March 13th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Melanie Hope Greenberg & Miriam Cohen

 

Sunday March 14th, 11:00AM

Book Court, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn

Group panel. 

 

Saturday March 20th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Meghan McCarthy

 

Sunday March 21, 4-6PM

PS Bookshop, 147A Front Street

Group Story Time

 

Saturday March 27th, 10:30AM

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Book reading, Pat Cummings.

Stop by to say hi!

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Anton Pieck

I fell in love with Anton Pieck's work when I was 6 years old, and I still am very much in love with it today. Anton Pieck is a Dutch painter, artist and graphic designer, born in the Netherlands in 1895 and died in 1987. His rich imagination was very fairy tale like, and his playful line reminiscent of Albrecht Durer. He was incredibly prolific. In addition to the hundreds of fairytale inspired paintings, woodcuts, and etchings, he designed the first and most important theme park in Europe, The Efteling. I don't come across his work very often here in the states and wanted to share some of his paintings with you.

So beautiful.

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My Brooklyn Studio

I just read an fascinating article about artist's and writer's work spaces. The article came with pictures and I couldn't get enough of them. Some people work in tiny messy spaces, or large sprawled out places. Others work in organized minimal looking rooms. Everyone is so different. It made me look at my own space. My studio is on our home. I initially carved out a small section for myself, but my stuff keeps spilling over into other areas. I have many interests and thus need and use many different supplies. There are paints, pencils, paper, pastels, clay, beads, felt, fabric, wool, thread, ribbon, spread out everywhere. I like to have an overview of what I am working with and I'm always running out of table surface space. Here are some pictures. I did clean up a bit...

btw, it is national hugging day today! 

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Winter Sculpture

I am in the very early development stages of a series of sculptures based on the seasons. 

For some cold  reason, it made sense for me right now to start with winter. This might evolve into a book, it might not. We will see.

The initial research and sketches for the first sculpture are mostly done.

 

I made and armature and filed it up with aluminum foil, next I took wood paste and started sculpting. 

I still have a lot of sculpting to do and the wood paste is much harder to manipulate than I imagined. I am worried about the hands because I want them very long and slender, almost skeleton like. And the face!? Another concern is if the armature is strong enough to hold up the weight of the entire sculpture. I guess I will find out soon!

Stay warm.

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Gris Grimly

Gris Grimly's art work is dark, whimsical, fun, cool and inspiring. His pen and ink line work in particular is stunning. If you like Edward Gorey, Tim Burton and Henry Sellick, you will love Grimly's illustrations. 

He both illustrated and wrote quite a few children's books over the past few years, among which many picture books. Be sure to check them out. Be warned though, they are not for the very young or the faint at heart.

Here are a few of my favorite Grimly illustrations. 

Enjoy!

These are 3 of the 9 Freakatorium prints.

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Happy New Year!

2009 is coming to and end, and so are the crazy Xmas days. We bought ourselves a wall full of shelves and consequently have been going through a complete house overhaul. Oh My, will I ever get through this mess? My desk and drawing table are covered with piles of stuff I don't know what to do with, the xmas tree is raining needles, and there are toys EVERYWHERE. Help!

But, that's not want I want to focus on here. I want to thank all my good friends, family, and the lovely new people in my life, for a great year. You made 2009 very special and inspiring for me. I wish all of you good  health and happiness in the new year.

An image from one of my very favorite illustrators, Elizabeth Zwerger. Cheers!

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January 21 is National Hugging Day!

Can you believe it?

It is the perfect day to give my book,  "Hugging Hour" as a present to all your friends! ; )

Keep an eye on my blog, I will be giving away three "Hugging Hours" myself that day! Details will follow.

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Winter Fair follow-up

It was a success!

Our booth looked great.

Set-up completed. 

We had a lot of fun, and we sold well.

Adrienne Patrick had these beautiful marionettes. Her birds and my pastries were a hit!

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Winter Fair

For the first time ever, I will have a table at a fair. I chose the fabulous Brooklyn Waldorf School Winter Fair to be THE one. In fact, I am happily sharing a table with Adrienne Patrick, who makes incredibly wonderful things. You can find some of her creations at Takashimaya.

If you are in Brooklyn on Sunday December 6th, definitely stop by!

The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren

The scandinavian Tomten are gentle gnome-like little men, who take care of and protect homes, animals and people. They live for a very long time and stay with the same family for generations. We follow this particular Tomten on his nightly visits around the farm he protects. We visit the animals in the barns, the dog in his little house and the sleeping family. Everyone is blessed with an encouraging message that caries them through the cold winter night and beyond.

This gentle, ageless book, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen award, is so soothing and full of wonder. Astrid Lindgren wrote many other favorite childhood books, one of which is Pippi Longstocking. The  watercolor illustrations, Harald Wiberg created for The Tomten, are all masterpieces, in perfect harmony with the text. I grew up with this outstanding book and I am so happy to be able to share it with my daughter and now, with you. 

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