Good news for MLK DAY TOMORROW!

Do you want the first piece of good news, or the second piece of good news?

1. The fabulous show at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, featuring many of our SCBWI illustrators, will now be extended through Friday, January 23, 2015!

2. There will be a special event this MONDAY, January 19 at 2pm in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Sundee Frazier, Richard Jesse Watson, Jesse Watson, Lois Brandt, and Laurie Thompson, along with Dr. Belinda Louie and librarian Katie Monks from University of Washington Tacoma. The topic is "Diversity and Changemaking in Children's Literature."

There will also be a Community Pledge Wall, where people can post pictures of what they believe community to be, and post pledges to be "drum majors for change," re: the MLK quote we used along with a portrait of MLK by Jesse Watson. Richard Jesse Watson also supplied an illustration "Children of the World" to help promote the event.

The panel discussion starts at 2pm, with a special book table of topic-related children's books from the extensive collection held at UWA-Tacoma available for viewing before and after. The museum is open until 5pm with the SCBWI illustrators' exhibit on view through Friday, January 23 in our Community Gallery. 

For all the details, click here!

Attend the reception this Saturday!

Join the illustrators of SCBWI Western Washington at a reception to open our exhibition at the Washington State Historical Society in Tacoma on November 22. Come see the artwork and the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and try your hand at an illustration or two! Free museum admission is available to all who attend between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on that day.

Member art exhibition: Mark your calendars now!

Join the illustrators of SCBWI Western Washington at a reception to open our exhibition at the Washington State Historical Society in Tacoma on November 22. Come see the artwork and the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and try your hand at an illustration or two! Free museum admission is available to all who attend between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on that day.

Art reception on Monday

Join Blanca Santander Monday, November 3 for the closing of her exhibit with Rene Julio, Between Love and Death. Jacque Larrainzar will be making music. Festivities will be at the M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery at Seattle Central College on Capitol Hill from 5-8 pm. Come one, come all!

Reminder-o-rama

Hear ye, hear ye!


In THREE (count 'em!) DAYS, our first monthly programming meeting will take place. Which means, dear SCBWI-ers and valued guests, that it is going to be a fabulous season ahead!

If you are still without a passport––which will get you in for our entire programming year––
please click HERE. Not only will this save you some dough, it will also simplify and enrich (oh, yes it will!) your life.

Long story short:

This Thursday. SPU campus, Demaray Hall. 7pm. Agent. Art show. Conviviality. Networking. Be there!

Get to the Point of Entry!

Three SCBWI members will have their work displayed publicly starting October 11 in the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art show called Points of Entry. Julie Paschkis, Nikki McClure, and Jennifer Mann will have work on display along with that of another local illustrator.

The show, which lasts until February 22, 2015, will be unusual in that it will also display artists' sketches and false steps, as well as finished book illustrations — which is why it's called Points of Entry. As Julie notes, "It is an unusual opportunity to show the whole, interconnected process."

A public opening for this show and the museum's other fall displays will be held Saturday, Oct. 11, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. It's free. If you can't make the show until later, the museum is generally open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Tick-tick-tick...

And.... time's about up!

Illustrators — submissions for the SCBWI WWA Illustrator Exhibit this October in Tacoma are due by the end of the day this Friday. And there's still room for yours. Do it now!

While the entire scope of Washington’s state history is fair game for your artwork, contemporary life can be inspiration too, as well as the remarkable beauty of the landscape and cityscapes we live in. So bring it on! Submission details are here.

Last chance to submit!

There are only about ten days until the submission deadline to have your art considered for the SCBWI Western Washington winter exhibit at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma.

Submission deadline: Friday, August 29, 2014.

• Submitted artwork, whether existing work or created specifically for the exhibit, must be inspired by the events, myths, landscape, and history of Washington State. 
• Artwork in all media will be considered. 
• Exhibiting artists must be SCBWI members and live in the Western Washington region.  

Remember, your illustrations must be inspired by Washington State history, myth, lore and place. Imagination and storytelling are definitely in order. Bring it on!

Find more details and submission instructions on our website.

Still plenty of time to go down in history

Artists, you wanna be part of SCBWI Western Washington's winter exhibit at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma this year, dontcha? Good thing you've still got plenty of time to submit your art for consideration!

Submission deadline: Friday, August 29, 2014.
 
The show will be held November 2014 through January 2015, and the exhibit space is adjacent to the museum store and open to the public free of charge. So who knows how famous you could become! Here's what — and who — is eligible for this glory:

• Submitted artwork, whether existing work or created specifically for the exhibit, must be inspired by the events, myths, landscape, and history of Washington State. 
• Artwork in all media will be considered. 
• Exhibiting artists must be SCBWI members and live in the Western Washington region.  

Find more details and submission instructions on our website. Thanks to member Craig Orback for his Wagon Train illustration above. (See how this fame thing works?)

The art of Andrea K. Lawson

Andrea K. Lawson announces the opening of her upcoming art exhibit, "Edge of Day," at Max Grover Gallery in Port Townsend, as part of Port Townsend's Gallery Walk. Andrea will be showing recent paintings. For more about Andrea's show and other information, please see her blog here.

 

 

 

 

WHO/WHAT: "Edge of Day," paintings by Andrea Lawson

WHEN: Saturday, March 1, 5–8pm (gallery hours are Mon–Sun, 11am–6pm)

WHERE: 630 Water St, Port Townsend WA, 98368

 

Kid Lit panda-monium TOMORROW

Join in for thrills and spills (hey, not on my nice clothes!) and maybe a dirty limerick or two, when the provincial panda shows up in the big city for her art opening!  Come to Anne Belov's two-person art show (with Jennifer Frohwerk) and reception first, from 1:30–3:30pm at nearby Ida Culver House (2315 NE 65th, between 25th and 23rd NE––free food and wine!) and then adjourn to the  Pub at Third Place Books Ravenna (6504 20th Ave NE). Or, heck, just show up at the pub! 

 
“Kid-lit Afternoon” sounded like a bad Quentin Tarantino movie, so maybe we can convene at the pub at about 7pm. As Anne says, "The pandas are standing by!" 

Kid lit drinks night! Huzzah!

Member's artwork displayed

Member Anne Bellov will have her work displayed in a two-person show in Seattle that opens next Saturday, Jan. 25. She'll be at a reception from 1 - 3:00 p.m. at Ida Culver House, which is at 2315 NE 65th Street.

She says, "The theme of the show, 'Ordinary Illuminated,' is one I've been involved with most of my painting life: depicting objects that I live with in a way that celebrates and illuminates them. I am joined in the show by the very talented Jennifer Frohwerk. While it's not kidlit specific, I'd love to see folks at the opening. They usually have pretty good food too, not to mention wine — and maybe there could be an impromptu kid-lit drink night afterward. I'm just saying, us folks out in the provinces don't get in to the big city much!"

RSVP to 206-538-6151 to attend the reception.

Tonight's the night!

Art by Dana Sullivan

It's here. Our Winter Celebration. The party, exhibit, and cookie-fest of the year! 

By now, your eyes are blurred from our flurry of reminders and factoids. But because we love you, and want to see you, here are several eensy-weensy tidbits to keep in mind before you hit the road:

1. If you just changed your mind, or your plans changed, and HEY! YOU'RE COMING AT THE LAST MINUTE, please note that you cannot register for this event online via the Cvent invitation you received way back in the fall. The online preregistration period closed last week, but never fear! You can pay at the door (again: $20 SCBWI WWA members, $25 for non-members).

2. If you're bringing COOKIES, please feel free (pretty please!) to bring along a written recipe so those of us who become your insta-fans can try out your delectables in the comforts of our own kitchens. Not required, but hey, knowledge is power (and cravings can be mighty powerful as well)!

3. There will be an EVENING PARKING RATE for the Convention Center. (We think it's $6, but don't quote us. At least it's an after-hours rate, right?)

Just thinkin' about...tomorrow!

Art by Dana Sullivan

Tomorrow night. SCBWI WWA's fabulous Winter Celebration. 6-9pm. WA State Convention Center. Art, cookies, good news, good friends, and good tidings. (There is going to be so much fun that Madeline herself will risk being grounded by Miss Clavel in order to partake in the festivities!)

Lest you forget: 

––There will be door prize drawings beginning at 6:30pm, and they'll continue throughout the evening.

––Not to be outdone by the prizes and the treats, there will also be a book swap. Bring a book, pick a book, and those left over will find a new home at Friends of the Seattle Public Library sale or a deserving school.

––Cookie concerns? If you're not sure how many to make, 2-3 dozen is puh-lenty. Please bring them before 6:30pm. Those bringing contested comestibles will be directed to the setup area. The contest will close at 7pm, so the judges' tasting may commence.

––Parking panic? The Convention Center parking can be found at 8th and Pike, under the CC. Take the elevator or escalator to the Second Floor Galleria. Which is where we'll be. (There will also be signs, if you get off track.) Check out this map if you're really confused. 



We hope to see as many of you as possible, and yes, you may form two straight lines!

Two days until....

Art by Dana Sullivan

"And now," said Max, "let the delicious cookies be eaten!"

Will you come help us eat them? Please? Pretty please with sprinkles on top? Come join the rumpus this Thursday night, Dec. 12, and stuff your brain with good news and your mouth with good eats, and hey, we can't help but promise a monstrously good time!

Two days. Forty-eight hours. (More info and registration here.) Be there, and be wild.

Convention Center countdown

Art by Dana Sullivan

Why?
Because we want to celebrate the season with you! Because there will be cookies! Because the art will blow you away! And because, shucks, we like you!

See you Thursday. (But we'll keep bugging you between now and then, anyway.)

Meet the Artist #2

As part of the hoopla around our first-ever public exhibition of illustrations by SCBWI WWA artists, Update will post a mini-profile of each,* in completely random order, between now and the exhibit's closure in early January. Read about 'em here, or check them ALL out online here, or go see their work in person at the Washington State Convention Center! You can even shake their hands on Dec. 12 at our Holiday Gathering! (More info and registration here.)

 

Elizabeth Blake

Why did you choose to submit your particular piece of art?Rabbit and Robot have been my favorite characters for many years. This is my favorite story about Green Bean the Rabbit and her friend Robot, zipping through space with their homemade jet packs.

What does being part of SCBWI mean to you?
SCBWI has been my way of being connected with other children's book illustrators and writers. Otherwise we are all off in our own distant studios and writing spaces without the companionship and support of colleagues.

What is your favorite picture book from childhood?
I cannot locate my favorite book from childhood. It was a story about a woodcarver who made a duck decoy with a heart anchor attached by a string. When the decoy was in the lake, the heart string was snipped by a water creature, and he was very sad. If anyone knows the name of this book, I will be forever grateful.

Fun fact: Elizabeth  also works as a pediatric nurse practitioner and public health consultant, and as such has authored a series of 50-page booklets about children's health. Learn more, and see more images, on STQRY here.

*excluding only those lazy bones or privacy freaks who don't answer our email questions, of course. We love them anyway.

Discover our now-famous illustrators on STQRY!

As part of the shindiggity fun around our first-ever public Illustrator's Exhibit now on public display at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, event coordinator and futurist Tina Hoggatt has introduced us to a spiffy way to check out the participating artists and their work online. It's at STQRY, which is... a new thingy. Go see for yourself, and click on the 67, which just *happens* to be the number of illustrators who participated in the exhibit. Coincidence? I think not.

In fact, each artist has a "story" page where you can see a sample of his or her work, read the artists' statements or bio information, and click through to their own websites for more arty goodness. Slick! (And thanks for all the hard work to build it, Tina!)

This doesn't mean, of course, that you shouldn't still plan to attend our December holiday event at the Convention Center from 6 - 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12, to see the art, and many of the artists, in person. (Not to mention catch up with friends, hear more about 2014 events in the works, and ring in the approaching year.) Register here and now. It'll be a fest-abulous celebration!

In the meantime, you can check out the exhibit any time. One of only four curated exhibits in 2013, the artwork will remain on view through January 8, 2014.

The illustrators were met...and how!

Saturday's "Make Art and Meet the Illustrators" Day was just glorious. We all owe Tina Hoggatt, our Public Event Coordinator, a big, fat thanks for putting together our first-ever illustrator show at the Convention Center and then coordinating this day of art-making. Another load of big thanks goes to the many illustrators who got messy with the kids. Some showed how to crack secret codes, some how to make books, others how to cut stuff out and glue it back in wonderful ways and others just stepped back and let the kids rip.

Finally, another thanks and declaration of eternal gratitude to Christy MacDonald and Suzanne Perry of Secret Garden Books, who made sure we had books by our illustrators to sell at the event. Thanks to all of you. Here are some photos from writer/illustrator Elizabeth Blake, mom Teresa Mundel and yours truly (Dana Sullivan, who took the below pics, unless otherwise specified).

Admiring the art (photo: Kjersten Hayes)

Step right up! This way! (photo: Kjersten Hayes)

What a crowd!

Wendy Wahman captivates the kids.

Sarah Romano Diehl and Bronwyn

The long-necked dinosaur

Cracking codes with Kathryn Dennis

Ollie's monster

Minah's monster

Yay, Secret Garden Books!

Making books with Wendy

The soccer mouse

The fashion plate

She's a writer AND illustrator!

Too busy to smile

A perfectly framed pumpkin

Susie and Richard Jesse Watson

Dana Arnim and Brenda Winter Hansen

Dad gets into it too!

Robyn finds a typo.

"I didn't do everything!" "Shut up, Tina!"

Sami knows his stripes.

Mili and Sami

Collage grads

Some even limped in.

Spencer and Dana

Art everywhere!

We love Suzanne and Christy!

Let the wild rumpus begin!

Future watercolor society members

DaVinci does Spokane!

Spokane's MAC museum is hosting a major DaVinci exhibit over the summer. Included are numerous mechanical models based on his drawings and replicas of his masterpieces (since many of the paintings are frescos, impossible to move). The show runs June 3 to September 5. Any artist should get the chance to see this exhibit.

Tickets are $11 for MAC members, $18 for non-members, and all students $8.00. Tickets must be purchased through Tickets West, or 800-325-SEAT. To find out more, see the MA website.