Our mission with the Tandem Bike youtube channel is to bring creative people together to learn, empower, inspire and motivate in artistic endeavors. We wanted the live streams to be a fun place to practice our skills alongside one another. We’ve tried to create a relaxing space where we can encourage each other to push past self-doubt and just make some art! This week’s live stream I did some expression practice in hopes that you would get out your mirror and sketchbook and practice with me while we hung out! We all need to exercise our skills and it’s nice to do it with friends. If you missed it, you can always enjoy the recap on our channel. Happy creating and Ill see you next Monday!
3 Years, 520 Pages, 19 Covers and a New Beginning
3 years, 520 pages and 19 covers. I thought my body couldn’t do any more. June of 2021, was the first time in my career that I wanted to give up. I couldn’t possibly work any harder. I’ve given up so many weekends and holidays chasing this dream. Working for an average of $4 an hour, hoping that this will be the book that I finally earn my stripes, and make it. I was tired angry and defeated. I no longer felt joy when making art but panic and anxiety because the deadlines kept getting shorter, budgets smaller and my art more compromised. Social media made me forget all my hard work and feel like nothing I ever did would be enough. But my family and friends helped carry me through. They saw the value in me that I couldn’t and gave me strength to find solutions and keep moving forward. Thank you all for your love and support. I’m passionate that storytelling can change the world and I’m not done. I just needed to take a breath, connect to the voice inside my chest that’s been screaming to be let out, play second wind and rise with more fire in my heart than I started with 3 years ago. Knock me down 9 times and I get up 10. #cardib They told me being an artist would be hard but from all the struggle, came knowledge. This work has made me stronger than I ever hoped I would be. It’s helped me realize that I’ve been terrified of being vulnerable and sharing my own story. But I’m ready now. This is the year of fearless creativity. This is the year of having fun and not giving a fuck about being disagreeable. This year, let’s have the courage to celebrate what makes each of us unique and use it to make the world a more colorful place. This year, let’s be unapologetic about doing things that make our hearts sing. This year, let’s not be so hard on ourselves, because everything we do, is enough as long as it’s from the soul.
Tandem Bike youtube is LIVE
Check out the video above to learn what TandemBikeStudios is all about.
AH! Monday was our very first livestream! I was nervous and I'm sure Ill look back on this in 3 years and cringe but YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON'T TAKE. The youtube channel has officially started and forced myself to crawl out fo my hole and show my face. I've been safely hiding behind my art for years but, we started the YouTube channel to fill the gap left by people saying art doesn't matter and continuing to defund art programs. We wanted it to be a place where a creative community could learn together and flourish. Making art is a lonely business if you don't put yourself out there. Cheers to art, community and the pursuit of creativity in a world that wants you silence individual expression.
Dr. Fauci: New York Times and Amazon Bestseller
Back when I first got the offer to do this project, I was surprised that Simon & Schuster wanted me for this project because I asked for a deadline extension on my first-ever children’s book “The Only Woman in the Photo” and was convinced my illustration career was over. I had been freelancing for about 3 years and had a number of titles under my belt but this one kind of seemed like a big deal and I was very surprised they trusted me to get the job done in a record 3 months (a VERY short deadline for a 40 page book)
I got to work with the amazing Chloe Figolia again, who was also my art director on the Frances Perkins book, and Kendra Levin, Editorial Director. I’m convinced I coulnd’t have done this without their incredible professionalism and cheerleading abilities. in the short time, we were working, I felt like I was part of an elite team that could conquer any challenge. It was slightly stressful but their kindness and hard work made this unreal deadline pretty darn fun. When I sent the last batch of finals, I felt the euphoria of runners high after finishing a marathon. We did it! In record time!
Still being a fresh freelancer, I had to take on LOTS of projects just to make ends meet. I didn’t have much time for socializing and due to the stress from deadlines, I had to be very selective with what I let into my life so as not to add anxiety. One thing that went out the window was the news. I get my updates from my family and friends so if something really big is going on, I’ll find out eventually. But, I don’t seek it out because it puts me in a bad way. When covid started, it was difficult to keep a positive mindset so, I distracted myself with even more work and tried to minimize depressing distractions. When I got the offer for the Dr.Fauci book, I’m embarrassed to say, I had to ask my Fiancé Alex who he was. Alex was speechless and I remember asking if Fauci was a good guy. I wasn’t about to attach my name to a potential “Me too” headline. When Alex enlightened me on the fact that Dr. Fauci was the face of the fight against covid and was the most famous person in the country since the pandemic started, I realized I might have done too good of a job quarantining.
I did a little research to form my own opinion on the matter and as a lover of science with 5 friends who are doctors, I felt like this would be a good story to tell. It was actually really fun to learn about Dr.Fauci through the lens of his history rather than the modern media. No, I didn’t get to meet him in person, but this experience was a wild ride, and coming out the other side, I have a lot of respect for the man.
When I took on this project, it never occurred to me what post-pub date would be like for a book about someone so high profile. Only my close friends and family knew I was working on the book and they were so excited for me. For some reason, when you make art everyone thinks that you’re going to be famous. I’ve never met a famous artist or someone who considers themselves to be famous so call me if you know how to make that happen. But this book is probably the closest I will ever come to a simulation of 5 seconds of fame. I hit send of the finals and waited for the pub-day while nursing my adrenal glands back to the land of the living. I didn’t get too much rest because the weeks leading up to the pub day were full of interviews and press that I was totally unequipped for having spent the last 4 years alone in my studio. I Did some interviews for local news channels across the country and they showed the book on CNN, CBS and Good Morning America. When it came out, it was so strange to see my artwork on the shelves of Target, Barnes and Noble and local bookshops.
Friends sending me pictures from stores all across the country!
I realize all this coverage was due to Fauci being a pretty influential figure during the pandemic but, it was really neat to see my artwork in places I never imagined it would be. Needless to say, not all the attention was good. I got some pretty colorful emails condemning my decision to work on the book. At first, I didn’t really know how to feel. I had always been the person who made colorful, happy illustrations and had never really given anyone a reason to come at me. I had always been too afraid to be too vulnerable or show too much of myself on the internet in order to protect myself. Up until this point, I’ve had a lot to say, but was too afraid to say it. After getting the first few pieces of hate mail, I started to wonder what I was afraid of.
“If everyone loves your work, you’re playing it far too safe”
I have this quote written on a little sticky note on my computer to remind myself to face my fear of being disagreeable and speak my truth. Thats the point of art after all. Ive just always been a sort of shy, non-confrontational person. Doing the Dr. Fauci book gave me the push I needed to finally start using my voice in my artwork. Theres more to me than just pretty pictures and I think it’s high time I started putting myself out there. In the last year, I started to feel unfulfilled, like I was hiding behind other people stories. I hadn’t yet had the confidence to write my own stories, but its become clear that I wasn’t made to hide.
Since Dr.Fauci came out, I left my agency to pursue more independent endeavors like a youtube channel, and have started writing my own graphic novel. Im really excited for what the future holds and have my friends and family to thank for sticking by and supporting me while I chased my dreams. All in all, Illustrating the Fauci biography was a really amazing experience. But, I think the best part, was finally getting to feel like a real professional illustrator and gaining a clear view of the type of artist I want to be. If I can do a book like this in 3 months, learn to laugh at hate mail and continue to put my heart into everything I do, I think I can do anything. Cheers to chasing dreams.
My favorite Amazon review
Happiness Delivered
Rosie works as the delivery girl for her uncles bakery. Every morning, before the town comes to life, she rides her motorbike down the cobblestone street to pick up her first job. She loves riding her motorbike because she can sing at the top of her lungs beneath the sound of the rumbling engine. She is too shy to sing in front of people but, on her bike, she is safe in her own world. The only two people who know her secret, are her brother Lawrence and his friend Stephen. Every morning, when they start baking the bread before the sun, they prepare a song to sing to Rosie when she arrives to pick up her parcels. At first, Lawrence sang to her to make fun of her, but over time, he realized he loved to sing too. Rosie’s singing is the highlight of Stephens day. On his walks home after work, He takes the trail behind quiet path behind the bustling buildings in the center of town to practice by himself, so he can impress her the next day. Rosie is impressed and singing with Stephen fills her heart with warmth that she carries with her all day.
I hope this can deliver some warmth to you all during quarantine. If you’re getting bored or need a pick-me-up, I suggest singing or dancing with someone you’re cooped up with. No judgement, just fun. If feels great to let yourself be free with music.
This was supposed to be another motorcycle illo but decided to overexpose the outside with morning light and bring the focus inside instead of showing the bike in the door. I just recently made my first GF sourdough so I wanted to capture the Romantic image of a french bakery in the morning and came up with this little story. I can’t eat gluten but drawing pastries and breads is almost as satisfying as eating them! Enjoy!
Dear Body
The real me, is an artist. I am overwhelmed and inspired by the beauty I experience every day. To me, every detail is beautiful, especially what people typically think are their flaws. It makes me sad when people don’t see the beauty I do. When someone expresses an insecurity, I am moved to hold them and tell them they are beautiful, and their ideas and love matter more to this world than they will ever know.
Meanwhile, the ultimate hypocrisy lives in my subconscious. The story I tell myself, that I needed to push harder, I needed to do better, I need to strive for perfection in order to matter, was killing me. My physical self was deteriorating due to my stress and fear, and every moment I spent worrying about not being good enough, was a moment of this precious life I’ll never get back.
The things I would say; I’m a terrible artist, I’m fat, I’m a weird shape, I’m mannish, I’m slow, I’m stupid, I’m ugly, I’m disgusting. Change the I to you. You’re a terrible artist, you’re fat, you’re disgusting. Would you say those things to at friend? If I heard one of my friends on the other end of those comments there would certainly be hell to pay.
So I’ll put my armor on and stand in front of my emotional and physical self, against that negative voice. That voice is a weapon that raises my adrenaline and cortisol to the point when my adrenal glands, neurotransmitters, digestion and creativity suffer.
I won’t let the negative voice steal my days or harm my body any longer. I have more important things to do with this life, I think, than be perfect.
I am not defined by my looks, or any imaginary marker of success. I don’t need to prove that I matter to anyone.
It is a constant fight, to stay true to oneself. To block out all the influences that make us feel like what we do and what we have are wrong. In a time when the world needs love, we must forgive, and cherish our differences so that we are able to celebrate the differences and beauty of others. Be kind to yourself, because we have work to do.
The Only Woman in the Photo
The first image is the final cover and the second 2 are the sketches from the exploration phase. I really liked the black and white one but Love the way the final came out. It’s a lot more colorful and appealing to a young audience.
The Only Woman in the Photo is finally available for purchase! Happy international Women’s history month!
I thought they made a mistake when I got this job offer in my inbox. Maybe my agents showed them someone else’s work by accident? Why did one of the biggest publishers want to work with me, a newbie freelance artist, who doesn’t even have any practice yet? I kept thinking; I’m not ready for this! My illustration skills felt very rusty having worked in graphic design for 2 years after graduation and I couldn’t get over the fact that I was working with one of my dream clients while feeling so under-qualified.
The more I researched Frances Perkins the more I could hear her voice telling me todo my best and stop worrying. I might be scared, but this was my dream, I needed to give it my all no matter what and my best was enough. In the end, I was able to loosen up when I realized the kids wouldn’t care if my illustrations weren’t perfect. They wouldn’t see all the mistakes I made or the fact that I was new to painting; all that matters is that Frances’ inspiring story is told.
An artist’s biggest enemy is ego. We strive for perfection when it’s perfection that kills creativity. Frances used her voice to change the world. This book taught me that, no, I dont know everything and I never will but, that doesn’t make my voice any less valid. I discovered that my voice takes the shape of illustration and I can use it to communicate bravery, kindness, passion, optimism and other inspiring virtues which, are all things that speak louder than perfection ever will.
I hope you are as inspired by Frances’ story too.
Ps: crying happy tears over a positive review from Kirkus!! Feeling like a real illustrator now!
Photo courtesy of Theresa Howell
Leading The Way
Leading the way is OUT! I remember getting the contract from Candlewick a few months ago and having to pinch myself. I printed out a copy and hung it on my bulletin board so I would know it was real! Candlewick was one of my dream clients when I switched to full time freelance. It was such an honor that I got to work with them when I hadn’t even been in business a full year!
I was tasked to design the cover as well as create concepts for each of the powerful attributes that would be used to describe each figure in the book. Sort of like little badges that the women had earned by displaying the trait. When I received my copy of the book, a few days later they sent me LITERAL badges with the designs on them! So cool!
Photo courtesy of Theresa Howell
Needless to say, everyone at Candlewick were total rockstars to work with. Super kind and helpful with great feedback. When I handed in the first round of finals they had no revisions! Which has NEVER happened to me!
In my previous life as a logo designer, I used Adobe Illustrator daily to make graphic, minimal designs to tell the story of the company. As an illustrator you have a few more variables to work with but its essentially the same stuff! As much as I love painting I always really enjoy making graphic works and using Illustrator. I love the problem solving aspect and when Im using illustrator, I love getting a good playlist going and letting my fingers dance over the hotkeys. I get into the same a state of flow doing graphic design as I do Illustrating. Such a good feeling. I’m so thankful that I have 2 years of professional GD under my belt. I learned so much about process, shape, business, deadlines and many more valuable skills. I would say to any new illustrator fresh out of art school, theres no shame in not illustrating your first few years out of school! Even when Illustrating you have to design before you can paint! Wherever you are in your journey you can learn something new everyday and apply it to illustration.
Below are some of the sketches I did for the buttons. When I use to make logos, my first step was always to look up descriptive words and synonyms that helped me brainstorm about the identity and voice of the company. I jotted those on my sketch sheet and added a color scheme so I could start to visualize how value would effect the composition. Once they chose the sketches they wanted to see finalized, it was on to Illustrator!
Im so glad I got to work on this project. Its been a blast and its cool to have collaborated with such great folks! so far almost all of the books I’ve had the privilege to work on have had to do with women’s empowerment in some way. It has given me so much purpose as an artist to be a part of telling such inspiring stories. I hope this leads to many new generations of women in politics! Your voice is power!
You can check out Theresa’s other work on her site theresahowell.com as well as her instagram and Twitter.
The portraits inside were done by Kylie Erwin and you can check out more awesome portraits on her site https://www.kylieakia.com/
Inktober reflection
Last year I was the year of too many things. I had no concept of time and was juggling my full time job, starting as a freelance illustrator, practicing jiujitsu twice a week, taking care of my dog, trying to be a better artist and when October rolled around, I thought I could handle doing an ink drawing a day too. I was conditioned to think busy was equivalent to successful, so I busied myself with whatever I was interested in and it soon took a toll on my health. I quit my job, took an indefinite break from jiujitsu and focused all my energy on making memories with my loved ones and learning to be the best Illustrator I could be. I was disappointed with myself last year for not being about to stick with Inktober even though it was a highly unrealistic expectation to impose on myself.
This year, I was a little nervous to take it on because I still felt really rusty and slow from having had an office job for 2 years and felt the drawings I would have time to do might not always be post worthy. I decided to make a deal with myself; do Inktober for practice, and only post what you feel comfortable showing. Maybe do a post at the end with all of your mess-ups to show your process. This alleviated a lot of the stress on having to crank out good drawings every day. Instead I just had fun, exercised my creativity muscles and ended up learning a lot about myself artistically! So much so that I will definitely be giving myself small challenges each month to hone my skills and learn about what kind of art makes me happy. This week Ive already started the habit for November of doing 20 minutes of anatomy studies or Croquis Cafe gesture drawing to loosen up before I start work.
Doing Inktober allowed me to forget about what the industry wants or comparing myself to other artists. I just sat down and drew. What I uncovered was I really like keeping the lines in my drawings! Sketch, or ink. Since I graduated art school, I looked at a lot of successful modern illustrators and found they had a really polished edge and used shape and texture but no lines. I tried to emulate them but my illustrations always lost the life and energy that the sketch had. Im going to try to do more illustrations where I color right over the sketch or ink my lines because it feels like what Im meant to do. Whenever I try to go line-less I feel like I’m jamming a square peg into a round hole. I really enjoy the flow of using line, which is why I think Im also drawn to hand lettering. I just get into a groove and lose myself in the art.
Im a little afraid of the discrepancy in my portfolio of lined vs. lineless. But Inktober gave me a few pieces to add to my gallery that will start moving my portfolio in the direction of a style I would like clients to notice. A direction that feels more authentic to the style I want to be known for. Im excited to explore what this stylistic change will bring about/ Im already flooded with ideas for graphic novels and character illustrations! The possibilities are endless when you are true to yourself and make the art you want to make!
First Print
This was the first winter I truly hibernated. Hauled up in my office, I worked through precious sunlit hours of the day, learning the ropes of business and cranking out images. Summer came overnight and so did the end of my workaholic lifestyle that I tricked myself into thinking I needed to live as a freelancer. I learned so much in this first year and it’s been nice to take the summer to reflect, organize and dig deeper into the world of illustration and finding my place in it.
My first jobs were a whirlwind and I felt totally unprepared for every single one. I started with low confidence when I quit my office job because I hadn’t really illustrated in 2 years. I was rusty and pictures didn’t flow out of me like they used to, before I started to dissolve under the pressure of professionalism. Two of my first jobs were from big publishers and I felt obligated to give them masterful, high caliber work like the stuff I saw on the bookshelves and online. I wished I was able to ease into the business with some smaller jobs even though I was thankful for being given such momentous opportunities. It felt like a mistake that these publishers were hiring me at all. I felt unworthy of these jobs and the perfectionist in me made it very difficult to enjoy the process of doing art professionally (let alone allowing myself to play and experiment in my sketchbook to get my mojo back.) I had made the commitment to full time freelancing but, I hardly felt comfortable calling myself a professional.
illustrating each page felt like running a marathon after not having trained at all for 2 years.The sketching process was fun and easy but, when it came time for color I was blindsided. I had never really studied painting, not like I should have. I wanted to capture light and emotion like so many of my idols but upon reflection I realized I had never done master copies or plain air studies or anything that would help me to build the muscle memory I needed to call upon to bring these books to life from imagination. I needed time to take my paints out and discover what my painting style was and get comfortable with color and mark making again. But, I didn’t have that kind of time. I had 4 books on my desk and whatever knowledge I graduated with at my disposal. I tried looking at other artists which only confused me more. I realized even though I was a fan of their work, trying to emulate their techniques was much harder than trying to convey the world as I saw it, through my own eyes. I needed to walk my own path to be efficient and find joy in my work again.
The artists work is never done, we will never achieve mastery and perfection is an illusion. When I’m feeling inadequate, I read the Van Gogh letters. A true tortured artist. Tortured, because he felt he would never have the skill to convey the beauty he saw and felt in his heart. High expectations can be toxic to creativity. You may have heard;
“Life is not a destination it’s a journey.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
It became clear to me I had to kill the perfectionist. She was slowing me down, stealing my creativity and adding fear to an activity where it didn’t belong. I listened to other artists, of all ages and levels, talk about their first books. All of them said that, when they finally see the first print of a book, they always notice a few glaring things they wish they could change. But, the book is done and instead of ruminating on all the things they did wrong, it’s time to celebrate a piece of physical art, made real, in print, that would change someones life for the better.
Van Gough tirelessly and obsessively studied new techniques and experimented with new ideas in order to communicate more clearly with each new painting. That’s the best part of being an artist. You GET to spend the rest of your life discovering how to share your joy and stories with others so that we can connect on a deeper level and understand a bit more of what it is to be human. And it’s important that we do share. Because, each unique story will help someone out there, learn something new, feel less alone, or spark inspiration.
“Do your best with what you have and that is enough.”
I started meditating on this mantra I wrote in a journal after beating myself up so badly with thoughts of imperfection, my heart physically hurt. I was so hard on myself my boyfriend asked me: “Would you ever say these things you think to one of your friends or a younger artist? The realization that I needed to treat myself with more compassion and support struck me. I always tell my friends to be themselves, have fun and don’t worry about making bad art because no matter what, it will connect with someone somewhere. I was intimidated by the magnitude of my opportunities and my ambitious, self competitive side got the better of me. The humility I felt in the shadow of all I didn’t know, crushed me. I needed to have confidence in what I did know and be at peace with whatever I made, knowing that I gave all I had, and I would do better tomorrow.
There is a LOT they simply CAN’T teach you in art school. You just have to do your best and learn as you go. I recently took a trip to the library to do market research for my new book. I grabbed a bunch of books that were hardly winners in a technical aspect but, the stories gave me lump in my throat. Why do we torment ourselves over technical aspects of art? Because that’s what they teach you in art school. They teach you how to draw like Davinci, mix colors like Monet and know anatomy like Michelangelo. But, they don’t teach you your purpose or style or reason for making art in the first place. That’s up to you, to learn with every filled sketchbook and piece of art you make. While you need to learn the rules before you break them, it’s important to understand that the technical aspects of art are not the most important part of the picture; It’s what you say that matters.
Seeing my first books in print have made me finally understand. As I watch people pour over the pages with smiles on their faces and inspiration in their hearts, I realized that nobody was seeing the nit picky flaws I did, or saying she should have done this or that, they are seeing the whole picture, the purpose. I finally feel again the warmth that flows from my heart to my hand when I draw. I’ve rediscovered the self validation that is stripped away after you graduate by the pressure of proving yourself, living your dreams and paying the bills. I thought that getting an agent would be that validation, or signing my first contract. But, the realization of these books was the affirmation I needed to bring my feet back to the ground, hold my head high and believe in myself again. I’m not here simply to draw pretty pictures, I’m here to tell a story that will contribute positively, in some way, to the world.
We Could Be Heroes
This was my first cover project and I absolutely fell in love with illustrating youth fiction. I love doing children's stuff but, stories for older youth audiences always have nuances of darkness that bring a bit more passion to the illustration. As optimistic as I am, I’m the first to acknowledge the value of having real talk with kids about confusing emotional topics. I don’t believe in “taboo topics,” I think Taboo is just another name for fear and fear isolates people. When we acknowledge the evil, hardship and sadness in this world, we are better equipped to problem solve, persevere and be grateful for the insane amount of miracles that happen every day. This is why I believe media is so important. When used for good, it can reach out and help someone who may feel totally alone and without resources in their community. A good story can bring people together, especially if it resonates with them on a personal level.
When I was struggling with my health, reading stories about others who were going through the same thing made me feel so full of strength, I knew I would be just fine. If they were doing it, I could too. I am so excited to see so many books coming out about kids who overcome fear and find strength in their differences, not use them as an excuse. The premise of this book captured my heart, not only because one of the main characters is a dog, but because all the characters fit into the category of “misfit.” There’s something “wrong” with each of them but, they find comfort and strength in each others shared struggle. Strength enough to be heroes.
I did this cover during a time of terrifying uncertainty in my life. I took the leap to become a full time illustrator and whew! Talk about feeling pretty alone! I’m a pretty social person and was really missing the daily human contact of a day job. I was going through a lot of changes and found myself in need of guidance and support. The kid lit publishing community in New Hampshire is small, needless to say, so I didn’t know where to turn to for feedback and advice. In time, Illustrators and writers started messaging me with questions about the transition, work habits and advice. I’ve been having coffee dates and Skype calls with local artists, teachers and illustrators from around the country about the trials and tribulations of pursing a creative profession. I’ve even been invited to tell my story at colleges, programs and elementary schools where I’ve met inspiring, young, creative minds who taught me things I couldn’t learn from anyone established in the field. The connections happened totally naturally as a byproduct of putting my work out into a community of like minded people. Hearing successes inspired me and aligning with struggles gave me strength to find a solution. I now feel like I am a part of a small but growing group of people I can call on for help, inspiration and feedback. But, it all started with Margaret.
As I was working on this project, I got a message through my website contact form from the writer herself, Margaret Finnigan. I had never spoken to any of the writers of the things I had illustrated for, since the agents and the publishers usually act as the liaisons. I opened it expecting some kind of criticism but, was moved to almost tears as I read such kind words about the the life and expression in the sketches and how I was meant to be an illustrator. We continued communicating throughout the process and she kept me posted on the status of the book after I sent the final illustration. I had a lot of self doubt at the time, but her kind message did more for my confidence as a new illustrator, than I think she will ever know.
I was always surrounded by a positive community, but since becoming a freelancer, I felt like I was now living a secret life. Nobody really knew what I was doing or how the industry worked except the faceless people I communicated with daily, on a professional level. I felt like all the compliments I had gotten prior to freelancing didn’t count. I am a professional now and needed some kind of validation to know I had the right stuff. Getting a genuine, positive affirmation like “you have a bright career ahead of you” from someone established in a creative industry, definitely makes you feel like you’re on the right track. Honesty and authenticity, I’m finding, are priceless in this line of work. Margaret went out of her way, off the record of the forum of project emails, to give me an honest compliment at a time when I needed validation. That email gave me the strength to push through the winter of 70 hour work weeks doing my best work because her gratitude gave me my purpose. The stories we tell with our pictures and words, matter to someone.
You can check out the official cover reveal and read about the book here As well as participate in a sweet giveaway!
Keep up to date with “We Could Be Heroes” as well as Margaret’s other works by following her blog and twitter.
We Could Be Heroes is set to release 2/25/20 from Atheneum.
Photos courtesy of GYK Antler
IM IN ADWEEK! WTF!
I had the distinct pleasure of working on a series of Illustrations for GYK Antler’s end of year client gifts last month. I was excited to work on the project because I have a lot of unapologetic pride in businesses that operate out of new England. I believe that, large or small, localizing business is one of the top ways to strengthen the community. Some of their clients included born and raised New England giants like Dunkin Dounuts, Timberland and Cedars Hummus. While these corporations distribute and operate on an international level, I know people in my community as well as friends and family who have been personally and positively effected by their existence.
GYKA wanted an original piece of art that could be printed, framed and sent to their clients as a sincere thank you for their partnership. They really wanted them to to be a genuine token of gratitude and needed the item to be of the upmost quality to reflect that. (They originally wanted the illustrations to be letter pressed; bless their souls!) Unfortunately, letterpress did not complement our timeline nor our edition size. So, I had them printed on thick cotton paper to look as handmade as possible.
A few days before Christmas, I had a few facebook notifications from old coworkers. They had shared a link to an Adweek article. When I recognized that the title was; Inventive and Creative Agency Holiday Cards 2018, I selfishly, couldn’t help but scroll through to see if my illustrations made the cut. I stopped to read the paragraph about Droga5 since my boyfriend (a multi media designer in marketing) and I always geek out about their work. Then, almost directly beneath them, I found GYK Client Homage. I was elated just to see the work recognized but when I saw that they mentioned my full name, I ran into the living room to show my mom. I had to explain what Droga 5 was and what a big deal it was to be mentioned in the same article as them but, I think She understood the weight of it from my voice being many octaves higher than normal.
It’s been 4 weeks since I went full time freelance ( I hope you read that in Steven Page’s voice) And, not going to lie, It’s-been-WORK. I’ve made many mistakes and pushed myself to my limits. I knew in my heart that it was the right choice to go self employed but, I’m always glancing shiftily around for validation that I’m on the right track. Shortly after sharing the news with my mom, I received that holy validation in the form of an email from the project manager from GYKA. She shared the link to the Adweek article as well as a retweet of the project from a prominent editor in the marketing industry. She wrote that the gifts received overwhelmingly positive feedback many appreciated how thoughtful they had been. They where so thankful for my part in bringing their vision to life I could barely contain my happiness.
Starting out as an illustrator, self esteem is fragile. You take a lot of “bad” clients because you don’t know any better and end up doing a ton of work without receiving any kind of positive feedback. I think many refer to this time as “earning your stripes.” I’ve learned a LOT from making mistakes which has led me to taking better and better clients. When I receive positive feedback like this, it makes me go even more boldly in the direction of my dreams.
It’s the little things. Thanks GYKA!
Society of Illustrators NYC
The society show was incredible. I grew up going to NYC every year to visit my uncles, but I'm always so overwhelmed by cities, I didn't know what to do when we got there. However, the lovely thing about having so much in so close by is that you usually stumble upon something wonderful. My family and I parked the car in a claustrophobic garage that was real life Tetris, walked to central park, bought hotdogs and sat to listen to swing band play in the warm afternoon sun. The lead singer and her band were smooth and jazzy with a nice little beat that inspired children to dance in the square. I sat on one of those classic central park benches just like in You've Got Mail (Meg Ryan is my hero), and sketched the passerby. When it was time for the reception I was starting to get a little nervous at the thought of who I might meet, but then excitement settled in as we ventured toward the Museum of American Illustration. We met up with fellow NHIA student Brittany Inglese who's work always impresses and whilst mingling, coaxed her into striking up a conversation with her idol Kali Ciesemier, who was s u p e r cool.
I'm so honored to have been a part of this show. There were so many amazing illustrations and Chuck Pyle gave a really inspirational speech about the Society and how only 200 out of thousands of applicants were chosen for the show. Two of those 200 pieces being mine, I was pretty flattered. I got to Meet Molly Mendoza who work has been a recent obsession of mine. She won a much deserved scholarship for two of my favorite pieces of hers and was sporting a totally rad red jumpsuit.
My lovely parents drove home (not before a nostalgic stop at burger king) with my boyfriend and I sleeping on each other in the back seat. Thanks so much to my family and my lovely boyfriend for being so supportive, I couldn't have done this without you guys.
Ultrahaptics
I was enlisted by The Whole Buffalo to do some storyboards for this super fun futuristic thang! check out the awesome VFX, videography and my storyboard frames in the video above!
Much science!