And now for something completely different!

Here is an example of another passion of mine, LEGOs! This was my entry into the Annual LEGO Competition in the Quimby Gallery at Northern Vermont University (formally Lyndon State College). This was inspired by my trip to Cambodia last year. I received the Bronze award for it. My Daughter beat me. Her work was incredible and it had a story to it. I should have realized as an illustrator that the story is what connects people to the work.

Sketch from Cambodia: Phnom Kulen, Elephant Pond

After a scooter ride and a small walk through the jungles of Cambodia, we came across this wonderful site. I wanted to capture that moment as it just emerged out of the jungle as we turned the corner. Constructed around 802 AD Phnom Kulen or The Elephant Ponds is all that is left of what is believed to be the birth of the Khmer Empire. It was so peaceful.

I was able to visit in February of 2017 and I am just getting to painting some of my sketches from the trip.

Gallery Opening and Presentation Tonight

Tonight I will be exhibiting my process of writing and illustrating in preparation for sending a book to publishers. The reception starts at 6 pm in the Quimby Gallery with a presentation at 7:30 in the  Burke Mountain Room on the Lyndon State College Campus.

Mabon, Cambodia: More practice with the iPad Pro

As I am preparing for my latest book project, I am revisiting my sketches from Cambodia.

I sketched this on the first day of my trip in February while visiting the Mabon Temple. I painted it using the Photo Sketch on the iPad Pro. I really like the versatility of this app and the ability to create multiple layers. I painted using the watercolor brush.

There sill be more to come.

A New Project

I started preliminary studies for my next project. The book is set in Cambodia and will be featuring elephants as the main characters. As part of the process of designing the characters, I am studying how to draw realistic elephants first. Even though I have done many many studies of elephants in the past, I still feel this is necessary. Even though I have drawn numerous elephants in the past, I am consistently amazed at the new aspects of the elephant that I see.

Sending out some gratitude

A month or so ago I discovered that I was awarded the VSC Faculty Fellowship. This will give me a three credit release next year to work on getting a book ready to send to publishers. I am so grateful for the honor and prepared thank you letters and a limited edition print to those that helped me in the process. This is so exciting for me to start working on something that has been in the planning process for over 10 years now.

Cambodia Sketch

This last February I had the incredible opportunity to visit Cambodia for research on a project I am working on and to take a group of students in a sketching class. Today, I gave a presentation on the trip, showing my photography and sketches. This is the first of over 50 pages of my sketches. This is of the Temple Banan just outside of Battambang. The woman was sweeping leaves away form the temple.