On my table

Here are a few things that are on and around my table these days...

My new surroundings seem to be having an effect on me.

The crocodiles have come along for the ride, too!

As for Pomelo, well — he always regarded my table as his bed anyway...

Finally, check this out:

I just got word the other day that Beatrice Alemagna is making more of her canvas silhouettes.  

And best of all, she can make one for you (yes, YOU!) if you let her know, too. Just imagine!

Marjolaine Brillant : young illustratrice from Poitou.

Miranda van Dijk : Her "Hidden Memories" are a poetic mélange of leaves and photos.

Never too late...

Hi!  I've been gone for. bit, but I'm back now....

Since the last time I made a sign of life, all has been upheaval here at the Secret Blog™: uprooted at a moment's notice, I now find myself in another place with different dramatis personnae —minus one :-( 

But this is neither the time nor place. Suffice it to say that I have returned, just in time to be the very last person in the world to wish you a very happy new year.  May your imagination blossom and grow!

Like this bird* I will be back before long with news of what I make and what catches my eye.  In the meantime, I leave you with a few things I've noticed lately:

•           Edition 8x8, from paper magician Martin Graf
•           Junko Nakamura : more paper magic (here too)

*PS. This bird image (a monoprint/collage I made last summer in Italy) has been on display at the Museo Zavrel in a group show (curated by Linda Wolfsgruber and Monica Monachesi) based on the theme of Gianni Rodari's stories. It will soon be touring other cities in Italy and elsewhere...

Back from Montreuil

                                                  

I know it's been a bit quiet here lately at the Secret Blog™, but (as I do every year) I've been over in Montreuil at the Salon du livre et de la presse jeunesse.

I will tell you all about it soon. Patience, young grasshoppers.

A très très bientôt...

Ilustrarte

I can now finally reveal these illustrations, which were my participation in this year's Ilustrarte Biennale.

I wanted to make this announcement a few weeks ago, to coincide with Ilustrarte's posting the news of the winners and selections for the exhibition. But then it transpired that my illustrations had vanished into the ether—for over four weeks, nobody knew what had become of them!

Which in turn precipitated a state of DEFCON3 and a flurry of agitated activity to recover them. 
Ça m'a mis dans tout mes états!

But:  HAPPY ENDING!

Lo and behold, yesterday my images were uncovered, mysteriously returned from their month-long sojourn in the 17th dimension. Welcome back!!!

Anyway, congratulations to all the selected illustrators, and a special complimenti to Valerio Vidali and Simone Rea.  And also to the other participants—this list includes such a lot of wonderful artists, it must have been very difficult to choose just 50.  

The exhibit will open in January 2012, in Lisbon, and from there it will go to Ghent (where I hope to see it) and elsewhere. I'm looking forward to this!

PS.  Merci, les filles, for your sympathy and support...

Carnet de croquis

I got to sketch a bit while I was away...

...this is Rugolo, in the hills above Sàrmede (click to see larger).

Go here, to see a few more of my sketches.

Immagini della fantasia

Le immagini della fantasia—the 29th annual exhibit of children's book illustration—is now in full swing.  I am happy to say that I was able to go to Sàrmede to attend the opening.



The guest of honour this year is Linda Wolfsgruber —who is also the creator of the poster above. Indeed,  there was a mini-retrospective of her work within the overall exhibition, from her earliest picture books to her more recent prints. It was a real treat to see the originals, they are stunning and luminous.

Altogether, over 300 images are on display, by illustrators from all over the world.  Some of the illustrations can be seen here and here.  The theme this year, as you can see, is Tales from India.



These 300+ images also had work from students and newcomers to the world of children's books, including me.  My illustration (mentioned previously) can be seen in the photo below.  Click here for a closer look at it and other work from newcomers.



All in all, a very good crowd turned out to attend not only the opening but a whole weekend of workshops, entertainments, encounters (including a very thought-provoking panel discussion with half a dozen of the artists), and other events.

Some of the illustrators who were able to make it to the opening weekend included: Simone Rea, Guido Scarabottolo, AnnaLaura Cantone, Alessandra Vitelli, Gabriele Clima and of course Linda — among many others.  Rock stars! ;-) I was also happy to catch up with friends and class-mates whose work was selected in this exhibit, notably Rossana Bossu, Laura Borras, Olga Tranchini and Francesca Zoboli. Good to see all of you...

The exhibit will be in Sàrmede until 15 January, and after that it goes on tour. The details will be on the website, but in general it goes first to other cities in Italy (Rome, Florence, Naples, Bologna for the book fair) and then all over Europe (Barcelona, Vienna, Paris, Stuttgart...) — and beyond (Florida and Istanbul)!!

Catch it if you can — highly recommended (even if I do say so myself!).

PS.  See here for more pics of the opening, and here for a few more views of Sàrmede.

Farewell, Steve Jobs

"..the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did.  You've got to find what you love.  And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers.  Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.


And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.


If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.  As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.  And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.  So keep looking until you find it.  Don't settle."

From the very inspiring commencement speech, Stanford, 2005.  
Full text here... and don't miss the video:

Goodbye —and thanks for everything.

PS. My first computer was an SE-30 (circa 1989) very much like the one in his lap. A pang of nostalgia!!


PPS. More here:
         From WIRED