Monday, November 26, 2012
Beatrix Potter Exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum
What a beautiful place to hold a reading of Beatrix Potter stories, in Mr. Morgan's library surrounded by books. I read Mrs. Tittlemouse (a couple fans already knew the story well but still enjoyed hearing it again). Also Squirrel Nutkins - you gotta have a naughty animal too. The kids were great. Thank you to Marie Trope- Podell of the Morgan Library for a wonderful afternoon, and Laura Goetz of CBIG for taking the pictures for my memory book.
Don't miss the exhibit, Beatrix Potter The Picture Letters, it's wonderful!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Beatrix Potter
Gather around the fire with me in Mr. Morgan's Library for a reading of Beatrix Potter stories! I'll be there Sunday, November 25 for the 2:30pm session and again on Sunday, December 23 at 11:30am. For details about the exhibit click here at the Morgan Library & Museum.
Sunday Storytime
in Mr. Morgan’s Library
Join us and some of your favorite Beatrix Potter storybook
friends—Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, and
Tom Kitten— for Sunday Storytime in Mr. Morgan’s
Library. This one hour drop-in program offers families a
refresher on the beloved tales before viewing Beatrix Potter:
The Picture Letters. Presented in collaboration with The
Beatirx Potter Society and the Children’s Book Illustrators
Group. Appropriate for ages 2 and up.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
THEATER- August Strindberg Repertory Theater
Here's the info: view web site for complete schedule and information Updated Schedule due to Hurricane Sandy!
Friday, October 26 - Saturday, November 17
Gene Frankel Theatre
24 Bond Street,
New York City, NY 10003
Show me a map.
Show Length: 1.5 hours
General Admission: $18
Student Admission: $9
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Gallery Hours Changed for Dickens Exhibit
UPDATED GALLERY HOURS as of 10/9: Due to circumstances beyond our control, the gallery will be open only during the events on Oct. 13, 23 and 27. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you will be able to join us.
To view the schedule, please click here
To view the schedule, please click here
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Day of Dickens Two - Oct. 13 and Special event Oct. 23
The second Day of Dickens event day is October 13 with two new events added, and a special event added October 23. Click here for the schedule update. The exhibit, Dickens, A Celebration In Pictures: Illustrations by the Children's Book Illustrators Group is on view through October 31st.
For more Dickens celebrations, don't miss the exhibit, Charles Dickens: The Key to Character at the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street. Loved it! And, if you were as engaged as I was by Catherine Robson at our event in September, she will be speaking at NYPL on Nov. 14 in association with this exhibit.
For more Dickens celebrations, don't miss the exhibit, Charles Dickens: The Key to Character at the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street. Loved it! And, if you were as engaged as I was by Catherine Robson at our event in September, she will be speaking at NYPL on Nov. 14 in association with this exhibit.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Dickens Event Day Sept. 13
The day started with 59 kids in the story time.
 The calm after the storm. The library staff was amazing - not a spec of glitter anywhere! |
| Wallace West demonstrating Dickens Character drawing |
 Wish I had taped the panel discussion! |
| Panel discussion guests:Betsy Bird, Catherine Robson, Mike J. Quinn |
 Carol talks about layout for comic books using Great Expectations text as the theme. |
| Comic Book Art demo, Carol Burrell a.k.a Klio |
Another illustration demo with Wallace  |
| Wallace West demonstrating his illustration process |
 Performance Reading |
| Friends of Dickens waiting to perform and Mike J. Quinn |
 |
| Mike J. Quinn |
Friday, August 31, 2012
Dickens
The exhibit is up and looks great, thanks to Susan Kart, Yonkers Riverfront Gallery Curator and Emalyne Feitshans, (student at Sarah Lawrence College and an artist herself) both worked tirelessly on the aesthetics of the exhibit right down to the bookmarks with the event day schedules and book displays. The library: Susan Thaler, Branch Mgr., Steve Force, Director, James Hackett, The Yonkers Public Library Foundation, custodians and staff, have given CBIG a warm welcome. Additional thanks goes out to the Morgan Library and Museum for the images of Dickens at his podium and the facsimile of a page from A Christmas Carol of a ghost encounter with Dickens handwritten notes, Esther Raushenbush Library, Sarah Lawrence College, Pam Horovitz and Hudson River Museum for loaning books and support for the programming.
Meanwhile, here are some great u-tube videos I found while doing the research for this exhibit:
They're fun and interesting!
Meanwhile, here are some great u-tube videos I found while doing the research for this exhibit:
Simon Callow on Dickens as a
performer
Ruth Richardson on Dickens and the
Workhouse (interesting new info she discovered with scenes of modern day
streets that are in his novels)
Ralph Fiennes' reading performance
with the ceremony to show how Dickens is honored in the UK: Royal couple Prince Charles and Camilla visit Charles Dickens's
grave at Westminster Abbey, Ralph Fiennes reading from Bleak House
animated ghost stories from the
Pickwick Papers
A short oral bio on Dickens
An animated bio on Dickens
Dickens' great, great grandson, an
actor himself, performs A Christmas Carol excerpt and spcomments on Dickens as
a writer.
How Dickens has influenced our
language BBC:
They're fun and interesting!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Dickens Exhibit
The artwork is in! Once again I am amazed at the variety of styles, medium and approach to a single topic represented by the exhibition participants for the show Dickens, A Celebration of His
Work in Pictures: Illustrations by the
Children's Book Illustrators Group. Curating and creating my own artwork for the show has been both a challenge and a labor of love. I'd like to thank the artists for contributing such wonderful work, also to the following people who worked behind the scenes: Susan Kart, Emalyn Feitshans, Susan Thaler, Judith Schwartstein, Diana Ting Delosh, Deborah Cuneo, the Friends of the Yonkers Riverfront Library for funding the exhibit, and to the Day of Dickens guests for their participation. Their support has made this a richer exhibition and truly a celebration of Dickens in this bicentennial year.
Dickens: A Celebration of His Work in Pictures
Illustrations by the Children’s Book Illustrator
Group
Exhibit: August 25 –
October 31, 2012
Day of Dickens Event Days:
September 13 and October 13
Yonkers Riverfront Library
One Larkin Center, Yonkers
NY 10701
About the Collaborators:
The Children’s Book Illustrator Group www.cbig-nyc.com
CBIG was formed in 1987 by a group of
Brooklyn illustrators. Today our member illustrators and author/illustrators
have a wide range of experience including: graphic design, product and
surface design, animation, fine art, digital media design and publishing.
Our members’ work spans all children’s categories for
trade, editorial and educational publishing preschool through young
adult. As a small, volunteer run organization our aim is to further our
members’ careers within the children’s book industry.
EXHIBITING MEMBERS of the Children’s Book Illustrators Group: Lisa Cinelli, Deborah
Cuneo, Diana Ting Delosh, Peggy Dressel, Doris Ettlinger, Laura Goetz, Leeza
Hernandez, Mike Herrod, Sara Kahn, H. Ruth Karpes, Lisa Lavoie, Doreen Marts,
Donna Miskend, Sawaka Norii, Marilyn Papas, Clare Pernice, Roberta Rivera,
Vicky Rubin, Cheryl Taborsky, T. T. Tyler, Wallace West
The
mission of the Yonkers Riverfront Library Art Gallery is to present a diverse
and balanced schedule of exhibits of high caliber, progressive artwork and
related programs not frequently seen in Yonkers or Westchester County, with an
emphasis on educational merit. Riverfront Library is located at One Larkin
Center, across the street from the Yonkers Train Station (Metro-North Hudson
line). Parking is available in the nearby Buena Vista Parking Garage. The
library is handicapped accessible.
About the Event Guest Participants:
James Armstrong is a playwright who adapted A Christmas Carol for the Epiphany
Theater Company in Saratoga Springs, and adapted everything else Dickens ever
wrote in the play Dickens Condensed,
in which a troupe of five actors performs fourteen and a half novels in a
single hour. James is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, and you
can keep up with him at http://www.armstrongplays.com/
Elizabeth Bird is the Youth Materials Specialist for the New
York Public Library system and creator of the SLJ blog A Fuse #8 Production.
She wrote the ALA Editions title Children’s Literary Gems: Choosing and
Using Them in Your Literary Career. She reviews regularly for Kirkus and
The New York Times and has a picture book out with Harper Collins in
Spring 2013 called Giant Dance Party. In Fall of 2013 she and two other
bloggers will publish a book for adults on the true stories behind their
favorite children’s books with Candlewick Press.
Carol Burrell is Editorial Director for Graphic Universe,
the graphic novel division of Lerner Publishing Group. On her own time, she
draws a webcomic called SPQR Blues and other art online under the name Klio.
Friends of Dickens, New York www.thefriendsofdickens.org
A literary, cultural and educational not-for-profit
organization devoted to activities that celebrate and disseminate the
works of English novelist Charles Dickens. They present staged dramatic
readings of the famed author’s works for libraries and service organizations.
Michael Patrick Hearn has remained one of the most respected contemporary writers
about children’s literature since the publication of The Annotated
Wizard of Oz right after college. His many other books include The
Annotated Christmas Carol, The Annotated Huckleberry Finn, The
Victorian Fairy Tale Book; Myth, Magic and Mystery; and The Porcelain
Cat, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. He has curated numerous
exhibitions including the recent Tomi Ungerer show at The Eric Carle Museum. He
has lectured on children’s books and their illustration all over the United
States and Europe. He teaches The Picture Book in the Simmons Graduate Program
in Children’s Literature. He is often interviewed by the media and most
recently by BBC4 and TCM. He is currently preparing The Annotated Edgar
Allan Poe.
Fred Kaplan, biographer and literary scholar, Fred Kaplan is
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Queens College and the Graduate
Center of the City University of New York. He is the author of Lincoln, the
Biography of a Writer (2008), The Singular Mark Twain, A Biography
(2003);Gore Vidal, A Biography (1999); Henry James, The Imagination of
Genius, A Biography (1992); and Charles Dickens, A Biography (1988).
His Thomas Carlyle, A Biography (1983), was a finalist for the National
Book Critics’ Circle Award and was a jury--‐nominated finalist for the
Pulitzer Prize. Lincoln, the Biography of a Writer was a Lincoln Prize
book. His Sacred Tears: Sentimentality in Victorian Literature (1987), Dickens
and Mesmerism: the Hidden Springs of Fiction (1975), and Miracles
of Rare Device: The Poet’s Sense of Self in Nineteenth--‐Century Poetry (1972) are contributions to the study of Romantic and
Victorian British literature and culture. He has edited Dickens’ Book of
Memoranda (1981), the Norton Critical Editions of Dickens’ Oliver Twist (1993)
and Hard Times (2001), and Traveling in Italy with Henry James (1994).
His latest book, Visionary American, A Biography of John Quincy Adams is scheduled to be published in 2014.
He has held Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships,
and been a Fellow of the National Humanities Center, the Huntington Library,
and the Rockefeller Study Center at Bellagio. He lives in Boothbay, Maine.
Doreen Marts is a children’s book illustrator living in NJ with her
husband, two- year old daughter and puggle pup Baxter Blue Cheese, some of
Doreen Marts’ clients include: Penguin, Blue Apple Books, Scholastic and
Running Press Kids. She is a member of CBIG.
Donna Miskend, CBIG president and exhibition curator, is also an
illustrator, textile designer and writer. A member of the Society of Children’s
Book Illustrators and Writers (SCBWI), she additionally contributes as a judge
for art organizations. Her artwork appears in publications and is exhibited in
museums and galleries. www.donnamiskend.com
Mike J. Quinn, actor, educator, writer and
retired parole officer living in Riverdale, NY, Mike is the founder and former
executive director of The Friends of Dickens New York chapter. Along with his
colleagues from the Friends of Dickens, Mr. Quinn frequently presents stated
dramatic readings of the famed author’s works for libraries and service
organizations.
Catherine Robson is associate professor of English at NYU, where
she specializes in nineteenth-century British cultural and literary studies; she
has been awarded Fellowships for: Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin Fellowship,
2008-09; Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, 2004-05; National Endowment
for the Humanities Fellowship, 2003-04. Dr. Robson is also a long-time faculty member of the Dickens Project.
Author of Men in Wonderland: The
Lost Girlhood of the Victorian Gentleman (Princeton UP, 2001) and co-editor
of The Victorian Age for the Norton
Anthology of English Literature, she has just finished a book on poetry
recitation in school (Heart Beats:
Everyday Life and the Memorized Poem will be published by Princeton UP this
October)
T. T. Tyler is an aspiring children’s book
author and illustrator who enjoys using a variety of materials to create
artwork. She is a member of CBIG and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and
Illustrators (SCBWI).
Wallace West, a New York City-based freelance illustrator
and writer, Wallace’s influences span the spectrum from Quentin Blake to
Modigliani to Parisian couture. A firm believer in lighthearted living his
artwork is rooted in humor, honesty—and a touch of irreverence. Wallace studied
with The School of Visual Arts in New York City and Parsons School of Design in
Paris and is a member of SCBWI and CBIG http://wallacewest.com/home.html
________________________________________
Ages: children - adults. Free and open the
public.
This exhibition programming
is underwritten by the Yonkers Public Library Foundation.
View the schedule of events HERE and my new blog, Conversations... where I will post interviews with people in the arts. Related to this exhibit are: a conversation with the ARTISTS, Mike J. Quinn, and Fred Kaplan.
Monday, August 13, 2012
EXHIBIT INFO
Working on the last details for the Dickens exhibit that opens August 25th at the Yonkers Riverfront Library. I'll have links to the relevant pages including interviews , the schedule and some pictures. Meanwhile, here's a taste of what I've planned: - Dickens, A
Celebration In Pictures: Illustrations by the Children's Book Illustrators
Group
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
COMING SOON
To mark the bicentennial of his birth, opening August 25th and running through October 31st at the Yonkers Riverfront Library Gallery is Charles Dickens, A Celebration Of His Work In Pictures: Illustrations by The Children's Book Illustrator Group. I've curated the show for CBIG and organized two days of events in support of the exhibit A Day Of Dickens September 13th that will include the artists’ reception, and A Day Of Dickens October 13th.
I'm hosting a discussion panel on Dickens and there will be artist demonstrations, craft sessions, talks with Dickens experts, performance readings by The Friends Of Dickens, picture book story hours and a book signing and sale of published works by guests participating in the events and CBIG exhibiting artists. During the exhibit run, check the library for additional related Dickens offerings. I'm hoping to have films and other support material available. All events are free and open to the public, ages 3 and up, great for the whole family.
Look for further information on the exhibit including a detailed schedule on this blog and I'll post it on our new exhibits page for CBIG at
www.cbig-nycExhibits.blogspot.com.
Sign up for email notifications on both sites so you don't miss exciting news about CBIG and what I'm up to. Happy 4th of July!
Friday, May 25, 2012
News: CHILDREN'S LITERARY SALON, NYPL
Here's some news about what I'm involved in -
A Conversation with The Children's Book Illustrators Group
A Conversation with The Children's Book Illustrators Group
Saturday, June 2, 2012, 2 - 3 p.m.
NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, at 42nd Street, Rm. Margaret Liebman
Berger Forum (Map and directions)
Join me,
President/Exhibition Curator of CBIG and my colleagues: Vicky Rubin, Webmaster/Listserve Manager, Diana Ting Delosh, Communications Officer/Blogzine Manager, Maria Madonna Davidoff, Postcard Designer and Ruth Karpes, Meeting Venue Hostess for a discussion about who we are as a group, where you can see our member's work, our accomplishments and future goals with moderator Elizabeth Bird, Youth Materials Collections Specialist and creator of the children's literary blog A Fuse #8 Production http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production
This program is for adults.
CBIG is a group of 60 illustrator and author/illustrator members with experience in the children's book publishing industry, commercial and fine arts. Visit us at www.cbig-nyc.com and see work from participating members at our upcoming exhibits: The Yonkers Riverfront Library Gallery, Yonkers, NY celebrating Charles Dickens opening in August and The Flinn Gallery at the Greenwich Public Library, Greenwich, CT interpreting Mother Goose opening in December. Check back for further details about the exhibits and associated events closer to the dates.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Friends and Colleagues- Theater
I'm so excited for my friend Robert Greer, Artistic Director of the August Strindberg Repertory Theatre. Their new production, Playing With Fire, runs through June 10th at New School for Drama 151 Bank Street, NYC. For further information about the company, the play and performance schedule visit http://Strindberg.org/
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Friends and Colleagues
If you find yourself in Long Island, stop by and see the portrait entry of artist and fellow CBIG member Laura Goetz. To see more of Laura's work visit her blog at http://lauraspencil.blogspot.com/ and on CBIG's web site www.cbig-nyc.com
It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul. For me, Laura has the ability to bring the soul of her subject alive through the eyes. It's subtle, but it hits me every time. There's always a quiet emotion just below the surface in her work whether she paints people or animals. Her subjects breathe.
The Art League of Long Island presents:
A Common Theme: Portraiture
An Exhibition of Portraits and Figures
Exhibition Juror, Burton Silverman
May 20 through June 17, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The Special Award Winners of The Morgan Book Project
The Special Award winning books from The Morgan Book Project are now posted on their web site! Click on the individual names to see selected pages from the kid's books. The Turtle Shell of Torture by 3rd grader Kate Reynolds is a great fantasy story and My Necklace Memories by 4th grader Kelly Chang about a necklace handed down in the family was touching. There was poetry, the surprising birth of hamsters, a dad turned into a knight to save the day, an account of a hunt with a Native American father and son and stories of friendship lost and found. All the stories were great and imaginative, and the illustrations showed a wonderful sense of layout, design, use of color and storytelling. A selection of books were also on view for a special 1 day exhibit. Congratulations to all the participants!
http://www.themorgan.org/education/StudentBookAward.asp
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My Process
It's always interesting to see how an artist works. I'll post my process from time to time because I don't always work the same way in terms of how detailed my preparation is. For the peacock image I did a detailed line drawing and then I didn't do any color sketches but rather delved straight into the painting from the line drawing. My process always begins with an unrecognizable thumbnail sketch. For Noah's Ark I had a pretty good idea what I wanted to do in my head so I moved into a basic outline sketch to size:
Next I traced it and refined the image (I use "refine" loosely):
I added a background for the sky and water, blocked in the boat, and began to add some details: the cloud swirls in the sky, the decorative waves and the lines and color variations in the wood of the boat.
I continued layering the colors and filling in the details. I used some colored pencil in the peacock. It's a little difficult to see where I used the gold from my scan, but it's strongest in the waves, with touches on the wood to catch the light in person, some of the fur and on Noah's robe.
This image was done for the Children's Illustration Showcase exhibit at Gallery Connect on view through the end of March.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Judging Day for the Morgan Book Project
Wow! This past Friday I had the privilege of being a judge for the Morgan Library Museum’s program for children, the Morgan Book Project. Nine judges reviewed a selection of amazing books created by children from 3rd to 8th grades.
Teachers learned the process first and the kids were treated to a gallery tour and an opportunity to see the Morgan’s collection of illuminated manuscripts for inspiration. Back in the classroom, the teachers helped the kids to fabricate the accordion books. The kids wrote their own stories and then illustrated them using paint they created from scratch! Yep, they took raw materials like saffron (for yellow), and cochineal insects (reddish pigment), ground the material up using a mortar and pestle, added a binder and voila! Paint. They were even given 22k gold leaf to use on archival paper. This is serious business! The stories ranged from the anecdotal to full out fantasy. A day with a stomach bug, the birth of hamsters, Dad as a medieval knight, Native American influenced stories, and a magic turtle were some of the themes. They were funny and moving, and the artwork was awesome. As judges we were given guidelines but it was so hard to choose. Well done guys, beautiful work!
Here’s more info on the program:
The Project: In this free program, every year teachers from New York City public schools participate in a four-day Summer Institute for Teachers, developed by the Morgan in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education, and focused on the integration of book arts into the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subject, as well as The New York City Department of Education Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts. Through the following fall and winter, these teachers lead their students in the writing, illustration, and binding of manuscript books. They submitted their students' four best projects to a jury. At the end of March, the winning books are featured in a one-day installation at the Morgan, while the students whose books were selected receive an award in the presence of their families, school teachers, and principals in the Gilder Lehrman Hall.
For additional information on the The Morgan Book Project, please visit www.themorgan.org/education/BookProject.asp
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Morgan Library Museum: The Morgan Book Project
I’m so thrilled to have been invited to participate as a juror this year in the Morgan Library & Museum’s annual Morgan Book Project for children. The jury meets tomorrow so check back for further info.
Friday, March 2, 2012
An animated short I recommend
Have a look -
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2011)
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adzywe9xeIU
Enjoy!
Friday, February 24, 2012
New work
The Three Kings ©Miskend2012
Here's another work on the Bible theme. Scroll down to see Noah's Ark submitted for the Children's Book Illustration Art Showcase on view until March 30th.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Exhibit Info
Noah's Ark, gouache/acrylic gold/colored pencil © Donna Miskend2012March 4 - 30, 2012
Children's Book Illustration Art Showcase
Featuring Bible art and other children's book illustrations
by members of LICWI and CBIG Illustrators
at Gallery Connect
320 Broadway
Greenlawn Road
Huntington, NY 11743
Opening reception March 4 12:30-2pm
After the reception date please call (631)271- 0272
T-F 11am-5pm and Sunday after services for viewing availability.
Thank you to Debbie Cuneo for organizing the exhibit
I have 3 pieces in the show, here's one of them.
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