i{heart}rhody

My interview with i{heartrhody} is up! The blog is put together by Erica and The Bear, who learn and tour their way around the ocean state, exploring the sights, sounds and tastes of Rhode Island. On occasion they feature local artists -- and happily for me, this week they have interviewed Susabean Studios! Take a look: http://www.iheartrhody.com 

If you're interested in the holiday or other cards featured -- or any other Susabean Studio items such as framed or matted prints or originals, take a look at my Esty shop. If you don't see what you're looking for, send me an email through my website, www.susabean.com. I'd love to hear from you!!

Interview Time!

Just putting the finishing touches on an interview for the blog i{heart}rhody -- a great site, all about the ocean state. I am looking forward to seeing the interview along with images of cards new to my "Look Who's Squawking" line of greeting cards.

Click on the link to my Etsy shop, as well -- there are several new cards -- just in time for the upcoming holidays!

Susabean Studio Cards Available in Little Compton, RI!

I've just returned from a beautiful drive to the Simmons Cafe and Market in Little Compton, RI. The weather was gorgeous -- definitely the "peak" time of year for leaf peeping!!

I am happy to announce that they are now carrying my "Look Who's Squawking" line of greeting cards. They have a wonderful assortment of Holiday, Birthday, New Baby, Thank You, etc. cards. Make sure to grab a latte on your way out! 

Simmons Market and Cafe, 78A Crandall Road, Little Compton, RI

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simmons-Cafe-and-Market

A Rainy Day for the Fall RISD Sale

The tents are down, the rain has stopped, and it's gorgeous outside. It's only too bad that today's weather isn't what we experienced yesterday! 

But it was still great to be part of the show. I had fun (as always) visiting with many friends, new and old who stopped by as well as with some of my favorite RISD artists -- notably, Pia Peterson -- who in addition to her fabulous oil paintings (the sheep are to die for) is now making pillows that are...delicious. Soft, squishy, and beautiful,  I purchased two.  The photo below was taken prior to the tiny leak which wreaked a bit of havoc on a bit of inventory and before I had to cover the table in some rather uninviting plastic! And a shout-out to Beth, who helped man the booth and kept me company!

Walking on Art!

     A smattering of sample rugs! I can't believe how fun it is to see my designs spring to life as these little door mats...

It's That Time Again

If it's October, it must be be time for the Fall RISD Sale! 

So, yes, lots going on here. I'm nearly done organizing -- filling the display racks with the new cards designed in 2014, packaging and pulling together everything I'll need. At the moment the weather forecast looks (happily) to cooperate -- hoping that it stays that way!

I'm lucky to have several people helping me out this year; in addition to the family members I've managed to coerce into active duty as well as a friend from my RISD days, I get to have a childhood friend from ELEMENTARY school on hand. Pretty amazing!! For those of you familiar with the Camp Fire Organization, we've know one another since we "flew up" together as six-year-old "Bluebirds" up to the "big league" of Camp Fire girls. Lots of history there, so this should be a very fun show.

Beyond that, there's a slew of new cards available at Paper, Packaging, and Panache in Bristol, RI. Be sure to check them out, and I hope to see you on Saturday, Rain or Shine, on Benefit Street!! (Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

Ready, Set, Go! It's a Blog Tour of Artists and Writers!

I’ve been invited by Judith Moffat to be the next stop on this fun and informative blog tour of authors and illustrators. I met Judith at the Rhode Island School of Design when she was the instructor for the first class I ever took in children’s book illustration. She’s been a tremendous help and inspiration since that day I dropped in begging to be admitted one week late.

What am I working on now?

Right now I am working on a couple of different projects. The first is the expansion of my greeting card line, “Look Who’s Squawking.” When it comes to my cards, I usually imagine the visual first and then write the copy. My goal is to have the new series packaged and ready by October 11, when I will be participating in the Rhode Island School of Design’s Fall Alumni Sale. The other item on my desk is to design a collection of floor mats for the home décor product market. This past March, I was in NYC for Home Fashions Market Week and was able to see the prototypes of several of my designs. I didn’t realize how much fun it would be to have people walking all over my art!

One of the latest pieces from my greeting card line,
"Look Who's Squawking"

Getting ready to start a new project

Why do I write/illustrate what I do?

I love the creative process.  I have had a pencil or paintbrush in my hand for as long as I can remember. When I was very young, I used to camouflage the margins (and often the problems themselves) of my math notebooks with drawings -- notably dogs, monkeys, and the occasional toad. I worked very hard to perfect my menagerie of animal characters! In college, my obsession with animals turned briefly to legumes, and I collaborated with an author friend who wrote the prose while I illustrated a book in which beans were the main characters.

Sketch for a hedgehog piece

How does your writing/illustrating process work?

I can be inspired by the tiniest detail: a found object, a small but beautiful bead, even the discovery of an unusual piece of paper. Once the inspiration hits, I’ll head to my studio and begin sketching, usually on a pad of 9 x 12 tracing paper, making very rough, loose sketches. When I’m satisfied with the characters and design I’ll choose my color palette, do the calligraphy for any text I’ve decided to incorporate, and then carefully deconstruct each element of the drawing. Once that process is completed, I break out my ExActo knife. When the individual components are cut out, I get to reassemble them in a whole new way. Kind of like Humpty Dumpty, but hopefully more successful!

Progress!

 

The hedgehogs spring to life

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I like to think of my art as a multi-dimensional, multi-media circus of line and texture, colored pencils and pastels – a paper performance – intended to engage and delight children of all ages.

Thanks so much for visiting -- come back again, soon!

The Blog Tour Continues!

Next, I would like to introduce you to my friend and colleague,

Susie Slosberg, a multi-media artist based in New York and Connecticut.

Photo: John DeAngelis

One of her first writing projects for children was the script for “Don’t Play Games with Fanny Flame,” a fire prevention video.  Winner of the Bronze Apple Award, Fanny Flame terrifies children in New York schools annually during Fire Prevention Week. Susie is now shopping a middle grade chapter book. A Finalist in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom 2013 Creative Writing Competition for Short Story, and Short List Finalist for Novel-in-Progress, she is also shopping a bookclub novel.

Susie started her photography business, PinkChairPrints, in 2012 and had a booth that year at the Mystic Art Show.  Her work is available in Connecticut as well as New York. A poster of Mystic Beam was included in the New Rochelle Rotunda Exhibit in 2012.  The following year, while completing her yoga teacher training, she showed Mermaid and Downward Facing Dog.

After initially creating custom house portraits, the beauty and symmetry of yoga inspired her to begin the Yoga Where You Are series, where seasoned as well as new instructors illustrate how yoga can be done anywhere, any time.

Links to some of the Blog Tour Author/illustrators

Marcela Staudenmaier http://marcelaillustration.blogspot.com/

Judith Moffatt http://www.judithmoffatt.com/ 

Susan Novich www.susabean.com

Meg Sadano http://msodanoillustration.com/updates/

Anne Wert http://www.annepwert.com/

Sarita Rich http://saritarich.com/about.html

Susie Slosberg: https://pinkchairprints.wordpress.com/

Farm to Table...

It's summer!
And time for the blog to reflect this fabulous season a bit more accurately -- especially as it was recently pointed out to me (by someone who shall remain nameless) -- that the previously posted photo is a WINTER-scape.

So my thoughts turn to summer:
farms…food…flowers.
And to travel:
near and far…by boat…bicycle...or biplane

The result of such musings:
The anthropomorphic piggy chef, who cries "Oui, oui, oui,"all the way home.
Baguette in hand, flowers in his basket, I think he is ready for a little al fresco dining…

This little piggy will be available at the Fall 2014 RISD Sale, October 11, 2014...

View from the Studio...

Thought I would share the view from my studio on this February winter day...

RISD Fall 2014 Alumni/Student ART SALE

Hi! Just thought I'd let you know that I've been accepted to the Fall 2014 RISD Alumni & Student Art Sale, to take place on Saturday, October 11, 2014. As usual, the sale takes place on Benefit Street in Providence, Rhode Island, rain or shine. This will be the fourth time I've participated in a RISD sale, and while I know it's early, I'm already gearing up!

I'm excited to offer many new originals, some of which I'm in the process of turning into new cards and prints. Here's a sneak peek at one of my new designs. I'm loving the color combination!