illustration

nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 16 Comments

1. Hello and Happy March! Has it come in like a lion or a lamb where you are? Whatever the case may be, March is known for changeable weather, so why not welcome it with a bit of beauty in anticipation of spring?

Oregon artist Katie Daisy — one of our faves — always brings the sunshine, joys of nature, and upbeat inspiration. Think wildflowers, songbirds, meadows, wide open prairie skies, magic and enchantment. Can’t get enough of her vibrant colors and vintage hand lettering (so many great quotes!).

Whenever I’m feeling down, I pop over to her Etsy Shop to see what’s new. This time around, the designs that caught my eye were her stamp collection, prairie dresses, happy home, sweet as pie, and the adorable morning glory brunch club (yum!). 🙂

Just so many lovely designs! Besides prints, she sells t-shirts, notebooks, greeting cards, mugs, tote bags, etc., and she’s recently added fabrics and gift wrap. Something for everyone. For much more, visit her Official Website, The Wheatfield, her Facebook and Instagram.

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Gemma Koomen: Beauty, Joy, Enchantment

~ jama ~ 10 Comments

Come along — let’s enter UK artist Gemma Koomen’s peaceful, gentle miniature world. It’s an enchanting place where fairies, gnomes, birds, bees, and busy little people co-exist, a place where you’re invited to linger, look around, and appreciate nature’s small wonders. Such a welcome balm from stressful, noisy, oftentimes chaotic modern times!

Author-illustrator Gemma Koomen in her studio (photo by Eva Nemeth/91 Magazine).

Having grown up in the Scottish countryside, Gemma has always felt a deep connection with the natural world. Both her parents were artists, and she’s loved drawing since childhood. She distinctly remembers getting lost in imaginative narratives of her own making (many with fairytale motifs), that made her aware of the power of art. She was especially fond of Richard Scarry’s Busy Town books and avidly studied the small worlds and characters in those stories.

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reveling in Grant Snider’s Poetry Comics

~ jama ~ 41 Comments

We don’t usually speak of poetry and comics in the same breath. We may like and enjoy both, but tend to approach each separately on its own terms. Purists may even consider poetry and comics to be on opposite ends of the literary spectrum (gasp!).

Yet Grant Snider sees things differently. The popular “Incidental Comics” creator was keen on finding a closer connection between poetry and comics, as both “contain condensed language, strong imagery, and ideally leave the reader with a new insight.”

Author-illustrator, cartoonist, comic strip writer and orthodontist Grant Snider lives with his wife and five children in Wichita, Kansas.

Targeted for middle grade readers, Snider’s fun and inventive collection demonstrates this perfectly with an entirely new way of approaching and appreciating poetry. Did you ever think it would be possible to read a poem in a series of comic panels? Me neither. 🙂

The poems in Poetry Comics (Chronicle Books, 2024) are organized by season, with each section offering insights into the poetry writing process. Title pages inspire and direct:

Spring: “I want to put down on paper the feeling of fresh possibilities.”

Summer: “How deep can a poem go?”

Fall: “I will wait for a poem to fall into my open arms.”

Winter: “A new page — my words huddle close to keep warm.”

Each season then ends with a variation of “How to Write a Poem.”

HOW TO WRITE A POEM #1

Find a quiet place.
A sharp pencil.
A blank page.
Sit still.
Keep quiet.
Wait.
A poem will rush in to fill the space.

Many of the poems are about nature (snails, tadpoles, butterflies, trees), while others examine universal human emotions and observations via kid-centric activities like running through sprinklers, waiting for the school bus, playing basketball, riding on roller coasters, climbing trees, reading good books, picking the perfect pumpkin, playing in the snow. Each poem is a sensorial impression of the here and now.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 9 Comments

1. Happy February! What sweet treat do you fancy today? It may be cold and wintry outside, but Stella Park’s adorable animal pictures will warm you right up. 🙂

Based in Seoul, South Korea, Stella studied media design at Dongduk Women’s University, and then worked as a children’s art teacher before becoming a full-time freelance illustrator.

Her medium of choice is colored pencils. The slower pace of hand rather than digital drawing allows her more time to reflect and enjoy the process. She’s confident in her ability to draw subjects close to her heart and finds much fulfillment doing so. She loves sharing happiness and positivity through her art via soft fuzzy textures and heartwarming details.

Earlier in her freelance career she was mainly inspired by daily life and memorable scenes from her travels. Recently, however, she’s been depicting animal characters in cozy domestic scenes — mainly dogs and cats baking, shopping, sharing meals and playing together. She’s already published a couple of books in Korea, and I hope her work finds its way into the U.S. children’s picture book market sometime soon. Isn’t her artistic sensibility perfect for it? 🙂

For lots more, visit Stella’s Website and Instagram.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 6 Comments

1. Hello, September! We’re welcoming this new month with the lush beauty of Linnea Tobias’s art. Based in Spokane, Washington, Linnea enjoys painting modern interpretations of nature.

She’s inspired by daily walks in her neighborhood — the trees, birds, plants, light and color she observes later emerge in her work.

 I am influenced by textile design, the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds, fairy tales, optical illusions, and the changing of the seasons. I use different mediums depending on the effect I want to achieve. Lately I choose between watercolor, encaustic or acrylic paint, combining collage and texture with abstract forms and patterns.

Each painting or print has multiple layers of color to heighten contrasts and create an inner glow.

Linnea earned a BA in fine art from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA; studied painting, art history and printmaking at The Aegean Center for the Fine Arts in Paros, Greece; and graphic design and ceramics at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA.

Visit Linnea’s Official Website for more. Prints and cards may be purchased via her Etsy Shop. Follow her Facebook Page or Instagram for the latest updates.

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