Bird Meets Worm

Harbinger-Inspired Art Exhibition

2012-02-27T15:44:00.002-08:00

Come out and celebrate the opening of the Harbinger Art Exhibit & Book Signing this Saturday, March 3rd. at the Hive Gallery in downtown Los Angeles! I am one of twenty-five artists who were invited by the fabulously talented, Sara Wilson Etienne, to create an image inspired by her new YA novel, Harbinger. You can see all of the beautifully & creepy artwork live and in person this Saturday thru March 31st. The art opening begins with book selling & signing from 6-8pm and live music & performances from 8pm on. There is an $8 cover charge at the door. Hope to see you there!

"Communing with the Dead"

Super Hoot Custom Stylin'

2012-02-21T15:22:00.000-08:00

Fly on custom winged-heart Super Hoot T!

Meow! This custom Super Hoot kitty cat T is C-U-T-E!

Happy Valentines' Day!

2012-02-14T12:55:00.001-08:00

Valentines' Day Is Coming!

2012-02-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

Mouse loves cheese!

Nightmares & Lullabies

2012-01-31T12:53:00.000-08:00

nightmares & lullabies

I'd excited to have contributed a piece to the Nightmares & Lullabies exhibit opening at the Hive Gallery in downtown Los Angeles this Saturday, February 4th. Come out and celebrate! The opening is from 8pm to 12:30am. The gallery will also be featuring work themed "Hard Love" by select Hive artists, and the reception will be buzzing with live music all night long. There will be an $8 cover at the door. (But if you can't make the opening, the exhibit runs through February 25th!) Hope to see you there! And don't forget to say "hi"!

The Sketchbook Project: Part 2

2012-01-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

My sketchbook for the Art House Co-Op's 2012 Sketchbook Project is finally finished and on its way to Brooklyn. And of course, I couldn't resist sharing a couple more of my favorite spreads! Happy travels, little sketchbook...I'll see when you stop in Los Angeles at iam8bit on May 24th-26th 2012 during your world tour!

silly/serious

over/under

girl/boy

The Sketchbook Project

2012-01-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

The deadline for the Art House Co-Op's 2012 Sketchbook Project is quickly approaching and I've been busy, busy, busy working toward the completion of my sketchbook (themed: Opposites!). Below is a sneak peek!

The Sketchbook Project is an ever-growing library of artists' sketchbooks from all around the world. As part of the project, my sketchbook will be going on "tour" across the United States, and even abroad to Australia & England, before coming to reside permanently at the Brooklyn Art Library in New York. For the full scoop on the project visit: The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour.

narrow/wide

slow/fast

short/tall

Harbinger & The Fabulous Sara Wilson Etienne

2012-01-12T11:02:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to have been asked by my friend, the fabulously talented, Sara Wilson Etienne, to create a piece of artwork inspired by her new YA novel, Harbinger. I am one of twenty-four talented illustrators who have been asked to choose a favorite scene from Sara's book and bring it to life. You can view my Harbinger-inspired artwork here: www.holbrookacademy.com

Sara also interviewed me about my Harbinger-inspired artwork

as well as my life as an artist.

You can get the full scoop here: www.sarawilsonetienne.com

Also, don't forget to visit the sketchbook page of Harbinger's website to see all the other amazing artwork that has been created as well as to check back as more illustrations are released weekly leading up to Harbinger's release date: www.holbrookacademy.com/sketchbook

Having had the chance to read Sara's YA novel before its February 2nd. release date, I can tell you that it is a must-read, even if you're not a teenager! It is mysterious, creepy, beautiful and absolutely thrilling! Check out Sara's amazing book trailer and get caught up in the world of Harbinger!

Cherry Custom Super Hoot

2012-01-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

This weekend I've been working on a custom Super Hoot T-shirt with matching tote. And I've added a little super surprise hoot owl friend! Hoot, hoot, hoot!

Back to the Drawing Table!

2011-12-30T16:15:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas To All & To All A Good Hoot!

2011-12-22T15:24:00.000-08:00

Snake & Stegasaurus celebrate Christmas!

In-Progress (Not glued down yet!)

Sketches & First Collage Pieces

Cozy Winter Sketches

2011-12-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

Wishing You Peace, Love & Happiness!

2011-12-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Hoot Holidays!

2011-12-07T16:03:00.000-08:00

Super Hoot is getting festive this holiday season with a merry line of NEW Super Hoot Holiday Skirts & Pants! Dress your little elf in wintery snowflakes, happy Christmas trees and humble peace signs! All holiday finery is made with 100% cotton fabric and each one features a Super Hoot signature original, one-of-a-kind sewn cloth collage. Skirts and Pants come in two sizes, Small and Large. Both are delightfully roomy & light with elastic waistbands, making them a great fit for energetic little ones of all shapes and sizes. They make a perfect holiday present!

And that's not all—Super Hoot is loaded with goodies for all your good little girls and boys: adorable T-shirts & onesies, matching totes, comfy play pants and, of course, fabulous original artwork that is sure to brighten up any room in the house! All gifts, whether for your loved one or for yourself, are cheerfully wrapped in delicate tissue papers, tied with a bow and delivered with a holiday gift card.

Shop now at www.superhoot.etsy.com and have a hoot-astic holiday!

Jump for Joy!

Oh, Christmas Tree Holiday Skirt

Cozy cozy cozy!

Let It Snow Holiday Pants

Red is Jolly!

Peace Love and Joy Holiday Pants

Babybug-a-licious!

2011-12-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to share that I've been asked to create cover art (again!) for Babybug Magazine (April 2012 issue)! I've been hard at work on all week on sketches and final art and wish I could share all my progress with you. But since you'll have to wait til April, I'm sharing the cover art I create last year for Babybug's March 2011 issue instead.

Babybug is a wonderful magazine for little ones ages 0-3 and is a perfect introduction to reading & art. Plus, what a thrill to receive such a fun thing in the main every month! (Personally, I love magazines and subscribe to Vegetarian Times, National Geographic, Dwell, Communication Arts & DIY!) Enjoy & happy sharing with the little ones in your life!

March 2011 issue of Babybug Magazine.

Buckaroo Sue

2011-11-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

Buckaroo Sue color & sketch! Yahoo!

Buckaroo Sue in pieces.

Buckaroo Sue & Her Horse, Lulu (in pieces!)

Super Hoot Holiday Preview

2011-11-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Super cute holiday fabric destined to become
Super Hoot pants, skirts & totes!

See Jane sew, see Jane sew faster, faster...faster!!!

Sketches, Sketches & More Sketches

2011-11-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

This my drawing board this week!

Moo! Honk! Bah!

Five Silly Pumpkins Say "Happy Halloween!"

2011-10-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween and all the ghosts, pumpkins and creepy critters that come with it! And I also love a spooktacularly adorable pop-up Halloween counting book that I illustrated and so I am sharing with you today in the Halloween spirit! You can purchase my book on either Amazon or find a local independent bookseller at indiebound.org. Happy Halloween!!!

Illustrated by me! Jane Smith!

One black cat by moonlight.

Two ghosts flying around and around. Boo!

Five super silly pumpkins.

Nightmares & Lullabies: Process & Progress

2011-10-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that I have been invited to contribute an piece of artwork to an upcoming show, titled "Nightmares & Lullabies," at the Hive Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. I am hard at work on a new piece for the show and am delighted to share my process & progress with you!

I always begin with a sketch (on the right).
And in this case, since I am creating a dimensional mixed media collage,
I've translated the sketch into pieces of 1/8 inch foam.

Here is the prepared canvas with the foam gessoed into place.

And here is a sneak peek at the color-in-progress!

The Adventure Continues!

2011-10-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Sketches & Works-In-Progress

Car goes zoom! Zoom!

This is the process!

Helicopter flies! Chop, chop!

This is more of the process!

Submarine Adventure

2011-10-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

Dazzling color!

Submarine & fish sketch!

Sketching On The Farm

2011-09-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Dalmations & Firetrucks: New Sketches

2011-09-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

Talking Shop: Super Hoot, Roller Derby and Amy Peppler Adams

2011-09-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

One of the most fun and exciting parts of creating the NEW Super Smarty Super Hoot Children’s Pants was choosing fabric! And while I do love frequenting my local fabric stores, I also adore shopping for fabric on Spoonflower (which if you don’t know, is an amazing web site where individual designers can sell their own original fabric designs!) And so it was on Spoonflower that I discovered the fabulously talented Amy Peppler Adams and her Roller Derby fabric.

Amy is a graphic designer and kid-at-heart who lives in Seattle with her husband and two-year-old son. When she's enjoying a quiet 20-minutes to herself, she might be found eating chocolate chip cookies, while watching an episode of "The Brady Bunch". And today Super Hoot is talking shop with Amy about design, fabric and all things Roller Derby!

Fun with Typography! © Amy Peppler Adams

Super Hoot: Describe your background as a graphic designer.

Amy: I received a BA in Graphic Design from Indiana University, and my first job in the "real world" was for a computer book publisher in Indianapolis. Because my design training focused heavily on "The Grid", interior text design for technical trade books was right up my alley. I met a lot of great people, many of whom moved on to other publishing houses, which gave me some contacts for outside work. After a couple years with the company, I moved to Seattle to become a freelance designer. Since then I've done a variety of book projects, including covers, for everything from cookbooks and gardening books to travel guides and textbooks, and have dabbled in side projects for friends and local businesses.

Super Hoot: Who and what inspires your work?

Amy: Gosh, I am inspired by just about everything around me! In particular, I am fascinated with typography, love Pop Art, graffiti, antiques and collectibles, nature, the city...and just about anything Orla Kiely designs or Anthropologie sells! I also love music and find I am most productive, and do my best work, when music is playing in my studio or office.

Go Skater Girls! © Amy Peppler Adams

Super Hoot: Talk Roller Derby with us. Do you do it? Do you watch it?

What do you love about it?

Amy: While I have been skating since I was five years old, most of my personal experience on eight wheels is from the 1970s and '80s (yeah, think roller disco!). I have seen bouts, in the Raquel Welch movie "Kansas City Bomber", though I plan on checking out some live action when the local Seattle club, the Rat City Rollergirls, starts their new season in January. I have always had this secret desire to do roller derby, but I'm pretty small and a little afraid of taking a hit that might hinder my ability to keep up with my toddler son. However, I have several friends from high school who have been doing derby for a few years, and their enthusiasm and the Spoonflower Roller Derby fabric contest have sparked my interest again! So I'm thinking of honing my skills and working out a bit more to perhaps try out in a couple years. I like that it could be a way for my alter ego to get some exercise as well!

Super Hoot: You’ve designed a bunch of bold, colorful fabric patterns. What kinds of projects have you created with your own fabric?

Amy: So far I have made pillows with my Woodtype Alphabet and Footnote Flower designs, and have a lampshade planned using the latter. I've also started making bedding for my son's room, and have been laminating several different designs to cover journals and notebooks. I plan on adapting many of the patterns into framed prints to sell in my shop.

Button Up, Little Flowers! © Amy Peppler Adams

Super Hoot: Describe your current adventures in the DIY craft movement.

Amy: Back in the early '80s, when I was about 12 years old, I had a store in my garage called The Paper Mill. I made stickers and paper goods and sold them to my sister and neighborhood friends, handed out weekly newsletters introducing new products, even issued membership cards for them to present for special deals...and then I had some stickers sell on consignment at a local gift store. It's funny how you can look back at things you did when you were young and feel like perhaps those are the paths you are meant to pursue. Well, I am just getting started again, finally! I started entering Spoonflower contests last fall and quickly became addicted. They gave me a jumpstart to finally get working on the business side of Penny Candy, so now I just need to start actually crafting

to fill my etsy store with goodies!

Super Hoot: What would be your perfect Sunday afternoon?

Amy: Depends on the time of year! When it's warm and sunny, I love to walk on the beach or go for a hike in the mountains with my family, and then eat outside at some local burger dive or root beer stand. But when it's cold and rainy here in Seattle, it's nice to stay inside with a blanket and some tea, and a pot of something like gumbo or chili cooking on the stove all day.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Isn’t Amy fabulous? Visit her online at her web site, www.pennycandyhandmade.com,

and at her etsy store, www.pennycandy.etsy.com!

I absolutely had to have Amy’s fabric as soon as I saw it. And now you can too! Shop NEW Super Smarty Super Hoot Roller Derby Pants at www.superhoot.etsy.com! Happy Shopping!

NEW Super Smarty Super Hoot Roller Derby Pants!

NEW Super Smarty Super Hoot Pants

2011-08-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

My brand new Super Smarty Children’s Pants are now available in my Etsy store, Super Hoot! They come in six new fabulous fabrics ranging from Orange Creamsicle Dream to Hardcore Splatter Skull. All the fabrics are 100% cotton, and each pair of pants features its own original, one-of-a-kind sewn cloth collage on the lower right-hand corner. The collages are fun little decorations that correspond to the fabulous fabrics and range from quiet, little leaves to lightning fast roller skates.

The new pants come in two sizes, Large and Small. The Large size is perfect for toddlers up to age 2+, while the Small size is just right for babies up to age 1+. These super styling, super practical pants are roomy & light with an elastic waistband, making them a great fit for energetic little ones of all shapes and sizes!

Shop the complete line of new Super Smarty Children’s Pants at www.superhoot.etsy.com and fall in love with juicy fruit, leafy green twigs and roller derby!

Super stars and pinwheels!

Rock on, Little Dude!

Skate on, Baby Girl!

Apples & pears!

Transportation Zoo

2011-08-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

NEW Fabric Design Sketches

2011-08-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Worm loves apples & oranges.

Rabbit loves strawberries & flowers.

SCBWI Conference Notes + Work In-Progress

2011-08-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Annual SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles took place last weekend and I was there. The keynote speakers included luminaries such as Judy Blume, Gary Paulsen and Richard Peck, as well as more contemporary voices such as Laurie Halse Anderson and Libba Bray. And what stood out to me at the end was that all of them essentially said the very same things, albeit in their own way, to all of us sitting on the edges of our seats and leaning forward so eagerly.

1) Writing and illustrating in terrifying. So take heart, you are not the only one to feel this way.

2) You must dig down deep into your own truth. This is where your authentic voice and your personal, yet universal, story are.

3) Your path as a writer and/or illustrator is long. Your progress along your path is not a sprint. It is a marathon.

4) Your path as a writer and/or illustrator is distinctly unique to you. It is not possible to follow in anyone else's footsteps.

5) Writing and illustrating is lonely, because at the end of the day it's just you and a piece of blank paper. But thank goodness SCBWI is there for company in your downtime!

For me personally, these messages vacillate between being inspiring and being demoralizing. Nonetheless, I have returned to my studio and below is the progress I've made. Good night and good luck!

Transportation Zoo palette & color beginnings.

Fleshing out the cars and trucks.

Getting a sense of the background colors.

Just about ready to start putting it all together...

Super Hoot's First Product Placement!

2011-08-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

My husband, Chris, is a movie poster designer. An awesome movie poster designer! (if I do say so myself). And below is a super cool video of him describing the creative process he went thru while making the horror movie poster "Father's Day." Plus, Super Hoot makes its first product placement appearance! Check out Chris's smokin' flameball T-shirt. Enjoy the show!

NEW Product Development at Super Hoot!

2011-07-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Creating new products for my Etsy store Super Hoot is one of my favorite ways to spend a day in the studio! Currently, I am hard at work developing a super comfy, super styling pair of all-purpose pants for babies & toddlers. I've got a bunch of awesome fabrics and a little 2-year old product tester—this is fun! Below is a sneak peek...

Bold, graphic and adorable - perfect fabric for Super Hoot!

Sewing baby pants.

Adding a signature Super Hoot collage "patch" to baby pants.

Peace, love and polka dots.

Finished peace, love and polka dot pants!

These pants are perfect for playtime!

And for snack time!

And for anytime, all the time!

3-Headed Rock n' Roll Monster

2011-07-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Gallery Opening

2011-07-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

I'd like to invite you attend the opening of the group show Chain Letters at the Shoshana Wayne Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica this Saturday night, July 23rd., from 6-8pm! Inclusion in the show is based on an invitation from a fellow artist who admires your work. The invitations were send out as chain letters, which reached out to countless artists over the last 30 days. I have a piece in this show, thanks to my lovely friend, Karyn Raz (visit her fabulous work at www.karynraz.com). I am so excited to see the work created for this show and hope I see you there!

www.shoshanawayne.com

I Adore Etsy: Three Shops I Love

2011-07-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

I adore Etsy! Not only do I sell my own artwork and embellished apparel on etsy (visit me at www.superhoot.etsy.com!), I also shop on Etsy. It is a fantastic thrill to browse the work of fellow creatives (many of whom are also mamas dividing their time between babies & artistic pursuits!) and to be inspired by their entreprenuial spirits. I am constantly falling in love with all the unique, beautiful items for sale that are produced on such small, individual scales. I always feel like my etsy purchases are extra-super-duper special and that’s because they are!

This cake stand inspires me to make yellow cake with chocolate frosting.

This berry bowl is perfect for summer's bounty of strawberries. Yum!

Today I’d like to share three of my most favorite Etsy stores with you! The first is a lovely little shop called Jeanette Zeis Ceramics. You can visit them at www.vesselsandwares.etsy.com. Jeanette hand-makes the most gorgeous pottery, everything from cake & cupcake stands (I am a gigantic cupcake fan and these are sooooo cute!) to dinnerware to hanging fruit baskets. It is my personal contention that not only should your food be beautiful, your dishes should be too!

Gorgeous breezy seafoam green dream.

Modern hippie casual is lovely.

Another of my most favorite Etsy stores is Thaitee. This shop, based out of Thailand, is a community effort that produces the most comfortable clothes ever! You can visit them at www.thaitee.etsy.com. I have about five pairs of Thai fisherman pants that I wear daily. They are soft and casual, but yet, are also fashionable, and come in a variety of single colors and bright Asian patterns. As you may already know, Thai fisherman pants are always one size fits all—that’s how they are designed. The great thing about this is that you truly do not need to try these on before buying, making them a safe bet every time (which is nice since they ship from halfway around the world!) As a mama on-the-go, I think these are so perfect!

Hummingbird recipe cards add sunshine to any kitchen.

Rock on, little squirrel dude!

Lastly, I love shopping at www.boygirlparty.etsy.com. This store is a quirky gift shop featuring the artwork of the talented artist, Susie Ghahremani. You can find everything here from T-shirts & hoodies to art prints & magnets to recipe cards & jewelry to bookplates & notepads. If you need to get a friend a birthday gift or even a little something special for yourself, this is the place to be. Its’ got it all, and it all is super cute and funky—one-of-a-kind. Plus, I love squirrels, and Susie draws the most fantastic little squirrel character playing a guitar. I’ve got a magnet of him on my fridge!

Happy shopping, friends! I hope you find something you love (and can’t resist buying!) on Etsy!

Chain Letter Artwork In-Progress

2011-07-08T16:53:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to have been invited to participate in the group show "Chain Letter" at the Shoshana Wayne Gallery. The show opens on Saturday, July 23rd. and I'm working hard to have a new piece ready for the show! The new piece is a sculptural artwork in the vein of Joseph Cornell. It is two sided: one side featuring warm tones in the sky, the other side featuring cool tones in the ocean. Both are joined by a string of letters, a chain of letters. Be sure to stay tuned to Bird Meets Worm for more details on the show and for pics of the finished piece!

Warm Bird Sky In-Progress

Detail (tweet, tweet)

Cool Octopus Ocean In-Progress

Detail (bubble, bubble)

Sketching On A Thursday

2011-06-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

Transportation Zoo

Sketch Detail

Lose A Toenail, Gain Some Confidence

2011-06-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

Mama runs. Little one chills out, snacks and watches the world go by.

Lose a toenail, gain some confidence. In a nutshell, that's what training for a marathon is all about.

The last time I trained for a marathon (and successfully complete it!), I did so because I was freelancing as an artist/illustrator/designer and I wasn't making much tangible progress in my career. I had doubts about myself, my artwork and my ability to succeed as an illustrator. So I picked a hard, physical goal to help me rise up out of that doubt and continue forward with confidence (because we all know that we don't fail until we quit, right?). Completing the Los Angeles Marathon in 2004 helped me do just that. In fact, later that year I sold my first book proposal...

So as it turns out, I'm back in a similar place of doubt. (These things tend to be cyclical, not unlike one's state of mind during a long, long run...like say, a marathon.) Like many of my fellow colleagues, I've had a lot of challenges in the past couple years. The economic downturn has definitely affected my business. Longtime clients have disappeared. Late payments on invoices have gotten later and later. Freelance droughts have been more and more common. And I've entered the world of motherhood, which while wonderful, amazing and totally rewarding, certainly puts a lot of constraints on my time and resources. Needless to say, I decided to train for another marathon: The Long Beach Marathon in October 2011.

This weekend I'm running the Simi Valley Half Marathon. It's actually "just" a training run, but it's an important one. It's the halfway marker. And the middle is often the hardest place to be, whether it's the middle of a race or the middle of an art career. I'll admit the doubts are strong, but I'm keeping the faith that I am stronger. My heart is on my sleeve. I hope you'll cheer me on. And who knows, maybe later this year I'll have news that I sold another

book...

My training buddy looking very fashionable.

Singing Praise

2011-06-08T16:52:00.000-07:00

Today, my daughter, Phoebe, and I picked up our brand-spanking new copies of Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji and Hey, That's Not Trash from our favorite local independent bookstore, Pages (check them out at www.pagesabookstore.com - go indie bookstores!).

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji is illustrated by my talented friend and critique group partner, Ken Min. His artwork is gorgeous and is absolutely not to be missed! Check out more of Ken's artwork at www.kenminart.com.

Hey, That's Not Trash is engineered (this is a fancy way of saying my friend developed this book format which involves removable board pieces shaped like recyclable items that you can sort into build-in bins - too cool!) and written by my good friend and former Piggy Toes Press colleague, Renee Jablow. Her book is innovative and interactive and very fun! Check out more of Renee's books (she's a pop-up genius!) at www.reneejablow.com.

Get your copies today! Hooray for Ken & Renee!

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji - Illustrated by the fabulous Ken Min
Hey, That's Not Trash - Engineered & Written by Renee Jablow

Mermaid & Catfish

2011-06-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

Sketches, color art in-progress and collage "palette."

Best friends!

Welcome to My Studio

2011-05-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Seeing the workspace of fellow artists is always fun and fascinating, so I thought I'd kick off birdmeetsworm with an introduction to my little california studio.

My studio is the back house of our little beach bungalow. See the palm trees?

Me and my owl, Mr. Blue.

My double door desk and collage chair.

My beloved flat files.

Bookshelf full of books I've designed and/or illustrated.

Hanging in the studio with my daughter.

Super Hoot Loves Custom

2011-05-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

At my etsy store, Super Hoot, I always get excited when custom orders come in! Below is a pair of T-shirts I was commissioned to make for a special little boy.

Doggie loves his bone. Arf! Arf!

Robot is looking for a friend. Beep! Beep!

ABC...Summertime

2011-05-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a little peek at my summertime promo mailing!

NEW Collages on Canvas

2011-05-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

Flowers, snails and strawberries, oh my! My etsy store, Super Hoot, has 8 all NEW mixed media collage paintings perfect for bringing a bit of summertime fun to any room in the house! Shop, dream and fall in love at www.superhoot.etsy.com