Covers - The Wind Dancers

After reaching temperatures of 111 degrees yesterday (insane! This is Seattle! The highest temperature recorded here *ever* previously was like 96), the intense heat and air stagnation have tangibly broken. It is still supposed to be warm for the foreseeable future, but in a much more reasonable, mid-80s sort of way (our norms for July run more in the mid-70s, so this is still hot for here). With the temperatures finally more bearable, I'm able to resume working rather than just sitting in front of a fan panting... :-)

If you have followed this blog at all, you will have noticed me mentioning the series I've been working on for the past couple of years, The Wind Dancers, written by Sibley Miller, co-illustrated by myself and Jo Gershman and published by Feiwel & Friends in association with Breyer. The first four came out late last year (for which we've done promotional videos, presentations, book signings and TV appearances at Breyerfest. I've also discussed the vagaries of color matching here). It's been quite a fun ride.

The next couple of books are listed on Amazon for pre-order.

With the next pair to follow shortly after...

Currently, we are working on the final four books in this series. Even as I type, I am working on the next four covers, which I've gotten permission to post WIPs as I go, so watch over the next little while and I'll try to post the process and thinking behind covers in an ongoing series.

Til then, it's cool enough that I think I can even sleep tonight!

Breyerfest - Part V

Alborozo was Breyerfest's Celebration Horse - and he was truly magnificent.





He performed several times - complex dressage routines that were breath-taking to watch. This type of horse, and what he is willing to do, must be why we love them - to the point of giant festivals to celebrate even models of them.

Breyerfest - Part IV

Here is the 'craft tent' where I spent most of my festival time -

-my corner of the tent adorned with large banners of my covers (as well as my Very Important fan!)

I also shared tent space with the delightful Bonnie Bryant - author of the Saddle Club books.

(Here is me signing away...)

They also had sets of 'Wind Dancer' wings for the girls to decorate - some of them had me sign those as well.

(Here is one darn-tootin' cute fairy-horse girl)

Will, Breyer employee and tent helper extrordinaire - was game for anything.

I spent every inbetween-signing moment working on a painting for the silent auction.

Painting in hot, humid, fan-blown air was also a new experience, but apparently the end result went over well... Still waiting to hear the auction results. You can also read my publisher's blog entry on the festivities (the lovely Elizabeth who wrote it, got to get around and see more than I did).

Breyerfest - Part III

The actual horse park where the festival is held is a things of wonder - 121 acres of fields and arenas (and the home of the FEI World Equestrian Games for 2010. *That* looks incredible).

(The festival's 'Champion Horse' model of Alborozo is shown above. He is gorgeous).

The large arena not only had a stream of horse performances, but the all-popular store! There were always lines for the most collectible models.

(Model horses for sale everywhere!)

Lots of models. Lots of real horses - of all shapes and sizes.

Breyerfest - Part II

First thing next morning, I got to make an unscheduled (to me at least) TV appearance on the local news doing a promo for Breyerfest and the Wind Dancers (the series I am illustrating) with one of the Breyer VP.s.

(How cool is this for a TV station?)

The room where we were filmed looked about like you'd expect - different sections for weather, news, and interviews. Lots of cables on the floors. Cameras pointing from all directions.

It was just a brief 3 minute or so blurb, and I'm sure I sounded like a dork, but it was a new experience and kinda fun to be on that end of things.

Besides the actual 'fest' - there were lots of other Breyer-model hysteria about. Swap meets and sales and 'exhibits'.... It was a little overwhelming.

The folks who collect these horses, paint, 'model', decorate, 'dress', etch, build environs for and more!
The Holiday Inn was completely full of after-hours showing and trading. The entire hotel was filled with collectors who had transformed their rooms into show-swap-and-sell arenas... It went on and on - grandmothers who started collecting decades ago, then their daughters, then their daughters - and they all attend together!

Breyerfest - Part I

I landed in beautiful Lexington, Kentucky the night before the main festivities.

Horse fields, barns and white fences on all sides.

I was put up in a beautiful hotel, with a suite to myself -

-complete with a personalized spread of goodies to greet me upon my arrival.

Many of the hotel room windows already had 'displays' set up of their Breyer horse collections. A repeating motif throughout the weekend.

The posted schedule in the lobby gave me a hint of the upcoming days.

Back once more -

I have returned, alive and well, from my book signing stint at Breyerfest. I had a great time - worked hard (including a surprise TV appearance - that was a first!), was wined and dined, met lots of terrific people and saw breathtakingly beautiful horses.

(Here I am, painting away at my table - with the omnipresent fan that made my survival possible! You can read a bit more on Breyer's blog entry of my signing stints. Look at the other Breyer entries on Alborozo (Breyerfest's Celebration Horse) though. He was too gorgeous for words.)

Must go to bed now. Will write more soon.

Off again -

- heading out in the morning to Lexington, Kentucky for a 2-day book signing at Breyerfest (a thing that I was previously unaware existed.) Breyer ("Home to the World's Finest Model Horses") is collaborating with Feiwel & Friends (imprint of Macmillan) to produce a series of books called "The Wind Dancers" (the first cover of which is above) coming out in November.

I worked on the first four in illustrative collaboration with my good friend and POBL mate, Jo Gershman (again - too many illustrations needed in way too short a time to do them all myself). We finished the first four early this year and are now starting into the second batch of four.

Anyhow, I'm off to the horse-center of the universe to greet horse-model collecting, horse-book buying little girls. If you don't read about my demise-due-to-humidity (I was unaware that this was an *outdoor* festival. In Kentucky. In *July*. There is a reason I live in the Pacific Northwest!), I will be back on Sunday.