Merry Christmas to All -

- and to All, a Good Night!

Christmas Eve-

Hope you are all snug and cozy -
- and surrounded by loved ones.

Happy Christmas Eve....

Countdown continued -

"The Friendly Beasts" was the first children's book I illustrated about a decade ago. Have you noticed how everything seems to cycle back at some point? Based on that initial book, I was asked to do this version (published in 2006). It was really interesting to re-visit the simple text and ideas and to try to re-imagine them differently. Since my approach to this type of illustration has not changed much in the last decade apparently (close cropped, emotionally engaging, emphasis on design), it was a bit of a challenge.

But an enjoyable one.

I heard a friend call tonight Christmas "Adam" - because it precedes Christmas "Eve".

I hope you are enjoying yours.

Countdown - and Solstice -

Darkness came especially early tonight - without the added benefit of starlight because of the heavy cloud cover and omnipresent Seattle drizzle.

We are all in the house together, snug and warm, and scattered throughout working on our various projects. (I'm working on the LAST face before beginning to transfer these drawings to watercolor paper this evening...)

And in conjunction with lights on the Christmas tree and garlands throughout the upstairs, I spare a moment to acknowledge the coming of the night this Solstice evening. Darkness will once again be pushed back by the light in the ongoing dance of sun and earth and sky. And for me, Winter Solstice folds effortlessly into the days leading up to Christmas where we celebrate the Source of all Light. Peace on earth. Goodwill to men......

Christmas countdown -

I'd meant to start posting some Christmas-themed paintings every day about a week ago, but I'm apparently dragging too much to actualize such good intentions. Ah well - better late than never?


These are from a Christmas board book that I illustrated (I think you can see initial sketches for it on this blog about two years ago) called "The Friendly Beasts". You can also see its newly pinked cover (ugly) here.