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Sunday, June 15, 2014

1)Wesley Building Dreams Project 2)Dromkeen,Prestigious Award in children literacy

Now, my update.

First, a project for artists with disabilities and their carers. 
1) Wesley Building Dreams Art Exhibition
Wesley Mission (facebook)  has invited me to advocates artists with disabilities. Very happy! I'll mentor them in watercolour class from this week for two months. It will be a pop-up exhibition in Sydney CBD between 2-7 August this year. 


The event, "Building Dreams" is part of a wider disability research and awareness campaign centred on the latest Wesley Report, Give Disability Carers a Break before They Break Down.  Did you know? 
  • Over one third of Australian households are involved with disabilities. 
  • 4.2 million Australians are classified as having disabilities. 
  • There are 2.7 million informal carers of individuals living with a disability in Australia.  (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012)
Sadly, what others do not realise is that carers are often forced to sacrifice their own lives to look after someone they love. This project aims at supporting both carers and artists with disabilities.  Sadly, what others do not realise is that carers are often forced to sacrifice their own lives to look after someone they love. This project aims at supporting both carers and artists with disabilities. 

Although there is not an easy solution for the issue, we, mentors and Wesley Mission would like to inspire artists and bring hopes and dreams. I heartily hope this event, at a grass roots level, can make a little difference and a better world! 
Second, an interesting topic for you, "Dromkeen Medal". This Monday at 2 pm is the due for nomination.
2) Dromkeen Medal (*The medal was designed by Robert Ingpen, our great illustrator.)
It is one of the most prestigious annual awards given to only "one" individual who has significantly contributed to Australian children book literacy. Only once in life, an individual may accept it. My blog readers, especially Australians will find familiar names in winners such as, Robert Ingpen, Mem Fox, Julie Vivas, Ann James, Margaret Hamilton, Roland Harvey, Shaun Tan, Libby Gleeson, etc, etc. Yes, they are all big names and key persons in our industry. (*Yey! My mentor's name is in there!! She's a 2002 winner.) 


*Below, my copy of Robert Ingpen's work for practice, 
I added acorns on his origial. 
When I started my career of a children picture book illustrator, 
I collected Robert's work. Still now I'm learning lot from other illustrators' wonderful work. 
Back to the topic. I had been doing research on the Dromkeen Medal for those weeks with my mentor Ann James's help. My interests were two. One is in *editors or **publishers' role in publication, as they are often "invisible." The other is to clarify "continuity and changing" in Australian children picture books. I chose one specific editor and did research.

In contemporary Australian picture books, the researched data certainly shows the changing and the continuity in style, genre, theme and media. The changings go hand in hand with society on the move. Regarding readers/audience, today, picture books attract adults and older boys as well as young children. However, the continuity is in themes universal and common like any other contries. Always old and same themes repeatedly come up such as love and family in Australian picture books. 

BTW, oh, it was really a NIGHTmare to collect massive information to organise bibliographies and to write analyses. It has exhausted me so much. What was worse was really hard to define who edited a picture book from internet.

BUT a great reward ; the research has given me profound and broad knowledge about our industry's history! A great bonus, I could contact some of the most important people in publishing industry directly and indirectly. A great, great bonus, I've reconnected our brilliant and very active sociolinguistics professor Ingrid Piller (*her blog, Language on the Move is so nice! If you love thinking about society and language, go to her blog!).
Although it was a great pain to handle a huge amount of data, I enjoyed this research. Simply because I love reading picture books!!!

Shaun Tan, in particular, has pushed the boundaries of picture books. His work has changed their public image from easy kids’ reading to philosophical books that bear academic discussion on universal themes and social issues, displaying sophisticated art. 
For example, the Arrival by Shaun Tan, the Australia’s first the wordless picture book and successful graphic novel deals immigration, social inclusion and other issues from a humanistic view. 
I also remembered newspapers' interviewing of Shaun. It was very interesting to read how much wisely Shaun answered mass media and his say changed the acknowledgement of picture books. 
Today, children picture book / literacy is an independent genre, being taught at uni and certainly in visual art. 


**When Shaun did the Arrival book launch at Sydney uni, I sketched him and had a chat. 
I asked him, "Is that cartoon you?" He said, "Yes!" We laughed together. 
Very kind Shaun gave me his graffiti, too. 
It has become my treature!!
If you like, pick up a specific Dromkeen past winner and check the info. That'll be fun. 
The 2014 Dromkeen winner will be honoured at an Announcement Ceremony during a book week, 16–22 August 2014. I look forward to an upcoming winner. 
It's exciting to live my picture book illustrator life in this interesting era in changing and continuity.  

Through art, by art, we can do something for others! 
Thanks millions for warm encouragements. I'll do weekly Monday blogging like before. Thank you for your great cheers and patience. My hands much get healed! The right hand has no pain! 
Friends, Happy Painting! 


NOTE
*An editor works on the book with author and illustrator. 
**A publisher choses what to publish, commissions authors and illustrators etc.










  









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16 comments:

  1. Veo que sigues inmersa en distintos proyectos, Sadami. ¡Te felicito por ello!
    Tus dibujos fantásticos, como siempre.
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Gracias, dulce Onera! Sí, voy a disfrutar el proyecto y el dibujo. Sé que usted está disfrutando de dibujo, también. Vamos a divertirnos! (* Me gusta su escritura, también!)
      Cheers, Sadami

      Thank you, sweet Onera! Yes, I'll enjoy the project and drawing. I know you're enjoying drawing, too. Let's have fun! (*I like your writing, too!)
      Cheers, Sadami

      >>> Onera said...
      I see you're immersed in various projects, Sadami.I congratulate you for it!
      Your drawings fantastic, as always.
      A hug.

      Delete
  2. Sadami, eres una muy buena persona, llena de fuerza, que transmite felicidad a los demás. Te aprecio tanto!
    Haces mucho para los demás y te llegará el premio merecido!! Ya tienes dos:
    Para empezar, un gran premio es lo que dices al principio: que tu mano cada día está mejor. Eso es un gran premio!
    Y tu segundo premio es: la felicidad que te proporciona todo este esfuerzo que haces.
    Un fuerte abrazo.

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    1. Oh, dulce Joshemari, gracias! Sí, me pondré bien y disfruto de la docencia durante dos meses. Su palabra es correcta y creo que hacen felices a los demás, y eso te hace feliz. Por cierto, su pintura a la acuarela en negrita se consigue y sofisticado cada vez más. Tienes que enseñarme!
      Un abrazo grande, Sadami

      Oh, sweet Joshemari, thank you! Yes, I'll get well and enjoy the teaching for two months. Your say is right and I believe that make others happy and it makes you happy. By the way, your watercolour painting gets bold and sophisticated more and more. You've got to teach me!!
      A big hug, Sadami

      >>>>>>> Joshemari said...
      Sadami, you're a very nice person, full of strength, which transmits happiness to others. I appreciate you so much!
      You do a lot for others and you will get the deserved award! Now you have two:
      To start, a big prize is what you say at the beginning: your hand every day is better. That's a great prize!
      And your second prize is: happiness that gives you all this effort you do.
      A big hug.

      Delete
  3. Your posts are always full of interesting things about yourself and about other people too. I don't know how you find the time to do everything! And you are so generous with your time. You are an inspiration! :)

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    1. Oh, sweet Polly, thank u and very happy to know you enjoy my post! This is my belief that making others happy = spending time in others will make myself happy. Let's have fun and share happiness!!
      Cheers, Sadami

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  4. No sabes cuánto me alegra saber que tus manos mejoran. Cuidar al cuidador, un proyecto muy interesante, inteligente y muy generoso. Preciosos colores los de la soñadora dormida. Que se cumplan tus sueños, Sadami!! Un fuerte abrazo y muy feliz semana.

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    1. Oh, dulce J.Paz, muchas gracias! Sí, mi equipo médico está feliz, también. El proyecto es muy bueno y voy a disfrutarlo. Dibujé la señora en un carro de tren. Bocetos es divertido. Usted también tiene la diversión en el dibujo.
      Un abrazo grande, sonrisa, los mejores deseos, Sadami

      Oh, sweet J.Paz, thank you so much! Yes, my medical team is happy, too. The project is very good and I'll enjoy it. I sketched the lady in a train cart. Sketching is fun. You, too, have fun in drawing.
      A big hug, smile, best wishes, Sadami

      >>>J.Paz said...
      You do not know how glad I am to know that your hands better. Care for the caregiver, a very interesting, intelligent and very generous project. The beautiful colors of the sleeping dreamer. May your dreams, Sadami! Been met! A big hug and happy week.

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  5. You have been very busy, Sadami, I am glad your hand is getting better! I am also glad you mentioned the informal caretakers that are so important. They are so often in the background but they really deserve a pedestal!

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    1. Thank u, sweet Judy! Given excercises and medication has been helping the hands. Yes, Wesley building dreams project has good aims. Informal carers are exhausted too much without accessing help and resources. We hope this project will help them. Best wishes, Sadami

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  6. Tu as un emploi du temps très fourni, Sadami. Thank so much for sharing. Take care, hugs ♥

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    1. Douce Lydie, merci! Votre aquarelle est de mieux en mieux! Je les aime. Laissez-nous profiter dessin plus. Bonne chance et bonne sourire, Sadami

      Sweet Lydie, thank you! Your watercolour gets better and better!! I love them. Let us enjoy drawing more. Hugs and smile, Sadami

      >>>> Lydie said...
      You have a very full schedule, Sadami. Thank so much for sharing. Take care, hugs ♥

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  7. I'm so impressed and inspired by all that you accomplish each day, Sadami! You truly are the epitome of a successful artist. The drawings have such movement and expression here, and the research that you've been doing sounds fascinating to learn about!

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    1. Thank u, sweet Katherine. Your work always inspires us, so sensitive and beautiful. Also, it shows us how honest you are and who you are. One day, I'll post the research (...but nearly a 12 pages-long bibliography might bore blog readers, ahaha?!) Now, I set myself free and can go for sketching. I always look forward to your work and a post.
      Best wishes, Sadami

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  8. I was looking at Shaun Tan's work just recently - astonishingly good! As are you Sadami... and kind and generous with your time as well!

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    1. Hi, Cathy, indeed, Shaun is our hero! -- I'm not as good as him, but I want to be what I am fully. In Wesley's project, I hope we can make a difference. Best wishes, Sadami

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