Margaret Hamilton AM, After Party, 3rd Feb, 2023

#sadamikonchi Margaret Hamilton AM, After Party, 3rd Feb, 2023 @ The Carrington Hotel, 2~5pm. The Ballroom, 15-47 Katoomba NSW 2780
A celebration of Margaret's life. Margaret passed away on 24 Nov 2022. She'll be always in my heart. Thank you, Margaret. I'll pass on your #legacy to others : love, hope and dream in society. You've been my wonderful #mentor , the debut #picturebook #launcher and the strong #supporter !! 来たる2月3日に マーガレット ハミルトンの 生涯 を記念したパーティーが催され私は参加します. 去年の 11月24日に 逝去されましたが マーガレットはいつまでも私の心の中にいます あなたが教えてくれたことを他の人に伝えていきたいです それは 愛 と 夢, 希望です マーガレットはいつも素晴らしい指導者 私のデビューした絵本の launcher 個人展覧会を祝福しいつも 応援してくれました 私がこれからも前へ進んでいけるよう頑張ります こんな素晴らしい人と この世でまた出版会で巡り会えて幸せです #cbca #scbwi #australia #sydney #bluemountains #pinerolo #publishingindustry

Margaret Hamilton AM, After Party, 3rd Feb, 2023

Libby & Sadami presentation @ CBCA Blue Mountains

Thank you, Margaret Hamilton and Libby Hathorn, CBCA Blue Mountains branch, for inviting me to the dinner. Libby’s fantastic presentation made us “Oh! Wow!” and giggle! So kind Libby asked me to demonstrate together our picture book, “We Children and the Narrow Road to the Deep North”. Sweet Margaret signed her picture book to me! We enjoyed the evening so much. I appreciated the hard work of CBCA key persons a behind scene.

P.S. The entry, “escargot” was delicious! According to a restaurant chef’s wife, they were from their farm or a garden. A lady told, “Basically, garlic and butter.” Ehm, true. I ate up all the dishes so beautiful like polishing that pleased the wife so much, “Lucky, we don’t need to wash plates!”

ありがとう, Margaret Hamilton, Libby Hathorn, #オーストラリア #児童書評議会 #BlueMountains #支部 , #ディナー へ招待してくれて!! 私の如きでも 末席に加えさせて頂けて本当に光栄です. Libbyの素晴らしい お話はみんなを沸かせ,笑わせました. Libbyと私の芭蕉の絵本 ついても一緒に紹介デモンストレーションしました. 優しいマーガレットは 私が持っていた彼女の絵本に サインしてくださいました. 素晴らしい 夜でした. 山の中ですので霧が出てとってもロマンチックだったですよ. いつもオーストラリア児童書評議会の 陰で働く皆さんに心から感謝します. すごく嬉しいです. 頑張ります! 
追伸. 晩餐会で食べた エントリーのエスカルゴは美味しかった😋 庭にいるのだそうです🤭🤣🤪😅 某女史 がのたまうには "要するに,にんにくとバターの味よ"って. ふむ確かに😳. 私が綺麗サッパリ, それこそ お皿なめるように食べるので レストランのシェフの 奥様は"良かったわ, 皿洗う手間省けてって," 優しくおっしゃってくださいました😜😘
#sadamikonchi #picturebook #illustration #cbca #bluemountains #dinner #sydney #australia

Libby & Sadami presentation @ CBCA Blue Mountains

1) Notables at CBCA NSW Blue Mountains 2) mentorship program

I was invited to CBCA Blue Mountains Notables event at Pinerolo in Blackheath on 5 May - with Emily Rodda, Freya Blackwood and Owen Swan. Did you enjoy my dummy, a storyboard, colour roughs and final images of "My Dog Socks" in presentation? Thank you very much for Margaret Hamilton, Children's Book Council of Australia and a sub branch.  

Courtesy of CBCA. Sadami presentation. 

The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) is a Non-Profit, volunteer run organisation which aims to engage the community with literature for young Australians. The CBCA presents annual awards of books literary merit, for outstanding contribution to Australian children's literature. So, we, authors and illustrators love CBCA and respect the activities. CBCA is our guardian angel. It is great to know committee members and members. Yes, we had many visitors for the event!

CBCA committee

To listen to other creators was interesting. This is Freya Blackwood, an illustrator, an author and a superstar in Australian picture book industry. "The Great Rabbit Chase," is notable. Well, I did NOT have champagne, only orange juice, Friends!   

Emily Rodda is an author of "The Shop at Hoopers Bend". Owen Swan is an illustrator of "My Friend Tertius." We enjoyed the afternoon so much. 

If you want to study children's picture book illustration with a publisher Margaret Hamilton, it is highly recommended to try a "mentorship program" at Pinerolo, ASA and any available programs across Australia. I became one of the first successful applicants of Pinerolo program last year which gave me a priceless benefit, as you know. 
In a following blog post this week, I'll upload my sketches of Chris Riddell, 2015–17 UK Chilren's Laureate and Leigh Hobbs, our superhero, theAustralian Children's Laureate for 2016 – 2017 in Sydney Writers Festival. Yes, I've been very busy.  
Friends, Happy Painting and Illustrating! See you soon!   

Sweet Margaret!

1) Notables at CBCA NSW Blue Mountains 2) mentorship program

CBCA 2018 Notables Workshop @ Pinerolo

What a great honour! Invited to Pinerolo by Margaret Hamilton, a very successful publisher. I'm delightedly planning presentation with a dummy, black and white and colour roughs. I'll learn a lot from others. Come over, Friends!

It's lovely to share joy with bloggers. Many friends have got into art and are achieving a lot. I did not expect myself to be invited by Margaret one day, when I started a career. But it's happening. Wow! I'm expanding networking and connecting more peakbodies national and international in picture book publishing industry. You can timely see the activities in my facebook.  

I'm getting busy with the ongoing project. I've been working on images day and night and enjoying portraits. Thank you for a great support and understanding of my irregular post. 

Btw, I enjoyed a long distant swimming, 1 km after work. Very warm. So nice and refreshing. Friends, you're my treasures and assets. Happy Painting and Enjoy Life! 

  

CBCA 2018 Notables Workshop @ Pinerolo

Great benefits of illustrator residency, illustrated writings to be published by WestWords

In the residency, I've achieved a lot with the strong support from Margaret Hamilton AM (Pinerolo) in beautiful Blue Mountains. I'll chat over,  
1) the finished up project.  
2) my huge benefits from the illustrator residency : skills, networking, social exposure by activated social media and set up future job opportunities. 
3) beautiful Blue Mountains tranquilised me. Plus, sightseeing. 
I could finish up illustrating of the 19 primary school students' imaginative and difficult texts from "rough" to "colour" in five days. The project aims at improving children's literacy and advocates students from non English speaking backgrounds. The publication is purely rewards for the children who worked hard to learn English writings = not for sale, to be published this Nov. I'll show my favourite illustration.  

"A human lived in a watch" 

"The Three Sisters" are just around a corner from Pinerolo.

Here's a post from Margaret Hamilton AM's fb. 

"Sadami Konchi's final day in residency. Here with the selection panel: Michael Campbell (WestWords), me (Pinerolo) and Linsay Knight (Walker Books) were the selection panel for this very successful project. On the table is the extraordinary amount of work she did during her week here: illustrations for childrens' stories to be published by WestWords. She's holding her gorgeous new book MY DOG SOCKS."  
So kind Mr, Mrs Hamilton promoted the mentree in lunch and the displayed the mentree's art work to the selection panel, WestWords and Walker Books. Margaret proudly displayed the art work and passionately spoke for the mentree. 

Photo courtesy credit on WestWords : Left to Right, 
WestWords, Sadami, Margaret, Walker Books. 

When WestWords selected me for Pinerolo mentorship program, the illustration project came to me. WestWords is the Western Sydney’s Literature Development Organisation for Young People. I worked day and night to finish up the project with Margaret's great support. 

I was privileged to use this whole house for residency. 
The right side has a great research library. 

Margaret Hamilton AM and her husband Max have led the mentree with deep and broad knowledge, care, sensitivity, experience, wisdom and enthusiasm to pave a way for the mentree to access winder audience and social exposure in publishing industry. Pinerolo has also respected the mentree’s automacy, privacy and her own thoughts as an independent artist. In order to support the mentree’s work and study, Pinerolo has abundant resources for research. Its collection of picture books and related books is more than a public library and no less than the curriculum resources in Fisher library in University of Sydney. 

I enjoyed a misty morning almost every day. 

The facilities in Pinerolo are well equipped for stay and study, particularly, the unlimited access to internet. Mrs and Mr Hamilton are the witnesses and the part of Australian and international publishing industry history. They well answered my questions. I could create the images in beautiful Blue Mountains. They celebrated my outcome.  

Margaret, Max and me. In front of the permanent exhibition of established illustrators. 

Photo courtesy credit on Margaret Hamilton AM. 

WestWords and Walker Books were so happy with my outcome and showed a great interest in my ongoing future projects. Because of a quiet nature and well-organised research resources, I could concentrate on the projects. I enjoyed the discussion with Margaret about my future projects, too. I deeply appreciate many people's support to carry out this mentorship project and I have developed my skills in a career.  

My case in Pinerolo will build a strong pathway and legacy for other emerging illustrators. It has proven that our publishing industry delightedly embraces anyone with the potential and nurtures them. Pinerolo residency will become a good role model for other mentorship programs in Australia. It will bring hope and dream for us : artists, their family and public people.

Now, WestWords and I are editing the images to make a book for kids. 

Friends, visit Pinerolo or try a mentorship program.  
Happy Painting!  

The world heritage, Govetts Leap is, too, very near to Pinerolo. 

Great benefits of illustrator residency, illustrated writings to be published by WestWords

Creating Picture Book Workshop on 1 July

News! Publisher Margaret Hamilton and multi-award winning illustrator/author Freya Blackwood  will run a creating children picture book workshop on 1 July @ Pinerolo. It will be wonderful and helpful. Margaret, the so supportive book launcher of my illustrated "Moon," and Freya whom I've admired are lovely! I sketched Freya at the book launch, "Look, a book!" written by Libby Gleeson in Sydney uni. It's a great chance to learn "how to" in their mentorship.   

Friends, happy painting and happy learning!  

Creating Picture Book Workshop on 1 July

Moon launch tremendous success

What a perfect and heartfelt day, a trade picture book Moon launch at Gleebooks! Our publishing team was touched by all my mentors' and friends' love and support. It was the great launch that turned out very intimate and nice. Parramatta Council, CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia), ASA (Australian Society of Authors), Wesley Mission, Sydney sketch club members, former local life drawing class members and dear friends joined this event. 

People left to right : Sadami, Launcher Margaret Hamilton AM, author Matt Zurbo, editor/publisher Helen Chamberlin, Ann James and gorgeous two little fans! Photos are courtesy of Janet and Imma. 

Margaret's speech was fantastic. She honoured my work. It was very touching, spot-on, informative and so sensitive. I perfectly agreed her view of picture book industry, publishing industry in general and Australian picture book industry. Then, she talked of Moon. Margaret deeply analysed Matt's text and acclaimed its originality, descriptiveness in poetic language with a well developed structure. She also stated that close family relationships was very valued in the story. Her profound understanding of illustrations moved me so much. Margaret confidently claimed, "This is Sadami’s first picture book and it demonstrates her considerable talent with watercolours and pencil. Her work is luminous, moody and evocative." Furthermore, she praised at my work, "It features sensitive close ups of Max and his father, with Max’s body language reflecting his mood, beautiful Australian landscapes and the soft colours of moonlight." I became speechless. 

Author Matt and I made short speeches. In addition, good news is that Moon has already become "Lamont standing order in Aug 2015"! The quality teacher note is available for Moon. It means that Moon is a good teaching material as well as a fine art work.   

It took nearly two years to finish Moon. Because the beautiful text was very poetic, settings such as time frame and character design were challenging. I imagined hard, tried to feel the text and felt it day and night, while going outside and looking up the moon. Helen and Ann gave me freedom, whilst guiding me. Especially, Helen's way amazed me at first. Later I understood how much she respected this emerging artist and fully trusted in the artist's talent. Technically, my used watercolour paintings required quite sophisticated skills that fascinated Helen. In the process of illustration, I've learned lot about a picture book. 

Book signing was fun and a communication time with our supporters and fans! Fun! I wrote each message with all my heart. I sincerely hope readers will enjoy Moon. 

Yey, Matt and me! 

I asked Margaret, Matt, Ann and Helen to sign my own copy. "I want to keep this for me," I said. Each of them gave me fabulous and hearty messages with "This is the first of many!" Oh, that was so sweet! I owe all my work to our terrific publishing team : Matt, Helen, a book designer, all involved people and mentor Ann. They patiently assisted me, a novice and supported me with endless love.      

The launching date has become one of the best days in my life and for our team. Thank you very much, Friends! With your support, we could have a marvelous success. Particularly, Helen and I appreciate Sydney sketch club's great and warm friendship. After sketching the market in Glebe, some of the members remained there and celebrated the Moon launch. (*Helen clearly remembered sketch club members in a cafe in Glebe and told it with special thanks to Ann and Matt over dinner). Also, we, the publishing team members really thank for Gleebooks! I miss the publishing team : Matt from Tasmania and Helen and Ann from Melbourne. Sweet Matt said, "If so, look up the moon!" Clever! That's the introduction and the theme of Moon. 

Now, through the Moon project, I'm walking strong with others and making new friends and workmates. This is the beginning of my wonderful journey as a picture book illustrator. With this precious experience, I hope I'll make quality picture books onward and upward! Already, I'm working on next projects and developing my own stories. Like these established workmates say, I'll make this Moon "the first of many". 
Friends, Happy Painting! Make your dream come true! 

Moon launch tremendous success

Margaret Hamilton AM will launch Moon!

Woo hoo, Margaret Hamilton AM will launch Moon Sat 26 Sep @ Gleebooks! Another "guardian angel" of our Australian picture book industry. All the mentors suggested me to contact Margaret. She's Australia legend and a superstar!! Margaret is such a special person in the children’s book world - Author, publisher, cherisher of creators, promoter and The Children's Book Coucil Australia National Board Chair Deputy. She runs "Pinerolo", the Children's Book Cottage. ( *AM = Order of Australia. Awarded for achievement and merit in service to Australia or humanity). Publisher/Editor Helen Chamberlin, my mentor Books Illustrated, guests and I are dancing around!  

Close Up

This interview tells who she is about Margaret Hamilton AM. She's started from a librarian at Parramatta City Library. Yes, what a coincidence, my residential area. 

http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2010/11/interview-margaret-hamilton-am.html 

I always wanted to meet Margaret in person, but I could not, especially, go to snowy Blue Mountains this season. Now, my dream will come true. 
"I'm just a starter. Please help me and guide me," I wrote to Margaret.
Margaret says, "Moon is really beautiful and I will be honoured to launch it." What a humble lady! 
In response, "We're so happy and honoured to have you for a launcher," I say.

This is called a "near miss." It was not selected for a final image, but close.

Double spread on A2. 

You can see these near misses and dummy books at "Over the Moon with Watercolour! exhibition" 

(Oct 20 to Nov 2 at Chrissie Cotter Gallery). 

I feel I'm so cherished by topnotches. It amazes me, a nameless illustrator. My mentors suggested me Margaret Hamilton AM or an executive level of CBC, which very surprised me... I felt that they -- all of them are prominent authors, illustrators and editors --- highly acknowledged my ability and craftsmanship in drawing. I've blushed up to my ears and almost shed tears. I really appreciate it, beyond language. At a micro level, these established people want to help emerging potential illustrators. At a macro level, they really want to nurture new talented Australian picture book illustrators in a long term. Of course, ultimately, they want to bring children/readers quality picture books. I hope myself will respond to their support by my art work! I'm very happy to be surrounded such noble people with right hearts.  

Unselected roughs. We, illustrators make TONs of these tries

until we find a direction and narrow images.

Wow, like publisher/editor Helen says, my debut will be a "Party of Australian publishing industry superstars." Furthermore, NAVA (National Association for Visual Artists Australia) and ASA (Australian Society of Authors) and other peak bodies, too, are coming. Please come and meet them all.  

Btw, I've got a cold. I feel better today. Hopefully, I can prepare the book launch and the solo exhibitions with a sound body. Thank you for encouragements and a great support! You, too, please take care and make your dream come true!  
Friends, Happy Painting! 

Windy Hollow Books updated their cover photo.

10 hrs · 

Margaret Hamilton AM will launch Moon!