My Dog Socks on three states Premier's Reading Challenge Book

"My Dog Socks" is now on three states Premier's Reading Challenge Book Lists : Queensland, NSW and South Australia!
Thank you very much, Friends, your support, author Robyn Osborne and Daddy Paul Collins at Ford St Publisher. Very happy. I will keep up. 

My Dog Socks on three states Premier's Reading Challenge Book

Spring

We're in spring. Plum trees are full bloom. Full of life and joy. I used them in the last class in  school teaching. Children were delighted. We totally enjoyed sketching them. I've been working on three projects, paper work and another project just came in and was approved. Soon, I will post news following. I hope I will keep on. I have nothing, but can offer sweat and perseverance. 
Btw plum blossoms remind me of cherry blossoms in Japan. In my facebook, many people have loved that work. Thank you so much. 
Friends, Happy Painting! Enjoy life fully!! 

Spring

Let's Seize the Day

Luck is not luck, I feel in fine art and publishing industry. Build it and use it = Seize the day. 
Two years ago, I found Columbian Press at TAFE college in the City, when I was studying the "Art Marketing" course suggested by Accessible Arts NSW. The course was a first attempt and temporary set. All students, emerging or mid career artists were selected from various art areas. We learned about strategy, planning, use of social media etc or marketing from A to Z. Great course! Today, most of the plan I set is coming true step by step. I've learned the importance of panning. *This video shows how to use the hand press. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofMJ6NcEM58

Another bonus is that WestWords has fallen love with my sketch of the Columbian Press.  When WestWords and I had a meeting about the illustration of primary school children's writings, the staff accidentally noticed my sketch of the Columbian Press in a sample work folder. Newly born WestWords was searching for the emblematic image of literature and publishing industry. A fresh, unique, yet permanently symbolic image for WestWords' new office. Then, my sketch won their heart! We made a contract of my commissioned work. The developed art work has become a permanent collection at a stairwell, as you know. My story sounds like all lucks. *This is the original image and sketch. I sketch something all the time. My mentor calls me, "You don't waste time." 

But if I turned down Accessible Arts NSW's kind advice, did I make it? 
If I just passed by the press without sketching, could I get this chance? 
If I excluded the sketch from the folder, could I get that contract? 
It looks like luck, but it's not luck. All the time, keeping an antenna high and well preparing are essential. It often needs courage, because it takes a risk, too. It sounds tricky though, luck might visit us quite equally. The point is if we seize it or not. Once, our psychology lecturer celebrated my work and added, "I do not say good luck. It's not good luck." Close friends call me a "Very hard worker" and that's all. Make the most of the present moment, I try and appreciate a third party's support.  *This image 2.8m x10,45 m covers the stairwell. 

Now, three projects have been occupying me. Busy. Yesterday, I submitted 9 images that included the hand press image for new ASA Stylefile designed to reach out quality Australian Illustrators. It will come up in Sep. Last year, I became one of the illustrators mostly visited from all over the world. Thank you very much, Friends, ASA and CAL Fund! Your strong support allows me to go forward. 
Friends, just do it before the present will be gone! My accumulated sketches are great references and good art work. Thank you for reading. 
Happy Painting!

Let's Seize the Day

You’re the best teacher! students said.

"You’re the best teacher!” the student said who represented a class, giving me a school pen at good bye. In 11 weeks teaching, the students have begun to show confidence, joy and originality. Enjoy watercolour painting! Thank you WestWords for such a wonderful opportunity to work at a primary school. I've learned a lot in school residency. Thank you, Students. My supervisor at WestWords is splendid. In addition, a school teacher loves my demo paintings and keeps them all at a window sill! "Not for sale," she claimed. Oh, sweet😊! 

I've been busy with picture book projects, ASA stylefile submission (due date is next Fri) and other paper works. Thank you for turning a blind eye to my laziness for blogging. 

Btw, I'm challenging to double a walking distance for a leg exercise. 

Let's enjoy drawing and life. 

Friends, Happy Painting! 

You’re the best teacher! students said.

Invited for Poems by Libby Hathorn

Busy, busy~~ with the ongoing projects and the teaching at a primary school! Thank you for a great patience for this blog. 
Nationally and internationally established author and poet, Libby Hathorn invited me for writers' book signing and poem reading at Brown St Community Centre. I was looking at this old poet from a distance and sketched Libby, too. Very lovely to listen to each poet's reading out. Libby's three poems were outstanding to my ears and heart. Deep thinker Libby is so sensitive, honest with herself and wanting for social justice, but she is caring for others or readers. The more I know her, the more I admire her.  

Her poems are all quite visually evocative that stimulate my imagination. The third one on Hamelin Piper Story and our never comeback childhood, has caught my heart. As well as Robert Browning's poem in English, I've found Goethe's poem -- it seems a bit different from Robert Browning. I mean, Goethe thought of girls, women, hahaha!!? I love him!! Ah, I always wish I could see Pied Piper of Hamelin. What sort of man he was -- appearance, etc, etc. In the poem, Libby looks into his face and eyes. Me, too, eager to do it. But, Libby, you're caring. The empathetic poet knows the agony of parents who lost children or kidnapped by the Pied Piper of Hamelin. She sings the pain on behalf of parents. Yet, the poet cannot help hold her wish, the long for a never-return childhood, boyhood. The poet sings for our shining time, a frozen memory like Shaun Tan visualised in "The Lost Thing." As an adult, we have so sweet and bitter emotion to childhood in general and our own childhoods. Probably, only artists and children can keep a divine sanctuary. Or, artists are the species that can freely revisit childhood, even after being grown up. 

An old poet reading out his work. 

The first humanistic poem quests social justice and peace, advocating the powerless and the voiceless. The poem is on pigs and Pol Pot in Cambodia. Wow, I wondered, what this poet, Libby saw in Cambodia, while other tourists were just having a fun. Libby, you're a wonderful lady!! How often do you read poems? Social media seems to taking over a quiet reading time. But Libby's invitation pulls me back to book reading. 

Btw, joining book launches and book signing is a good idea for networking in publishing industry. There, you can promote yourself for publishers and make new friends. So, go for it and distribute your business cards! It's similar for fine artists to visit exhibitions and chat with participants. I will join Wayne Harris' making picture book workshop from this Thursday.

I'm studying portraits and landscapes. Particularly, I'm practising values and colour mixtures in landscapes. I do it in a small size to learn composition. 
Friends, enjoy your artist lives. Let's make our dreams come true. Strive to make it come true. Big cheers and hugs for you. Happy Painting! Thank you for reading!!    

Invited for Poems by Libby Hathorn

Creating a Picture Book is a Labour of Love.

A wonderful workshop on creating picture book was run by WestWords and Parramatta Council. What is required from a children picture book illustrator? Guest speakers : successful author Sue Whiting, established illustrator/book designer Wayne Harris. His say echoes in my heart. “Creating a picture book is a labour of love.” 

Wayne's answers to the question are below.  

•        Warmth. Always warmth.
•        Authenticity. Authentic voice.
•        A child centralised view.
•        Narrative ability, thus, no need to be technically brilliant.

A book designer and an editor do a similar job in a picture book publishing team. They make a text and illustration sing well. Yes, publisher/editor Helen Chamberlin's work amazes me. With her, I've learned/ am learning how to do layout, the importance of page turning and everything about picture book illustration and designing. More importantly, an illustrator needs a third party's calm eye to examine her own illustration. 

So, another recommendation is "Work with a great editor. Even once is fine, work with a great editor! They answer all your questions. From their answers, you’ll learn a lot pricelessly." Yes, I perfectly agree with the above from my working experience with Helen Chamberlin. Also, Wayne said, "A great editor does a psychiatrist! Who says to desperate creators, “Calm down. Go outside and have coffee,”?" I solely appreciate Helen's support and guidance in my illustration work. It'll be a so precious life experience as a professional. 

Regarding an author, Wayne suggests, when an author hands over a text to an illustrator, give up the holding visual images of the text. An illustrator will create a totally different image from the text based on her own concepts. But paradoxically and magically, a good picture book, the beautiful marriage between a text and illustration will be born from the completely different thoughts. Yes, a great and experienced editor is the matchmaker between a text and images. 

Wonderful to catch up Sue and Wayne. From time to time, Sue and Wayne have been encouraging me since I started a career. Wayne taught me illustration with Donna Rawlins at Sydney uni. Both celebrated the achievements in my career. This is from facebook. 

Sue Whiting Thanks Sadami. Always important to encourage talented new creators! It's been wonderful to watch your developing career.

Sadami Konchi Thank you very much, Sue Whiting! I hope I'll create good picture books. Please guide me.

Sue and Wayne generously talked about a process of making a picture book and a publishing process. We all enjoyed the workshop fully. 

Wayne and Sue gave me big hugs at the end of a workshop. Thank you very much, WestWords and Parramatta Council for the freebie workshop. I've been proud of being taught by Wayne and Donna. Lots of study about picture book illustration is necessary as well as drawing and painting skills. I want to tell a story with/from love. I want to tell a story from a children’s point of view. Friends, joining a workshop is helpful. 
Wayne will run a 3 weeks workshop of creating a picture book at WestWords. 
Let's enjoy learning. Friends, Happy Painting! 

Creating a Picture Book is a Labour of Love.

My Dog Socks shortlisted in the Speech Patholody Award!

Friends, good news. Our picture book, "My Dog Socks" is shortlisted in the Speech Patholody Award Australia 2018 in the category from 3 to 8 years old! Thank you very much for all the supporters, author Robyn Osborne and Publisher/Daddy Paul Collins. Robyn's wonderful text, her hard work and Daddy Paul, the opportunity given to be published have made it happen. As well as Speech Pathology Award, My Dog Socks is listed on the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge list and CBCA / Children's Book Council of Australia Notables 2018. Very Happy. Special thanks, great joy, Sadami. 

My Dog Socks shortlisted in the Speech Patholody Award!