Chef-A-Rella available on Amazon!

I'm happy to announce the launch of the new picture book, Chef-A-Rella, which I recently illustrated for author, Marie Agerton. It's available for sale on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and kindle versions. You can find it HERE. All proceeds go to the author.

I have yet to receive my final copies, but here's a shot of my paperback proof.

 The story involves a princess who would rather cook than dance . . .

. . . an indignant queen (here she is with her mouth full of food)  . . .

. . . an indulgent king . . .

 . . . a sleepy chef . . .

  . . . and (of course) a happy ending.

This has been a very long process, and I must admit, I'm glad to be finished. Phew!

Typical of any artist, I'm critical of my own work, but I'm plugging my ears to my inner critic and announcing that I'm proud of the finished product. Hope you enjoy!

Playing Around

Lately I've realized I don't love working in the style that has become my typical process. It has turned into a chore, and that's no way to make art.

Years ago, I came up with a style that became known as my "grotesque phase" due to a number of portfolio reviews that elicited that specific (and unwelcome) adjective. It was quick and silly and came to me naturally, but, it wasn't going over well with the people who hand out jobs. So, I dropped it in favor of a more marketable look.

Now I'm trying to bridge the gap. 

The Gardener

 I want to embrace the imperfect again . . .

The Grumpy Lawyer

. . . and the whimsical.

The Apple Picker

 I want my work to stand out to art editors . . .

The Librarian

 . . . and I need to work faster.

The Nurse

 But, mostly I want to want to draw again.

Smoking Grandma

Smoking Grandma (colorized)

What do you guys think?