You are not allowed to take pictures at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. I oh so loved the beautiful courtyard, which was decorated for Spring, and though how lovely it would be to come back sometime with my sketchbook and paints. I don’t know if I’ll be allowed to paint in there, but I wish I could. Anyways, this is how I felt when I was there. It’s one of the most magical places in Boston.
Hey everyone!
In the past few weeks, I’ve decided to shift gears in my career path and pursue a Masters of Art Teaching. I’ve loved my entrepreneurial spirited work at Pinwheel Books, and will continue to help grow the company while I earn my degree. I’ve realized while working here through part-time teaching how much I just love working with kids.
So on that note, I’m excited to share my Student Artwork page now on my website! It’s nearly as important as the work in my traditional portfolio, and I hope you enjoy their work as much as I do.
Other news includes:
1) I’ve launched an ETSY site for stationary featuring my characters! There is a button at the top of my website. I have cute designs for Christmas, Birthdays, Thank You’s and more. The first few designs to be uploaded are for sale now at a great price!
2) I will be attending Judy Sue’s final critique for the Senior Seminar “Picture and Word” tomorrow in Providence. I’m really excited to be heading back to RISD for the day.
3) I am going back to Singapore to see Aaron at the end of the month, after Christmas. I will be bringing my paints and I hope to get some prime art-making time while he is at work.
4) I’m midway through my next book, which will be self-published by author Amy MacDougall called “The Pagoda Tree”. Here’s a sneak peek:
More to come soon! I’m so excited with where the journey will take me next!
Several of my pieces have gotten a new boost of promotion recently.
First, the wonderful folks at Literary Lights for Children used the image I provided last year for a bookplate for their “Save The Date” cards, sent out to the honored guests of the kidslit community to join this reception honoring 4 prestigious children’s author/illustrators:
I am so honored to know that my artwork continues to provide the look and inspiration for the Literary Lights for Children project.
Also, a few months back my agent – Kristy King from Writers House – and I put together a sweet little postcard announcing our partnership. I posted the sneak peeks of this piece awhile back, but here are the final images:
I always appreciate the collaborative process of creating artworks that have been crafted with care and thought. Thank you to these fantastic people who help refine my vision, and give my work a place to live and be seen!
Especially towards the end of my senior year, one of my favorite past-times became illustrating me and my friends. Cartoons – no. Caricatures – don’t think so. I started calling them ‘Doodles’ when I created them for the team at Pinwheel Books and ever since I’ve been illustrating me and the people in my life. Why I haven’t yet done my parents, I don’t know. But most recently I decided to give my friends in Boston here a try:
From left to right: Lilia, Me, Carmen, and Sonia. It may or may not be finished – I may add a few details here and there, some shiny things, but overall it was a great experience in drawing my friends and getting that likeness for people down.
A few weeks ago I did this one for Pinwheel of our next writer/illustrator Tim:
I think this is one of the first men I’ve ever drawn with such ease.
Who should I draw next? I’m taking suggestions. And as per suggestion by my boss, you can even pay me to illustrate whatever you want via an etsy site in construction!
Nicole Gsell 