(A lot of) Friday Fan Art!

If I haven't said so before, I absolutely LOVE getting all the art that fans and friends have sent to me over the years to share here on the site. Whether it is a reinterpretation of one of my own designs, or an original piece inspired by a young imagination, I am always thrilled to see creativity alive and well.

Sometimes, though, I get bowled over. Blown away. Blasted by volumes of sheer awesomeness.

And this happened when I received and ENTIRE disc of artwork from the fifth grade class at Meroby Elementary School in Mexico (yes, Mexico), Maine.

As part of my book touring, I have the privilege of visiting many elementary schools all over the country. I have seen art classrooms that would make college professors jealous, and I have seen teachers reduced to pushing around an "art cart" full of nothing more than dried-up markers and old construction paper from class to class. I was fortunate in that I had amazing art teachers all through my life that encouraged creativity regardless of whether I had oil paints and canvas at my disposal or simply a #2 pencil and paper.

Because really its all just a matter of encouraging imagination and expanding out-of-the-box thinking. And whether you're a wiz with watercolors or can barely draw a stick man, its good to let your mind wander and explore. And we need to encourage and cultivate children to do this all throughout their childhood – not just in elementary school.

Thank you Meroby Elementary, your amazing instructors and talented students have inspired me. Keep drawing. Keep dreaming.