A New SpaceBoth children and adults alike often ask me where I...

A New Space

Both children and adults alike often ask me where I find my
stories. I think this is probably different for every artist and writer, but
for me, I simply cannot move one inch forward with my characters or plot until
I am firmly grounded in the environment they will eventually inhabit. For me,
space is key.

The first thing I did when I started on Journey (even before I knew it would be called that!) was draw a
big picture of the realm’s castle. For some reason, I turned its streets into
waterways. And then I drew a girl in a red boat approaching its gates. From there, the
story took form.

The work on Return,
the final chapter in the Journey
trilogy, is finished. The design work is done, the dedication is written. All
that’s left now is the long wait until next August when the book will publish.
I’m starting work on a whole new project; something I’m really, really
excited about. So it’s probably no small coincidence that the first step I took
before embarking on this new “journey” was to find a new space; a space that
would help my mind both wander and focus; a space that would help my ideas take
form. I’ve always wanted my own studio but up until now have managed to work
out of what was available: a shared artist co-op in an old mill, our upstairs
guest bedroom, our sunny mudroom, our un-sunny basement, and most recently, a
shared office in Spain. So when the opportunity came up to rent a studio in an
architect’s office inside a converted church here in Amherst, I decided it was
time to take the leap. It’s an investment in myself and hopefully in the
characters and stories that will emerge from it.

Wish me luck!