Friesian, acrylic on paper

Horses have always captivated me. This is a children's illustration of a Friesian horse, once treasured by knights and kings. The breed possesses an abundance of thick, wavy hair, including "feathering" around its hooves (not pictured). It is an athletic, gentle breed often seen in movies because of its presence and gorgeous body! 

It's been a long time since I've posted!

Here's a sampling of what I've been working on lately...

I entitled this birthday card for my niece, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Have Tea)." In my version of the story, Goldilocks sits down to tea with her new friends!

Children's book illustrations are something I really enjoy creating. The delight, simplicity, and sheer fun of imagining refreshes my heart when I start writing stories, creating characters, and transferring the picture in my mind to the fresh white page.

Do you remember the thrill of a fun story when you were a kid? What picture books captivated you? As adults, we tend to think children's stories are mostly fluff and not very useful in the "real" world. Oversimplified, false, silly, and worthless are some of the adjectives we might stick on them. But I believe there are meaningful elements in these stories that shape who we are and influence our dreams, personalities, and beliefs all throughout our lives. If they are truly good stories and images, they not only entertain us but say something meaningful about the world--even if it is only to remind us of what the world should really be like.

Why not pick up one of your child's books off the floor, or check one out of the library, and read it with fresh eyes? ~SA