I used to have three rabbits. Fezzik; my sweetest, Nubby; my girl and George;from the Hawaiian islands. This sketch is of Nubby-who missed a hind foot (hence the name...). She and Fezzik would sit under my drawing table and I would sketch them on bits of scratch paper when I needed a break-or when they were doing something particularly cute. This is a particularly cute moment for Nubby, cleaning her nub right under my feet.
Jen

An image from my latest poetry book, "Moving Day". It's not been cleaned up yet but it illustrates how I've been feeling lately so well I'm putting it up anyway. Jen

I have been having a bit of "artist's block" lately. Can't seem to draw a thing. So I put away my current job this morning and just did some hand sketches. Allowed myself make some mistakes-letting my mind and body go on auto pilot. It helped a lot and I am now back to working on my current job. The above is one of the pages.
Jen

Above is the cover for my latest book to be released this fall called, Moving Day, written by Ralph Fletcher and being published by Boyds Mills Press. It is, as you've noticed, sans text. My patience this morning is short and I couldn't get it to transfer from the pdf the first time - so I quit. The art is what I'm trying to show anyway. grrrr
Jen

Well, I'm back. Have been sick over the last couple of weeks and just not up to posting. Am still working on my craft book series with Boyds Mills Press. It's going well but slowly.

I am posting an oil painting I made this year. Obviously, it's a hand. My hand. It hangs on my living room wall and livens up the room in a creepy sort of way. I like hands as the subjects of portraits though. They can be as or more expressive than faces.

Have linked my illustration website to a new promotional website recently (today.) The website is at: http://www.millionpixelimage.com

You'll have to find my squares to use the link. I'm close to the top and just off center to the right. I bought two squares stacked vertical. Will be interesting to see if it gets me any new traffic.

Thanks for reading and looking. Jen

Here is another piece from my new book Moving Day, written by Ralph Fletcher and being published by Boyds Mills Press.

In loving memory of my grandfather,

Earl W. Hall

July 20, 1914
to
February 26, 2006

A painting of my dog, Butler. Acrylics on canvas paper. I made this last night at a painting party hosted by my friend, Erin. Thanks Erin!
Jen

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I started knitting in 2005. I made this cellphone cosy on a flight from Austin tx back to Minneapolis. It's wool with an antique button.

Another new piece. I've not displayed this anywhere yet (although it will soon be added to my website.) It's watercolor wash with pencil drawn over top. I am currently working on a poetry book in this technique.

More sketches of Butler sleeping on the kitchen floor. I did this on a piece of typing paper, which is why you can see the sketches on the reverse side. Love the shape of his mouth at the corners where it folds over so fat and soft.

Okay, I lied about having time to put new sketches up anytime soon. While dinner was being made this weekend Mr. Butler took a nap. I couldn't resist.

Another bw line image from my archive. The original painting of this image can be found in "I Heard a Bluebird Sing". A collection of poems by Aileen Fisher and edited by Bernice E. Cullinan, published in 2002 by Boyds Mills Press. It was my first book with Boyds Mills and filled with good experience as it was also one of the first full books I illustrated. Thanks to Tim Gillner for saving my samples and thinking of me!

A rhino. I'm pulling these from my archive of bw animal line art. I have a ton of them and I'm sure I'll get to share quite a few with you.

Starting last month and on through all of 2006 I will be working on a series of craft books for Boyds Mills Press. The first two have a very tight deadline, so I don't expect to have any new art-even sketches for the next month or two. I will continue to post fresh pieces from my archive of samples.

As for the craft books, the art is simple and colorful so I am perfectly happy to let them take over for a while.