This weekend I attended my regional SCBWI (MD/DE/WV) summer conference: “Creating Sparks: Kindle the Fire of Imagination” and I had an amazing time! I heard some wonderful presentations by the bubbly and funny editor Mary Kate Castellani and Rotem Moscovich who was so sweet and kind. I had the opportunity to me Agent Quinlan Lee and had fun laughing with her about how we both felt like giggly schoolgirls when we shook hands with literary rockstars like Richard Peck or Deborah Wiles. I also took a fantastic workshop with Illustrator/Amazingly talented jack-of-all-trades Jamie Zollars about collage and mixed media. It was so much fun to just be able to play with different techniques and mediums that I don’t usually use in my own studio. And we were all amazed by her hauntingly beautiful work and her willingness to share her experience with us. I had so much fun playing with collage that I’m considering incorporating some new ideas into my upcoming books. And even though I only had a short window of time I really liked the way my little experimental project turned out.
I love the SCBWI because I get to rub elbows with such amazing and talented people in the world of Children’s Literature and Art, and they are always so friendly and honest and love to share their experiences to help other’s in their journey. Thank you to everyone who taught, coordinated, presented, or participated in this past weekend’s conference. I walked away with a brain full of information, a notebook bursting with ideas and hands itching to get back to my paintbrushes.