Margie Moore Illustration

I'm Not Afraid of the Cheshire Cat

2011-09-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

....but I am scared of the story that he comes from, Alice in Wonderland. It does not make a lot of sense to me then, that it is the artwork of Sir John Tenniel in the original book that drew me into children's book illustration early on.

And you really can't say that my style is similar to Tenniel's or Beatrix Potters, but they are at the very core of the artist part of me, and where I get my inner desire to be be a better artist from. But the Alice story....it frightens me! Maybe because before ever trying to read the book, I saw the 1938 movie version and that truly gave me the creeps. Anyone who knows me will not understand how I can barely watch TV the rest of the year, but at Halloween time (all the month of October for me!) I become fixated on horror movies. And I love a good scare or ghost story. But Alice's decent into Wonderland, where the most normal character is the White Rabbit and even he can't be relied on, leaves me uneasy. But at the same I like the feeling it creates at a safe distance.

And it is great that we have such a story. A story that so much has been read between the lines that we all gave up trying to figure it out and just let ourselves keep being curiouser and curiouser.

Back to School

2011-08-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

Annie Claire is one of my favorite little characters that has come across my drawing table. I loved working on her sweet little face and painting little pearl like teeth for her. The book "It's Your First Day of School, Annie Claire "is sweet too, about little girl worried about all the things that could go wrong on her first day of school with her mother helping her understand that even if it does go wrong, it will be okay.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810940574/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1K7D2ZFDQB7Y323AYPM8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

More sweet summertime.....

2011-06-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

New York City Book Signing!

2011-06-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, June 12th, I will be signing copies of my newest book Blue-Ribbon Dad at the famed Books of Wonder in New York City. It is a special Father's Day event from 1-3 in the afternoon. If you or anyone you know would like to purchase a signed copy, and will be in that proximity on Sunday, please stop in to meet me and a few other great authors and illustrators. Books of Wonder is located at 18 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011 and the phone number is 212-989-3270. If you can not come in person but would like a signed copy, call ahead and order one and I will happily sign and personalize it for you!

On the Cover of Babybug Magazine This Month!

2011-05-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

And one more on Aqua Board...

2011-04-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

Now after doing this last of four small 4" x 4" paintings on Aqua Board, I decided I like it enough to go buy more. It's texture gives more depth to my work and the light shows through more. Ink is better to use first because on top of the paint, the black line goes on a bit fatter. And best to put your colors/layers down in one or two attempts because they do not blend very well on this surface. This is all working with watercolors and pen and ink.

...and another Aqua Board study

2011-04-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

Color Studies on Aqua Board

2011-03-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

So I am still playing with "color studies" here but this piece and the one on the post before this were done on Aqua Board. I love the texture and the depth that it allows for. Now I have started a third piece since the package had four boards in it....might as well keep going!

Also, this study was inspired by the art of David McPhail.....who when I see his work, I always want to try harder.

This painting is now for sale at the Corner Joint Gallery, Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ, Tel 732.502.4400

A Color Study

2011-03-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

There are ideas I have for paintings that are on the "someday" list in my mind. After a nice long walk near the woods the other day, I decided it was time to start one. So a small "petite" painting was the best way to try it out first. I want the effect to be the small colorful flash of the Easter Rabbit against the cool late winter nearing spring landscape. A small subject that draws you into the fantasy. It works small at about 4" x 4" so just maybe it will work bigger too. Also, this is done on Aqua Board. It is an interesting texture to work on.....

Valentine Sweets 2

2011-02-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

Some of the "sweetest"" moments from this past work year.

Touch of Broadway and a Very Cute Frog!

2011-01-05T22:42:00.000-08:00

Being an illustrator, you never know who is going to call you for your next assignment and some of those calls are very interesting!

My newest venture and adventure is with Dodie Pettit and Kevin Gray, both well known Broadway actors and songwriters. They have both appeared in some of Broadways biggest hits, Phantom of the Opera, CATS, Titanic, and Miss Saigon, to name a few.

Kevin and Dodie have written a story and songs for an adorable musical cd and book set entitled "A Frog's Tale, A Musical Fable". The main character is just called "The Littlest Frog" and aptly named for his size, and at the beginning, his nerve. But as the story progresses, and with many adventures and characters and memorable songs along the way....well, maybe click on the link below for a better idea of what it is all about....

Isn't it adorable? And it is Kevin and Dodie's voices throughout the whole cd.

The fun part for me is illustrating the pictures for this sweet little frog and all his mishaps and successes. It is not yet released, but soon there will be more on my website about it. You can read more about Dodie at http://dodiepettit.com/ and for more bout Kevin, go to http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001071997843

A Mural

2010-12-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

I live in a 100 year old farmhouse, sweet, but the rooms are small and the ceilings are low. My only real complaint as of late (not sure why because I have lived in this house for 33 years and managed beautifully, until now) is we have next to zero storage space.

When we first moved in, the closets were only about 12" deep with three hooks. One hook was for pajamas, one for the work or day outfit and one for the Sunday outfit...wow, can you imagine! Luckily we were able to make deeper closets, but still....

To make a long story short, my husband and I have elected to stay in out small bedroom that we took years ago to let our kids have the bigger rooms. We moved in the biggest room for a little while recently, but truthfully, we like out little room. We call it the "nest". So back in the nest we are with two small closets and a third closet that I had shelves built in to make it like a dresser. I want it to be special so the just about mid high shelf is deeper than the other three shelves, like a real dresser top. It is natural maple wood. No doors on this closet either so I can access everything easily. The mural(s) will sit on the two sides of the opening, like framed portraits, my kind of portraits anyway!

More images to be added as it progresses!

Peaceful Autumn Afternoons.....

2010-11-03T11:25:00.001-07:00

Working on a New Idea......more to come...

2010-09-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

New Ideas

2010-09-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

I've always had an affinity for sewing, ever since I was three years old (literally!). Maybe illustrating and sewing can merge into a very sweet book about learning to sew? Hmmm....

In Interview with Artist Jessie Oleson

2010-07-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

Interview with Artist Jessie Oleson

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Jessie Oleson in her new Cakespy Shop in downtown Seattle, Washington. But before I go any further, I must divulge that my visit was motivated more by the mother/daughter bond since Jessie happens to be my daughter. But timing is everything because I also got to spend time in her new shop! All this aside, you can find out just what Cakespy is all about by going to www.cakespy.com. This interview is just about her artwork.

Part of the plan for my last day in Seattle was for Jessie and I go to a nearby art supply store together since we both needed a few items. As it turns out, Jessie’s store was too busy that day so I told her I could pick up what she needed while I went on alone. It seemed that we both needed pretty much the same things, pencils, black ink pens, some paper and watercolor paints. And though we work in basically the same medium, we varied on the actual materials of choice. Pen tip size, type of paper etc....

So it made me think it would be fun and informative to interview Jessie to see how she comes to create her little confections of art. Here is the interview:

What supplies do you assemble in front of you to create a piece of art like the one pictured here? Feel free to share brands you like.

The materials I always have are my set of Windsor-newton watercolors, a plate (which I use as a palette--it is non porous and perfect for mixing watercolors), mechanical pencils, a pink pearl eraser, black Micron pens in the 005, 03, and 08 sizes, and water for mixing colors. I generally paint on vellum finish Bristol Board--it has a nice tooth to it but not so much that it destroys the tips of my pens (as can happen with watercolor paper). Generally, my work method is to lay down a pencil sketch, which I then ink in, and erase the pencil marks beneath; then I watercolor it in, often waiting for a color to dry before continuing on the painting so that I get fairly clean separation and not too much color bleed. I often work on several paintings at once so that if I am waiting for a color to dry, I can work on another piece!

You went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Are there any particular classes that you can trace back some of the skills you now apply to your artwork and to being a full time professional illustrator and artist?

Without a doubt my foundation year classes. It was not a typical college freshman experience in that we only had about six classes, but they were pretty intensive--usually three or six hour classes. In particular, Drawing (in which we drew from still lives and from models) and a class called Light, Color, and Design (basically color theory) were great for getting practice in how to draw things and learning how colors and shapes interact to form artwork. I also credit a second-year class simply called "Illustration 1" for giving me a lot of illustration know-how. We would get assignments like having to illustrate a single word and then having the class guess what the word was, based on our illustration. It definitely taught me how to convey a story through illustration.

When you were young, for a long time I thought you were definitely heading toward being a writer. But at some point, artwork became of interest to you. And I know you loved to hang around the kitchen when I was baking...so was there a defining moment when the three interests came together and ultimately led to your CakeSpy creation?

Why yes! Well, for me, writing and drawing were always just things I gravitated toward--even in elementary school I realized early on that these were my "things" -- the things that I could do that I knew I could do, if not necessarily better, than with a certain spark that not everybody had. Baked goods were always really important to me--not only did I love eating them, but I loved the entire experience of going to bakeries. I wondered if it was possible to ever bring these three loves together: writing, illustrating, and baked goods--and well, I think I have done that with my site and business!

Will you name some of the greats whose art influenced you?

I love the artists of The New Yorker -- Saul Steinberg, William Steig, James Thurber--I love their cleverness and ability to say so much with such simple lines. I also love the ornate linework of Aubrey Beardsley.
I also love a lot of groundbreaking New York City artists like Keith Haring and Andy Warhol.
And, of course, Wayne Thiebaud.

I notice that you work from start to finish on the same piece of paper. If something goes wrong along the way, can you share any emergency tips for salvaging the art and still having a good final product?

Well, I always keep opaque white acrylic paint around--it can be used as a sort of "white out" if I mess up a line or get a smudge on the paper. Also, if I am doing a piece that involves using a lot of color, I will try to lay down the light colors first, so that if I need to change a color or anything I can just layer it on top of the lighter color--it is always easier to make something darker than lighter with watercolor! Of course, if my end result will be digital (for instance if I am making the design for a mug or product) I do sometimes make tweaks digitally to "fix" certain things.

What are some of your favorite paints and colors to work with?

For the red and pink on the cupcakes, I use alizarin crimson paint, just more diluted for the pink. That is the color that goes fastest! I also love mars black, sap green, cerulean blue, cadmium yellow, burnt ochre, and occasionally metallic silver!

I saw Chinese white in your paint box. Can you tell me how you use it?

Primarily as an opaque white when details are needed on top of a color--for example, lit windows on a dark cityscape, white piping on top of a pink cake, etc.

Can you share any color mixes you like to use that you may have created yourself?

Well, the perfect pink, as I mentioned before, doesn't come in a tube per se but I find that Alizarin crimson with the right amount of water makes the perfect pink. As for mixes, I insist on doing my own violet colors, because I despise most pre-mixed violet tones, which are way too grape-y for my taste. I mix pretty much equal parts alizarin crimson and ultraviolet blue, more or less depending on how blue or reddish I want it to be (for instance, more red for a queen's cape; more blue for the darkest part of a sunset).

Am I right that all of your artwork is traditional? Or do you work digitally too?

I primarily work traditionally, I have vectorized my images to make products before, but I'd say that is the exception rather than the rule. More frequently though I will use the computer to color correct or to fix mistakes rather than as the medium to create the artwork.
Do you think you could go all digital and still maintain your style?

I think I could maintain the style, but I think part of the charm of my work is the slight imperfections that come with the handmade quality--so while I think the style would remain, some of the charm might be lost. Plus, I like the physical act of painting.

Any feelings about books heading toward digital? Would you buy a Kindle?

I probably wouldn't, but I'd happily accept one as a gift from my cute husband and resident tecchie, Danny.

Lastly, and maybe a little CakeSpy query won't hurt, on a quiet afternoon while working, what is your perfect sweet to have with a cup of coffee, tea or milk?

Birthday cake. With pink frosting, of course.

Little Baker Suitcases

2009-12-28T21:19:00.000-08:00

Child to Cherish is a company the specializes in keepsake products for all stages and landmarks of your child's early years. They have a lot of pride in their work and it shows because the products are wonderful. Some of my artwork is now emblazoned on the adorable suitcases they created for tots and their mother's and grandmother's to share in the pleasure of spending time together. Click on the link to find out more about this delightful company.

http://www.childtocherish.com/

A few Other Creative Things......

2009-08-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

This is some of the fun stuff I got into this summer.....a little sewing and adding a creative touch to a cake that was made by one of my favorite bakers where I live.

The top I am wearing in the picture (this is the official "my parents came to visit me" pic my youngest daughter took of us when we visited her in SF a few weeks ago) is made from a New Look pattern that I tried my hand at fitting and then appliqued a peach colored silk ribbon to give it a 60's look.

The the picture on the cake is printed on the icing from a piece of artwork in my Bear of My Heart book. The cake was for my oldest daughter's baby shower last week. Love the basket weave the decorator did too! ( Just for anyone who lives nearby, the bakery is called What's For Dessert).

New Book!

2009-07-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

My new book has just been published. I love the cover! The title is "It's Your First Day of School, Annie Claire and published by Harry N. Abrams, New York.

The story is adorable. It is about a little girl, Annie Claire (a little Golden Retriever character) who is a little worried about her first day of school and all the things that could go wrong. Her mother talks her through each scenario as the story leads up to Annie Claire actually arriving to her classroom. All of her school mates are cute little dogs. Great fun to illustrate

Here is a link for anyone interested in learning more about this book, or purchasing it:http://www.amazon.com/Your-First-School-Annie-Claire/dp/0810940574/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248186635&sr=1-1

The Verge of Summer

2009-06-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

It has been a little cool and rainy (to say the least) here in Jersey. But I know any time (I hope soon) the curtain is going to lift and the shorts will go on and it will be instant summer. So here is a little sunshine via Ruby Raccoon, while we sit and wait!

Mini Vacation!

2009-05-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

I'll be setting off very soon to visit a fellow illustrator, fellow online shop owner and most importantly, my daughter Jessica, the original Cakespy! People always say that she inherited talent from her parents, but I am sure she has inspired me too. If you like good art, quirky things, and have a sweet tooth, check out http://www.cakespy.com/.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-04T20:51:00.001-07:00

When I think of my Mother, I think about her laugh. She has a great sense of humor, even in trying situations. A few years ago she was very sick and in the hospital being prepped for an emergency medical test. She started to complain about all the needles and tubes sticking in and around her and the first thing I said was "just be glad it's not a toe tag!". After a moment (a long one for me after I realized what just just flew out of my mouth and how it might be taken) she started to crack up. And that is how she was taken away on her gurney for her test, laughing. They were able to save her and she is back to having more energy than anyone I've ever met so it is an honor to once again wish her a Happy Mother's Day! A mother to 5, grandmother to 13, great grandmother to 3 (soon to be 4) and aunt who has become a mother to 4 nieces -- not too bad at all!

Mice and Ballerinas

2009-04-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here is my work for today........

Puppies and Kittens

2009-04-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

My new stickers are available. They are by from Peaceable Kingdom Press who have really great products for kids. The handled box has two glossy cardboard fold out backgrounds, one for the two sheets of adorable puppy stickers and one for the two sheets of kittens. The stickers are reusable too.

My two little black and white Shih-Tzu's, Maya and Farina (it's a long story how she came to be called that!) are together as one sticker in the package.

You can see all the stickers, and even buy some if you want: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593955359?ie=UTF8&tag=pkpresscom09-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1593955359

Easter Bunnies...........

2009-04-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring!

2009-04-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Truthfully, I am more of a deep dark autumn person but I have to wonder why at times because spring really is very beautiful where I live. The bright little color patches of first flowers, the birds nesting and then the near ethereal days in May when air feels warm and spring colors are at a peak. So I guess I am more of a spring admirer than I'd admit to!

March Winds

2009-03-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Nearly Spring!

2009-02-24T14:20:00.000-08:00

Spring is still a little bit of time away but still close enough to start thinking of green!

(Above image from Ruby's Perfect Day, HarperCollins Publishers,an I Can Read book.)

Valentine Sweets

2009-02-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

Ice Skating

2009-02-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a little painting that was part of an activity in Ladybug Magazine (who are at the top of my list to work with). A fitting piece to post an a very cold day here in New Jersey.

A Sketch that Added Up

2009-01-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

I barely ever do "sketching" so to speak. If I am working on a sketch, it is almost always a means to the end and always right on the watercolor paper, start to finish. But I was off guard and found myself sketching and it ended up to be fun and then ultimately, a finished piece -- a little ballerina.

New Year's Eve Snow Squall

2008-12-31T11:22:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken of my house within a few minutes of each other today. This is the best kind of snowfall where I live. Short in duration and just beautiful.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve......

2008-12-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

...the white bears and the brown bears came, the squirrels, birds and rabbits too. The shiny red glow that brightened and warmed the dark wooded forest and would soon reach around the world.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

City Sidewalks

2008-12-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

Although Christmas is second to Halloween for me, there are still a few things about Christmas that touch my heart. Maybe because there are still some moments about Christmas that are unchanged from simpler times.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

.......a nice day to share

Paint Colors

2008-11-06T09:27:00.001-08:00

My paint of choice is Winsor & Newton Artist's Water Color's. Besides all the basic colors that you need to have, here are a few of my especially favorite colors and mixes:

Payne's Gray because of the beautiful way it shadows and almost layers itself on the paper. It takes a life of it's own. When I have to keep shadows from being to serious for a children's book, this is a great choice. It adds drama to a sky too.

Brown Madder is a great color when you want a color somewhere between red and pink. It lays very nice on paper and is perfect without mixing to make rosy cheeks and lips.

Ultramarine Violet, maybe because purple is just about my favorite color, but this is rich and almost has an opaque quality to it. A fellow illustrator told me she mixes it with a little bit of Cerulean Blue to make a dusty periwinkle -- I did and it really is pretty.

Quinacridone Gold. This is a color I learn to use more and more. If you add it to your browns, they keep a brighter color when they dry. Be careful not too add too much or too little. You can also add it to greens and reds for some nice mixes. I have even top coated some of my animal characters that were too dark or flat brown and it brings a little life and brightness back into them.

Green Gold is a color I just bought for the first time, but I can already tell it will be a favorite too.

Intense Blue (W&N Cotman) another staple of mine for luminous night skies. I often mix it with French Ultramarine if I want a dark night sky. If you mix it gingerly with Cobalt Green or Hooker's Green and a tiny bit of Cerulean Blue, you get a rich and saturated blue that works great as a base wash building up to as deep as you want it to be.

Then, this last color is made by Old Holland (classic watercolors). Old Holland Warm Grey Lt.

It is as it says, a warm grey that is opaque and mixes very nicely with my browns and blacks to make a perfect velvety color for a little mouse.

Image is from the soon to be published It's Your First Day of School, Annie Claire by Harry N. Abram's, New York.

A Great Day

2008-11-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween

2008-10-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. This dates me, but the decorations from the 50's and 60's were a feast for my imagination. And the realization, at about age 4, that you could go door to door and get candy and treats, well, count me in!

Sadly, those days are far behind but I still have fun around Halloween time. Since part of that fun is watching non-stop horror movies, I've added a list of my all time favorites:

Carnival of Souls, only the 1962 version will do!

Night of the Living Dead, 1968 version, of course. They're coming to get you Barbara"

Psycho, if you don't know which version, your really lost! "a boy's best friend is his mother"

American Werewolf in London

Halloween

Interview with the Vampire

Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, 1994 with Robert De Niro

Bram Stoker's Dracula, more recent version with Gary Oldman ( like Interview with the Vampire, it is beautifully filmed)

Wolf, with Jack Nicholson and James Spader. Fab!

Then there is a version of Alice in Wonderland from 1933 which is really hard to find and extremely creepy. Maybe not in the horror genre, but it scared me as a kid and I still can barely sit through any version of the story without getting creeped out all the way down to my inner core. But I adore the original artwork by Sir John Tenniel and it was on eof the inspirations that made me want to become an illustrator myself -- go figure!

My Halloween image was the 2006 cover of Ladybug Magazine.

Another Pretty Bride

2008-10-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

...So a couple of weeks ago, we had the second of three daughters walking up the isle. It has always been great to have daughters.

Some Favorites

2008-10-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

When I finish a book, I know exactly which pieces are my favorites. Since art is always subjective I've learned that often, others will choose different pieces in the same book as favorites. Once while visiting with an editor after dropping off a finished book, she asked me which pieces I liked the best. We were both surprised to find the pieces she liked the best were completely different from my choices. A good thing to remember for the next time I'm working on illustrations that might not seem up to snuff.

Here are some of my own favorites, pieces that by my own measure, satisfied.

Crickets and Late Summer Nights

2008-08-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

The crickets are going crazy here where I live. I mostly work at night and more than one night lately, I have not turned on the one-eyed monster or even music, and just let the peaceful chirping of the little late summer visitors be my company. Sooooo peaceful.

2008-07-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

My newest book is A Horse's Tale and published by Harry N. Abram's, New York and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. I loved working on it.

Lancer, the main character is a horse who belongs to Garrick, the Colonial Williamsburg Gardener, who becomes a bit forlorn and starts to run up and down the busy streets of the town. Garrick and his friends Margaret the Milliner and Ben the Blacksmith give chase to try to help rein Lancer in. But soon they all realize that Lancer needs more to make him feel better and try to find the right cure.

One of the best things about this book is that it ends up being a tour, at a beginning level, of Colonial Williamsburg. It makes it more fun to read. Another thing, for me at least, is the detail. I was invited to come visit the historic town and went during a very cold week in January -- more like freezing! But the place itself was very charming and friendly and every building had warm cozy fires and the tradespeople were warm and very welcoming. Great talent is how I would describe them too. The attention they give to every detail of their trade made an impression on me and when I left to go back home, besides having a million photos, I had the foundation for how the artwork in the book would be -- very detailed, like everything at Williamsburg is.

The author is Susan Lubner and the book is available at most book retailers and at Colonial Williamsburg too.

Above are some images from the new book and then one of me (in the distance) walking on a very cold day in Colonial Williamsburg.

Lastly, I will be doing a signing for A Horse's Tale on Saturday, August 16th 2008 at Anchor & Palette Gallery on Mount Street in Bay Head, New Jersey, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Summer at the Shore

2008-07-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images to cool you off on these hot summer days. I am lucky to live at the Shore and these last few years, have illustrated three books for Jersey Shore Publications: A Gull's Story, Part I, Part II and Part III ( alphabet, counting and colors respectively). Besides being fun books to work on and a good excuse to wander all over the beaches, inlets, marshes and bays for research, I'll always have these fun pieces of artwork to share and remind me of how nice it is to live here.

Waiting on an Assignment

2008-06-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

Today I got word that an editor is considering working with me on a book cover with a bunny rabbit on it. So I had to hurry and get an image that would best fit the description of the project for them to see and help nudge the decision in my direction. It is cropped from a larger painting but makes a nice little piece on it's own. It is painted with Windsor&Newton watercolors with brilliant dyes mixed into the blues.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

This picture says a lot about my relationship with my father -- we always have a lot of fun together! Even at 84, he is still fun to be with.

Bunnies......

2008-06-06T16:25:00.001-07:00

There is something about bunnies that has always pulled at me. Whether in real life or as characters in my favorite children's books, they are enticing. The long soft ears, the gazing globe eyes, the flick of the tail when they hop. I love to walk near the woods this time of year with the thick greenery, the sweet scent of honeysuckle and the mother rabbits with their babies nibbling at the sweet grasses along the edge -- how sweet!

Marie Antoinette Cupcake

2008-05-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pieces of artwork by my daughter Jessie Oleson (the famous creator of cakespy.com). We follow each other's footsteps but our style is so different! I will take credit for passing along a great fondness for fancy pastries to her though!

Margie Moore Illustration

2008-05-07T14:39:00.001-07:00

Limited Edition Gicle'e Prints

2008-05-05T15:40:00.001-07:00

This is new for me -- gicle'e prints of my artwork. I sell nearly all of my original book art but there are a few pieces that people ask to buy, but I would rather not part with. So, this past winter, I had gicle'e prints made of two of these pieces and could not be happier with the results!

"F is For Red Fox" from A Gull's Story (14 1/2" x 14 1/2") and "A Gull's Story, Part 2 Front Cover" from A Gull's Story, Part 2 ( 12 3/4" x 27 1/4"). Custom sizes are available too. Click on images for a better look and email me if you would like more information about these prints --margiemoore@optimum.net

Bear of My Heart

2008-04-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.amazon.com/Bear-My-Heart-Joanne-Ryder/dp/0689859473/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209435003&sr=1-11 ks&qid=12 09435003&sr=1-11

Good news for Bear of My Heart, Simon & Schuster posted another copy of this book to me recently with a congratulatory note that it has gone into yet another printing! It was published in the spring of 2007 and this is about the 4th or 5th printing already. I've added a link to Amazon for anyone who wants to know a little more about it or to buy it.

2008-04-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Lancer and Ben

Another image from A Horse's Tale. Lancer, the horse is the main character as the title suggests and Ben is a Williamsburg Blacksmith who is trying to see if Lancer's "shoes" are bothering him in this scene. Don't want to give too much of the story away here but it's a fun read for anyone who likes: adventure, history, interesting trades, animals and Colonial Williamsburg!

Click on image to get a better look.

First Blog Posting!

2008-04-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

Sixteen Tailors

This painting is from my new children's book A Horse's Tale written by Susan Lubner and published by Harry N. Abrams and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Click the image to get a good look!