Where has the summer gone!

Whew!  I can't believe that it's almost August!  Last I posted the summer was just beginning and now we are just a few weeks away from it ending!  I have had a busy summer to say the least and I have lots to update you on.  First of all apologies for taking such a long time to post again, but when you hear all that I have done, and when you hear my good news, I think you'll understand.

June was my month of Art Festivals.  I did two art festivals within two weeks of each other.  The first was the Keuka Arts Festival.  It was my first time showing there and I had a great experience!  I brought my mom with me to help me out because doing a festival by yourself is a lot of work.  We had a great time after setting up just visiting with each other and the festival participants, and at night we went out to eat at some great restaurants.  The people who ran the festival were so kind and the attendance was good.  And best of all I sold 4 paintings:)  I also made the front page of the local newspaper!  Check out the great picture they got of me and my mother!

After the Keuka Arts Festival came the East Aurora Art Society Fine Arts Festival.  I am a member of the East Aurora Art Society and have been participating in this festival for at least 6 years now, so I couldn't miss this one….all my friends are there!  We have a great time hanging out all weekend, talking art and hoping to sell some.  I was lucky and sold four paintings again!  Four must be my lucky number.  When that festival was over I collapsed into July….

But the best news that came during that time has to do with the post I made just before I went "under" for 6 weeks.  I posted that I was putting myself out there as an illustrator and sent a promotional packet to a local publisher.  Well….I heard from the publisher and they loved my work!  We had a meeting and I showed them my "Swing" book and they loved it even more!  So I have been spending the month of July and the upcoming month of August finishing up the artwork for my first picture book!  So excited!  Can't believe it!  My professor was right.  Put yourself out there and good things can happen!

I can't show you the book before it's published, but I'll be able to share sneak peeks as we get closer to the publishing date….so stay tuned:)