7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #51: Featuring Jaime Zollars
February 24th, 2008 by Eisha and Jules
Jules: Eisha and I are featuring artist Jaime Zollars this week and are rather gaga over her style. Pictured here is “Little Red”, a silkscreen print. Isn’t that great? Jaime paints for galleries and commercial clients but has illustrated a picture book — intended for release this Fall with Tricycle Press — entitled Inside the Slidy Diner, written by Laurel Snyder (who has a nice-looking web site herself; you can read a bit more about the book here).
There’s a darker element to a lot of Jaime’s work (or “melancholy,” as she puts it), which Eisha and I both like, but since Sunday is for listing kicks, we’ll start with some illustrations that have a bit less gravity to them, such as “Tranquility” and — pictured below that — “Marmalade Sky”:
Now, those are some images we chose from Jaime’s site, as she gave us free reign (and it was hard to choose). Here are two more, sent to us by Jaime, which are not featured already on her site:
She sent us more, but we know this post is long enough already. It’s hard to choose our favorites. They’re all beautiful, all quite striking. Many thanks to Jaime for sharing with us, and we look forward to her first illustrated picture book this Fall. (And here’s Jaime’s blog if you like what you see here and wanna keep up with her!)
As a reminder, our weekly 7 Kicks list is the meeting ground for listing Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week — whether book-related or not — that happened to you (as well as featuring wonderful artists like Jaime). We hope you’ll share your kick-worthy moments from the week.
1* I love this week’s illustrations. Jaime Zollars is really, really good with trees and birds, don’tcha think?
2* I had a job interview.
3* Got a cool invite from Adrienne of What Adrienne Thinks About That to check out the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival. How fun will that be? As if hanging with Adrienne weren’t enough reason to go, Libba Bray is going to be there! Which means I really need to get down to business and read the two books that came after A Great and Terrible Beauty.
4* B. and I went to see the opera he just designed, La Finta Giardiniera. It was hilarious. They took great liberties with the supratitles.
5* Before the show, we went for Thai food. You know I loves me some tom yum soup!
6* I met a former co-worker for lunch this week.
7* I may get to go to NYC to see B.’s latest show in a couple of weeks.
1). A friend of mine, whom Eisha and I went to college with and who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, is finally cancer-free after a long and difficult year!
2). Jaime’s art work this week.
3). Having way more work to do from my can-do-from-home-in-my-PJs job, for which I’m very grateful. It’s made me terribly behind on blog-reading (I only had time this week for a few, quick stops) and, therefore, I’ve been feeling very disconnected and like I’ve been blogging in a vaccuum all week. Not to mention, I MISS EVERYONE! But I like having more work and hope to get caught up on my blogs soon (oh, and I do know who Jama’s favorite Beatle is, and isn’t that what matters, friends? Also, I know there’s a child who attends Adrienne’s library who would like the library to be in the clouds. Brilliance, I tell ya.)
4). Thank the high heavens for people like Jack Johnson for making children’s music that doesn’t make the parents want to gag and that is really, really good. We’ve been listening to this all week. On this CD, there’s a really gorgeous, spared-down version of the below song by Ben Harper, sung by Ben and Jack accompanied by only guitar (here’s a live snippet, complete with an interpretation in French at the bottom).
5). This might not sound like a kick, but watching Monsters, Inc. with my almost-four-year-old last night and both of us getting all verklempt over Sully having to say goodbye to Boo. It shouldn’t surprise me each time when she gets that emotionally drawn into a story, but it does. She’s a big feeler, that one.
6). Oh, and she also did my heart good this week when I asked her how The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (the book) differed from “The Wizard of Oz” (the movie), and she said, “No, you mean, how is the movie different from the book!” (as if the book came first, which it did, damn skippy. Attagirl).
7). Getting beautiful art work this week (via email) from two new picture books I love, which I hope to share in their reviews some time soon.
That’s all I got, folks. I’ve otherwise been drowning in work this week. How ’bout you all?
P.S. Happy third birthday to Saints and Spinners! I am hopelessly behind on blog-reading, but I do know that Alkelda wants a three-tiered cake to celebrate. How about this one?
Pretty art, Jaime, ESPECIALLY the fairy tale inspired pieces.
Eisha: Have fun with Adrienne and Libba. Enjoy the books. Go B. Kudos for his show and your interview.
Jules: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I loudly say, and I celebrate for your friend. Fingers crossed for your PJ job. (I recently read a book in which the father worked at a mattress factor and dreamt of sleeping in pajamas, but for a wholly different reason: as a boy, he had to sleep in regular clothes in case his family had to run – wartime.) I haven’t seen Monsters, Inc. but I’ve read some of the 8x8s and such at Storytime. GOOD JOB, OZ GIRL!
Oops. I’m supposed to list my kicks too. Hmmm.
Last Sunday and Monday = off work, spent with friends, good times.
I posted six (!) author interviews this week plus a handful of reviews.
I helped design posters for a local event and they turned out well.
I was finally given a CD with the track of the song I’m supposed to sing in a show.
Little circle peppermints: Hadn’t had them in a long while, had a ton of them this past week.
Getting groceries that should have cost over 31 dollars for 3 dollars and change. In other words, I paid TEN PERCENT of their worth.
The seventh kick might be sleep, because I’m trying to catch that now.
Wow, oh wow. I think that second-from-last illustration is my favorite. Those birds! That poor girl! I’m so intrigued to know the story, just from one picture.
Eisha, what a thrill to get to see your husband’s work. I wish I could, too. And jules, working in your PJ’s is the best. Just remember to shower once in awhile. 🙂
My kicks:
1. We have a new car. I’m a tiny bit afraid of it. But I was ready to depart from the mommy van after all these years, so I’d better step up and learn to cope.
2. Finished The Wednesday Wars, and was able to put a few thoughts together about it for goodreads. It did not disappoint.
3. Wrote lots of poetry. Lots.
4. An email from an author so good that I printed it out and will slip it between the covers of one of my favorite books.
5. I forgot to mention this last week, but my sister sent me the most amazing Valentine—a tiny envelope with fortune cookie fortunes, all with excerpts from Letters From Rapunzel on them.
6. My niece is starting a new drug trial for her cancer, and it looks much more promising and less harsh than the stem-cell transplant they were going to attempt.
7. My yoga teacher is opening her own studio, which means I may just have to live there.
Oh, hey! Thanks so much for the link. May I say that Jaime is AMAZING and that I love her work so much I paid her out of pocket to do the cover of my poetry collection, and have been harassing my editor about using her for my next book. I LOOOOOVE HER!!!!!!! Just wait until you see our Slidy swag!
as for my other (besides your link) kicks:
2. 3 hours of babysitting so I could sit in a coffeeshop and work uninterrupted!
3. Mucinex, which works, and kicked my sinus infection’s @ss.
4. The They Might be Giants “Here Comes the ABC’s CD.
5. My mom came to visit and took me out for a ridiculous dinner. Truffle risotto. Yum!
6. Re-discovering Moomin Land.
7. My massive decision to be a stay-at-home-mom, but not a housewife! (nothing has changed really, besides outlook and the number of dust bunnies. But I feel great!
Thanks again.
xoLaurel
Little Willow, you’ve had a lot of peppermints lately, as they were a kick for you last week, too. Too many peppermints is not a bad thing, though.
And I’m looking forward to catching up on your author interviews once I find a window of time to catch up on my blog-reading.
Sara, that sounds like a very thoughtful valentine. Awesome. And also thousands and millions and bajillions of blessings upon the head of your niece and her parents for having to go through this. I hope that new drug does wonders.
And do tell what kind of car you got (if you want to)!
Hi, Laurel! So glad you found this. Your kicks are great, ’cause a) I need to do your #2 in a big way to get caught up on stuff; b) I LOVE that They Might be Giants’ CD. As you can tell from my Jack Johnson kick, I really want to hug the neck of anyone who makes GOOD children’s music like TMBG does (do you have their other children’s CD?); and as for kick #7, hallelujah to that.
Looking forward to the new book, Laurel.
Happy Sunday, Everyone!
Wow, Jaime’s art is amazing. Love “Marmalade Sky.” Enjoyed Jack Johnson, too. You’re right, Jules. It’s very cool to find someone doing kids’ music that isn’t gag worthy/sappy. And big cheers for your friend being cancer free! Eisha, I can’t imagine how cool it would be to have a husband design sets! Such talent! Such creativity! (Can he sing any Monkees songs?) Hope the interview was “the one.”
Watch out, people. Sara is driving a sexy new car. Hope she remembers to take off her boxing gloves while steering. And that’s got to be one of the coolest Valentines ever . . .
My kicks:
1. Obama, Obama, Obama! I’m so not political, but it felt good knowing he won primaries in Virginia and Hawaii! Yay!
2. I’m hosting a tea party on my blog in April, and the special surprise guest I invited for an interview said yes! 🙂
3. Got some good news from the eye doctor this week. She thought I might have early glaucoma, but when I re-tested, the results were normal. Relief.
4. Jen Robinson mentioned my “Courage to Blog” post yesterday, and Jules likes Paul McCartney, too! We should have a mashed potatoes party in his honor.
5. Counting birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count — saw 6 gorgeous bluebirds, several woodpeckers, juncos, doves, finches, nuthatches and wrens.
6. The lunar eclipse was awesome. The sky was so clear that night. As Debbie Ohi said on her blog, just imagine how many millions of people were all looking at the same spot in the sky at exactly the same time!
7. My husband and I both gifted each other with lots of dark chocolate for V-day. We now have a year’s supply :).
Have a productive, inspiring week!
Each week I am dazzled by the consistency of the quality artwork and artists. Eisha, positive thoughts for the job, is it one you want? And positive thoguhts for your friend, who has been cancer free. It hits hard when your college friends are diagnosed. My friend and former roommate was diagnose in 03 and has been cancer free since. She does the yearly 3 days walks to raise money for Susan G. Komen. The first year we did a walk in Canada to raise money, it was 2 days.
Jules, I want my library in the clouds too.
My kicks:
1. The sun filled days and the lengthening days this week.
2. My friend’s charity came in second for the America’s Giving Challenge contest through Parade magazine. Between what was donated and the contest money, over $115000.00 will be donated to Fanconi Anemia Research.
3. A good day of writing for the boards yesterday. I am down to one month to get all the writing completed and sent off. Don’t ask me how much is completed.
4. My granddaughters hopping and singing “little bunny Fru Fru” this week when they came to the library to visit.
5. A wonderful note from a former student who is her first year of college. She told me how much she would miss coming to Young Writers’ Club this spring to help kids.
6. Our school is doing a books study with a Ralph Fletcher book and the long range plan is to become a writer’s workshop school.
7. Coming here each Sunday to read about illustrators and what has made people happy during the week.
Have a great week.
Jone
Jama, I should have mentioned your “Courage to Blog” as one of my kicks, too. It was so lovely.
Little Willow, I don’t know how you do it all. You definitely deserve to catch up on some sleep. And seriously, when are you going to write your tell-all book that teaches us how to shop like you?
Sara, lots and lots of good wishes for your niece. Just think what it could mean if this drug works – not just for her, but for everyone! And congrats on the new car – what a rush.
Laurel, truffle risoto sounds amazing. I am drooling on my keyboard.
Jama, yay! I’m so glad the eye thing was a false alarm. And you’re hosting a blog tea party? What a fun idea! Are you sharing any of that valentine chocolate?
Jone, how awesome about your friend’s charity. Congrats to her. And how exciting about the writer’s workshop plans! And won’t it be nice to have some free time again a month from now?
I love this week’s illustrations!
Eisha, glad you got your fix of Thai food – didn’t that fall through another time?
Jules, another cancer free friend! Keep up the good work! I’m glad to hear the positive news about your niece, too, Sara.
1. I FINALLY got my thesis examiner reports back. And I passed! I don’t have too many corrections either. Hurrah!
2. On Friday night we went into Cambridge for a Life in cold blood evening (this is the name of a new David Attenborough series on reptiles and amphibians) – the highlight was a talk from the producer and researcher of the show that had gave a look behind the scenes. It was very interesting to hear about how everyone pitched in to get ideas of what to film, and the best way of getting the shot etc. As the talk was at the Museum of Zoology, we got to wander around afterwards with wine and nibblies looking at animal skeletons – geeky fun!
3. My slow progression to a reasonable wardrobe continued with the purchase of new jeans. So boring and dispiriting to try pair after pair on but worthwhile when I found some!
4. I also bought other stuff I’d been procrastinating over, like a new type of shampoo and a brush
5. Our office at work is a lot cleaner after we made an effort to actually throw stuff out and pick stuff up off the floor!
6. The first of my daffodils in pots in the yard came out – beautiful!
7. I have spent all day at home in my bummy clothes
Oooh! Do you guys ahve kiddie tunes by:
Elizabeth Mitchell? (love her)
Greg Brown? (you can’t live in Iowa and not worship him)
Johnny Cash? (duh!)
xoL
That is great news about your friend from college Jules. Seems like that would be all you’d really need for kicks for the week. And Eisha, the book festival sounds like a lot of fun. And congratulations on the interview. As for me, work was a bit stressful this week, and it’s been raining for days, but:
1. Jill from The Well-Read Child just made my by giving me a Blogs That Make My Day award.
2. I got the new Scaredy Squirrel book (Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach) in the mail this week from Raab Associates. Plus, from the author, a lovely set of the Maggie Valley books, the first of which I’ve already started reading.
3. M and I have been watching Season Six of the Sopranos, and we are utterly consumed.
4. Jericho is back on TV. And Sawyer is back to reading books on Lost.
5. There is plenty of chocolate in the house, including a fancy ice cream and brownie dessert that M made, belatedly, for Valentine’s Day.
6. Last night we went out to eat at our favorite German restaurant, which means that we have leftovers to eat tonight.
And really, if you have plenty of books and chocolate, and your favorite dramas on TV, and you don’t need to cook, and your blog friends appreciate you, a little rain is a small price to pay.
Jama, oooooh! The tea party sounds like fun. And a surprise visitor, too. Woo! Eisha and I have an upcoming interview that makes us SQUEAL, but we’re not gonna announce it, in case — by some chance — it falls through. But it shouldn’t. And it’ll be gooood.
And I’ve gotta see this “Courage to Blog” event. See all the good stuff I’ve missed?
Jone, wow. Your kicks are impressive: More work on the boards getting done; the NOTE FROM THE STUDENT (I’m yelling that — it’s particularly great!); more sun in our days (I agree — I have been liking that this week); and #2 is the BEST OF ALL!
Emmaco, congrats on the thesis! And the daffodils. I’m ready for spring, too. And I like the phrase “bummy clothes.” I’m gonna use that. I like my bummy clothes.
Laurel, I’m with you on the Johnny-Cash “duh,” because he rocks, but I am not aware of children’s songs he did. Fill me in!
YES to Elizabeth Mitchell. Love her. She’s the new Ella Jenkins!
Greg Brown — I have a compilation with a bathtub song he does (I think that’s him), but I need to hear more from him. Thanks for the reminder. I have a wicked cool children’s mix I made, if I may say so myself. Eisha’s friend, Adrienne (not the WATAT Adrienne — the martinimade one) asked for a copy about a year ago. And have I sent it? No. I’m *that* slow. But I will, blast it. I will.
I somehow spaced and finished up my kicks before reading everyone else’s. So I need to add good wishes to Sara for her niece, and about her new car, and good work to LW on all those interviews. And congratulations to Laurel on a decision that will make her happier. And Jama, I loved your courage to blog post. I think it will help other people who are thinking of starting blogs.
Jen, I was posting at the same time, I guess, and missed your kicks. Congrats on the well-deserved award. And I had NO idea there would be a new Scaredy Squirrel book. Fabulous news. And I’m currently reading the last in the Maggie Valley trilogy, too. Love those books.
My husband and I wanna watch The Sopranos, but I’m so pathetic about violence, that he seriously wonders if I’ll be able to watch most of it. I’m not one of those all-violence-is-bad people, but if someone’s being tortured in any way, oh I just can’t take it. But that’s okay, ’cause right now we’re making our way through Battlestar Galactica and Weeds.
(But I still think I wanna see The Sopranos anyway).
Thanks for kickin’ with us this week, Jen.
emmaco, you have an amazing memory. Yes, we were supposed to go for Thai food at the very same restaurant weeks ago, but the wait was too long. This time we wisely called ahead. I bet those potted daffodils are gorgeous – we don’t have anything blooming here yet, it’s still all snowy and cold, but that’s pretty too.
Congrats on the blog award, Jen! I can’t wait to see the new Scaredy Squirrel book. Is it as awesome as the others?
Jules, I’ve never seen The Sopranos either. How lame are we? I’ve just got to get cable as soon as I get a proper job.
Yes to Greg Brown, Laurel! Saw him perform a couple of times. Congrats to Jen on the blog award — so well deserved :)!
Don’t feel so lame, J & E, I’ve never seen the Sopranos, either.
The Sopranos is certainly a violent series, Jules. Not so much torture (which I can’t handle either), but certainly people being beaten up and/or killed. Only rarely do I actually have to turn away, though. I like the intrigue.
And yes, Eisha, the new Scaredy Squirrel book is great. I especially like Watt’s little lobsters. You’ll see, I’m quite sure.
Jen, I can’t stay away from the show, basically. ‘Cause it got so many accolades from reviewers who know what they are talking about. I’ll definitely get to it one day.
Ooo, “Flock” is amazing. It reminds me of here, too, although it was 40 degrees and sunny today. I’ll be looking forward to Inside the Slidy Diner. Jaime’s art is intriguing, and I love that title.
Eisha, Yay! I’m part of a kick!
Jules, Yay! I was part of another kick!
Also, a big YAHOO to your friend for kicking her breast cancer out of town.
And, oh, Sara, your poor niece, but this new treatment sounds hopeful. I am sending positive energy. Thank you for keeping us up on this.
Although, seriously, I would also like to know what car you got. It took me about six weeks to get used to my new one, although I can’t quite take it for granted. It still seems way too luxurious for me, what with the heat and all.
Little Willow, Sleep is good, but so are your interviews and reviews. 🙂
My kicks:
1. I have to echo Eisha’s kick: I’m so glad she’s coming for TBF. The only thing better than spending a day listening to cool authors is spending a day with friends listening to cool authors.
2. I found a new magic 8 ball for my collection this week: Dr. Freud’s Therapy Ball (sample answers: “Less guilt, more smiles,” “Go on,” and “Free your inner child”).
3. This week was my sabbatical at work, so I didn’t have to work the reference desk, which let me get some stuff done in my office.
4. Of course, it was also the school break week, so things were busy, but in a good way. We ran some really fun programs, too.
5. I made some really, really super-yummy food this past week: cream of broccoli soup, chocolate cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting, stuffed acorn squash. Yummmm.
6. I spent a lot of time with friends this week. There was Quiz Night and shopping and pedicures–lots of quality girl time. I needed that.
7. And did I mention that it was 40 degrees and sunny here today? This is the kind of thing you get reallyreallyreally excited about at the end of February when you live in WNY.
Adrienne, I’m so jealous (but in a happy-for-you-both way) that you and Eisha get to go book-festival’ing together. Please drink some yummy coffee for me!
Congrats on scoring a killer new magic 8 ball.
Hey! Thanks for the happy blog-birthday wishes. Here are my kicks:
1) I made my best batch of spinach pies yet. I kid you not, they are incredible. Here’s to hoping I can recreate the success. The trick (for my taste) is to get them salty and sour enough without being too much of one or the other.
2) Snowdrops have definitely made this February endurable.
3) I am picking less glass out of the soil this year than I did last year. Maybe someday children will be able to go barefoot in our dirt.
4) Watching LOST on the ABC website and not having to pay for it (though for the first time in awhile we have to see commercials).
5) I’ve got Mitali Perkins’s new First Daughter book on my bookshelf! It’s about time. I hate waiting for release dates.
6) The sky is still light at 5 pm. It’s been a long winter….
7) March has a lot of good stuff going on: a concert with Eric Ode (releasing his new album), a recording session with Recess Monkey (they always get children to help out), and the musical “Frog and Toad All Year.”
Alkelda, I saw an ad for that musical and wondered if it’s any good. I certainly hope anyone doing anything Frog and Toad-related gets it right.
Spinach pie. Mmmm.