{"id":1616,"date":"2009-03-29T00:24:10","date_gmt":"2009-03-29T06:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1616"},"modified":"2009-04-20T08:54:51","modified_gmt":"2009-04-20T14:54:51","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-108-featuring-julie-fortenberry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1616","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp’s 7 Kicks 108: Featuring Julie Fortenberry"},"content":{"rendered":"

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“Parade is over. Time for bed.”
\n— from Karen Roosa’s<\/em> Pippa at the Parade<\/strong><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n

Jules:<\/font><\/strong> I know it’s a bright Sunday morning, a new day, and not time to climb back into our beds, but I can’t help but open with this image, because I love the colors so much I just might want to marry them. <\/p>\n

This comes from illustrator Julie Fortenberry. Julie has two blogs—one devoted solely to her art<\/strong><\/a> and one all about picture book illustration<\/strong><\/a>. And here’s the thing: I’ve always loved her children’s illustration blog, but I never quite made the connection that it was Julie Fortenberry who authored it. Sometimes I’m slow-on-the-draw like that. <\/p>\n

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That image above and the two below (you can click on most of these to see bigger versions, too) are from Julie’s new illustrated title, written by Karen Roosa<\/strong><\/a> — Pippa at the Parade<\/strong><\/a><\/em> (Boyds Mills Press), to be released in April. As Julie put it<\/strong><\/a> at her blog last year, she’s illustrated for magazines and school publications, “but this is my first real picture book.”<\/font><\/em> Can we give seven loud cheers to Julie then, especially since I’ve seen the book and really like Julie’s gentle, soft-focus, velvet-warm style, very suitable to the youngest of children. Julie, whose clients also include Highlights<\/em> and Harcourt Education, is here today to show us a few other pieces as well. But first, here’s a bit more of Pippa, who—as the title suggests—enjoys a sensory, exciting day at a parade with her parents, all told in an uncluttered, inviting rhyme by Roosa: <\/p>\n

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“Pippa’s toes tap, feel the beat. Music starting down the street.”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

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“Cotton candy, sticky sweet, on Pippa’s fingers—tasty treat.”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n


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Pippa in progress on Julie’s computer —
\n“The computer allows me to paint with washes that I can remove if I get carried away.
And the best part of illustrating is that I get to paint faces.
I love painting faces.”<\/font><\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

Julie is also an abstract painter and has exhibited her paintings in New York galleries and museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art<\/strong><\/a>. “I tried to think of things that my illustrations have in common with my abstractions,”<\/em><\/font> Julie told me. “Both contrast paint that sits on the surface with areas that recede into the background. And both pair calm areas with textured\/patterned areas…I love to mix color around, make a mess, and then tidy up.”<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n


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Apple<\/em>, oil painting on wood (carved with a chisel and fork. 18 x 13 in.)<\/center><\/p>\n

Below are a few more illustrations from Julie. I thank her for stopping by. Remember, you can keep up with her at her blog<\/strong><\/a> — and don’t forget children’s illustration<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. I mean to tell you it’s a great resource for other illustration junkies like me. As I was formatting this post and exploring that great blog even more, I found this<\/strong><\/a> from ’08, which Julie had linked to over there. HOW DID I MISS THIS, PEOPLE? Seriously, can we perhaps establish some kind of Sendak Alert for me? And this<\/strong><\/a>. Ouch. I’m gonna have to hit that blog daily<\/em> so that I don’t miss any more goodies like those. <\/p>\n

P.S. For fun, don’t miss Pippa and Mr. T<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n

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\"Migration\"<\/p>\n

This last image from Julie I dedicate to Farida<\/strong><\/a>, who celebrated her birthday yesterday — and with good, good pie, I believe. <\/p>\n

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FARIDA!<\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

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* * * * * * *<\/center><\/p>\n

As a reminder, our 7-kicks are our weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on 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. So, let’s kick it up. Absolutely anyone is welcome to list kicks — even if, or especially<\/em> if, you’ve never done so before.<\/p>\n

* * * eisha’s kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

Channel it into your crescent kicks.1* Pippa! I agree, Jules – the colors in that first image are just breathtaking. And I love the shoes in the sidewalk scene. And I especially love Pippa and Mr. T.<\/p>\n

2* We’re making plans for family to come visit for the first time: my mother-in-law first, and then my mom and sister.<\/p>\n

3* Friday night I saw The Foot Fist Way<\/em><\/strong><\/a> with the Poets Upstairs. Oh. My. God. That was so amazingly funny, in that painful British-Office<\/em><\/strong><\/a> kind of way. I think it’s especially funny to anyone who’s spent time in the Southeast. It’s set in North Carolina, and B. and I both felt like we knew a lot of the characters a little too well. Plus, it’s very quotable.<\/p>\n

4* Lately it seems like a lot of my kicks have to do with buying small frivolous things. Well, this week it was an old-fashioned rotating rubber-stamp holder, you know the ones I mean? Like a merry-go-round for date-stampers. It was only 50 cents at this nifty second-hand place<\/strong><\/a>. It makes the librarian in me nostalgic.<\/p>\n

5* And we went to a hobby store ’cause B. was looking for something for a set model, and they had all these teeny little furnishings and things for dollhouses. Jules can testify to my love for all things made miniature. Well, get this: they had a bunch of miniature books, with tiny versions of real book covers, like Moby Dick<\/em> and some Nancy Drews. I just had to get a wee itsy-bitsy Catcher in the Rye<\/em>.<\/p>\n

6* I also got some cute flip-flops in anticipation of summer. It IS coming. For serious. Someday.<\/p>\n

7* As I’m typing this, late Saturday night, I’m watching the creepily awesome Norwegian movie Let the Right One In<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. Which is difficult, since it’s subtitled. I’m gonna stop now and finish watching. Jules? Got kicks?<\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

Mrs. Bottlecap here. This is my new Fancy Name, according to my girls. Don’t ask from whence it came, ’cause I have no clue. But when they’re playing dress-up, pretending to be royalty, talking in their fake fancy British accents, they’ve been calling me Mrs. Bottlecap and bowing to me. Go figure. <\/p>\n

Mrs. Bottlecap’s kicks are the following (say that in your most grandiose super fancy-voice<\/em>) . . . <\/p>\n

1). I’m afraid to jinx this, but my family and I are planning a trip to the beach sorta soon-ish. We haven’t been in years, and the girls have never seen the ocean (though they like to play “beach”). When my husband and I decided one of us would work only very part-time from home (that’d be me) in order to be with the girls before they’re in school, our income took a hit, as it does for many families. But we’ve saved, and here we are. Finally. Let’s hope that nothing gets in the way of this trip, as happened last year when our air conditioner gave us the middle finger and went kaput. <\/p>\n

2). These positively ridiculous and very fun hats we made at library story time on Thursday.<\/p>\n

\"Mrs.<\/p>\n

3). My husband and I—kind of without meaning to—started a Viggo-Mortensen<\/strong><\/a> movie streak. We’re almost done. This past week, we saw “Appaloosa”<\/strong><\/a> and “Eastern Promises.”<\/strong><\/a> I’m still thinking about the latter, which I thought was a few missteps shy of being Nearly Masterful. <\/p>\n

We also watched “I’ve Loved You So Long,”<\/strong><\/a> which has some whoppin’ good<\/font> acting and which I cannot<\/em> get out of my head. <\/p>\n

Best of all, next in our queue is “Synecdoche, New York,”<\/strong><\/a> which I’m really anxious to see. <\/p>\n

4). As mentioned last week, a friend from high school, whom I re-discovered via Facebook, came to visit from North Carolina. I love this pic I snapped. And just LOOK at the eyelashes on her devastatingly beautiful daughter. I mean, for serious, you should see them from the side<\/em>. <\/p>\n

5). My husband decided to take his 2008 bonus from his on-the-side contractor job from last year and buy me an early birthday present, which he says will make me squeal with delight. This is, in my world, a serious chunk o’ change, and I tried to talk him out of it. Anyway, he keeps walking around singing, “I know something you don’t know I know something you don’t know,” which is accompanied by a gloat-y dance. The other day I turned around and he was standing RIGHT behind me and started singing it again. He sends me instant messages which say “I know something you don’t know I know something you don’t know.” He’ll snap his fingers, mid-conversation, like he just thought of something, and then launch into his song and dance. And he told the girls WHEN the gift would be arriving so that they can sing THE SAME SONG…I have no<\/em> idea what this gift could be. But I’m certainly intrigued. <\/p>\n

6). Today, as you read this probably, we’re seeing an all-I-can-say-is-WOW stage adaptation of Kevin Henkes’ Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse<\/strong><\/a><\/em> at the Nashville Children’s Theatre<\/strong><\/a>. Years ago, in grad school when I was studying children’s lit, a friend and I drove to Nashville to see it—’cause we’re nerds—so I know it’s good (and terrifically funny and well-staged). Now I’m seeing it with my children<\/em>. How fun is that? <\/p>\n

7). Author\/illustrator D.B. Johnson<\/strong><\/a> will be here this week. D.B. JOHNSON!! I love his work enough for him to have made it on this very old page<\/strong><\/a> of our site. Words cannot express how much I love, in particular, his Henry books. <\/p>\n

BONUS: I made a vegetable quiche this week. I’ve never made one before. Why I never have is a mystery to me, ’cause I love all-things-eggs. And I made a kickin’ new salad to go with it. Mmm.<\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/center><\/p>\n

And now I want your<\/font> opinion (as well as your kicks, of course). <\/p>\n

First, I’m sure many of you have seen this new movie trailer for “Where the Wild Things Are”<\/strong><\/a>; I guess it caused quite a buzz this week. I have heard a variety of opinions—good and bad—on it, but I have to say: I have high hopes in Spike Jonze<\/strong><\/a>, and I’m relieved that, evidently, Sendak was very involved, gives it his blessing, etc. etc. In fact, the above NYTimes<\/em> link about Sendak includes this: “{H}e hates syrupy animation, which is why he is thrilled with Mr. Jonze\u2019s coming film of his book…despite rumors of studio discontent.” Anyway, what do you think? Be brutally honest. Though my husband is altogether not so sure about this, the trailer gave me the chills — in a good way: <\/p>\n

<\/param><\/param><\/param><\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n

And, finally, I’m taking a poll (my daughter’s already asked just about everyone she’s met this week): Which is this anyway? A duck or a rabbit? Anyone care to vote? <\/p>\n

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* * * * * * *<\/center><\/p>\n

{So, that’s \u00a9 2009 by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld by way of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved and all that, but more on that creature later this week…<\/p>\n

Also, the PIPPA spreads are illustration \u00a9 2009 by Julie Fortenberry and text \u00a9 2009 Karen Roosa. Published by Boyds Mills Press. Posted with permission of illustrator. All rights reserved, etc. etc. and all that very important stuff.}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Parade is over. Time for bed.” — from Karen Roosa’s Pippa at the Parade Jules: I know it’s a bright Sunday morning, a new day, and not time to climb back into our beds, but I can’t help but open with this image, because I love the colors so much I just might want to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-seven-good-things-before-monday","category-picture-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1616\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}