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cowboys riding through a desert in the middle of a deadly dust storm.'”<\/em>
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It seems like I say this on the first Sunday of every<\/em> month, when I feature a student illustrator or illustrator otherwise new to the field here at 7-Imp, but I’ll say it again: A month’s already gone by? It’s February? Wasn’t it New Year’s Day just yesterday? Maybe it’s having young children in the home that makes time seem to fly. Or perhaps everyone feels this way. Either way, I seem to be doing a double-take this morning. <\/p>\n Kitty Asks What If?<\/em> is the title (or perhaps just working title) of this text, and it centers around two friends — one porcine protagonist prone to great worry and his feline friend, who seems to excel at … well, easing such worries. (Have mercy, we Piggies most desperately need you Kitties in our lives.) When Kitty asks in the opening spread, “Hi, Piggy. Wanna play?”, Piggy’s worried about the threat of rain. Kitty pretty much says, pshaw, my friend<\/em> — but with the gentleness of a good comrade, don’t you know: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Turns out Piggy is a virtuoso worrier: He’s got a long catalogue of fears — the blistery-hot sun, gusty winds (spread opening this post), freezing temperatures, slick weather…<\/p>\n …and more. And, forgive me, but I won’t give away the ending, in case the book ever makes it into print one day. Wouldn’t want to spoil it for you anyway. <\/p>\n Here’s a word or two from Lori, followed by a bit more of her illustration work…<\/p>\n Thanks to Lori for stopping by, and best of luck to her in her career. Here’s hoping we see her in picture books one day…<\/p>\n {All images used with permission of Lori Nichols.}<\/em><\/p>\n As a reminder, 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a 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. <\/p>\n Kick #1<\/font>). This<\/a><\/strong> exhibit of Greek art in Nashville. Given my daughter’s current obsession with Greek mythology (kick #3 from two weeks of yore<\/strong><\/a>, aka Cowboy Perseus), this exhibit is very good timing. And it’s quite good. <\/p>\n Kick #2<\/font>). A thoughtful gift from Melissa Sweet<\/strong><\/a> and some kind words said, too. <\/p>\n Kick #3<\/font>). The below art. Forgive me for posting kid-art. Arguably, it’s only interesting to the parents or grandparents. But this was truly one of my week’s most kick-iest moments:<\/p>\n My husband taught the girls to say at a very young age that “commercials are for suckers.” We’ve tried to explain to them that marketers in this country would like to tag them as consumers at very young ages and that they have to think hard about advertisements of all sorts (which is why I like this book<\/strong><\/a>, but then that’s just me being redundant). One afternoon this week, my kindergartener walked off with some ads that had shown up in the mail and told me she’d use them to make a collage. Hours later, I saw the art. She had cut up all these product images and written things like, “Don’t do it! Don’t buy it! Do you really need that?” and such. A sample is pictured above. <\/p>\n Though I am often myself quite the<\/em> successful target of chocolate-pushers in this country (and when said child goes into stores, she goes straight to berserk over wanting everything<\/em>, MOST ESPECIALLY CHOCOLATE, as children are wont to do), the whole piece of art surprised me and, boy howdy, made me laugh mighty hard. <\/p>\n More on that book later. Andrea’s going to stop by 7-Imp. <\/p>\n Kick #5<\/font>). All of you 7-Imp readers who visit and leave smart comments here and write good content at your blogs for me to read. This is an assumed kick every week, but I’m outright stating it now. I really enjoyed reading the responses to this post<\/strong><\/a>. And check this out: When I mentioned once again in the comments of last week’s kicks<\/strong><\/a> that one day it’d be terrifically fun (somehow — with magic money, I guess) for us all to meet in the middle of the country and have an actual breakfast together, Jeremy<\/strong><\/a> referred to the whole things as “7-Imp Camp,” which made me do something like laugh and cheer at the same time, which kinda came out as a spit-take on my keyboard. <\/p>\n Kick #6<\/font>). I fell hard for this poem<\/strong><\/a>, which was posted Friday at A Year of Reading<\/strong><\/a><\/em>. I’ve also been thinking about this poem<\/strong><\/a> all week, which Liz Garton Scanlon posted<\/strong><\/a> way back in September. See how good you all are for me? <\/p>\n Kick #7<\/font>). A winter festival at my kindergartener’s school this weekend in which she proved that she’s a CAKEWALK CHAMP. When they called her number, I did a no-holds-barred barbaric yawp and fist pump, as I wanted her to win a cake so. very. badly. Loud was my WOOT. And you know what she did? There was this huuuuuuugely<\/em> huge spread of cakes, many home-made, from which to pick her prize. All the cakes were contributed by parents from the school, and some looked downright gourmet<\/em>. What did she pick? The Publix-brand cupcakes. Ouch. But, hey. Cupcakes, right? Mmm.<\/p>\n Three Bonus Kicks, Even Though I’ve Already Jibber-Jabbered Quite Enough As It Is:<\/em><\/p>\n * Seeing my four-year-old find book two of Ursula K. Le Guin’s<\/strong><\/a> Catwings<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. I mentioned last week that we stumbled upon the series, which I didn’t even know existed. So, when we went back to the library this week, I muttered a quick prayer to the library-stack gods that book two would be there, AND IT WAS. She lit right up. Crazy about these winged cats she is. <\/p>\n ** Stumbling upon this video (from last November) of Nicole Atkins<\/strong><\/a>, whose music I adore (“pop noir,” I once saw it described as, which is perfect), singing a song I adore. How folks can talk through that, as they are in this bar, is beyond me: <\/p>\nOn this, February’s first Sunday, I welcome up-and-coming illustrator (and soft-sculpture artist) Lori Nichols<\/a><\/strong>. She brings us, as you can see above, Kitty and Piggy. Lori sent me the entire text from which these featured spreads this morning come, and I hope, based on what I saw, that Kitty and Piggy find a publisher. Remember how last Sunday<\/a><\/strong> you joined me in celebrating an illustrator who can create engaging illustrations for the wee’est of preschoolers — and manages to do so without being excessively cloying about it? I think Lori has that gift, too. <\/p>\n<\/a>
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in a ghastly gale, looking for buried treasures.'”<\/em>
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strapping skiers sliding on the surface of the sea.'”<\/em>
(Click to enlarge image.)<\/center><\/p>\nNichols’ uncluttered, minimalist illustrations, spare text, and the rampant imagination she gives Kitty show readers that creativity doesn’t have to be complicated. Playing in the mud can trump highly-packaged plastic toys any day: This is something all kids know instinctively. There is also a big, throbbing heart at the center of the tale, a story of true friendship, one friend bringing light to countercheck another’s darkness. Lori’s wide-open spreads include ample white space in spots (for calm, centered Kitty), comforting lines, and bright colors (for fretful Piggy and the pair’s imaginative romps into the wild). It’s like Maxwell Eaton III<\/strong><\/a> meets Antoinette Portis<\/a><\/strong> and perhaps even Maria van Lieshout<\/strong><\/a> in a bar and they go buy Mo Willems<\/a><\/strong> a drink. These are good—in my book anyway—comparisons\/possible influences, and at the same time, I see that Lori is coming into a style of her own. And I’m eager to see where her career goes. Actually, those are comparisons I apply only to this text. Lori also does this, and let me say that I’d love to see the story wound around that<\/em> old lady: <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nI look to nature for much of my inspiration. As a child, I looked at everything from acorns to frogs and marveled. My three girls have inspired me as well, and I find myself borrowing their own ideas and drawings. Many years ago, my friend, Dariana, showed me her collection of birds’ nests, and I was never the same. I love to create and found that my life\u2019s inspiration manifests itself in illustrations and soft-sculpture and back to my garden and family again. I’ve been in the illustration and design field for over twenty years, working as an editorial illustrator for the <\/em>Arkansas Gazette in the late eighties and then moving to magazine art direction for <\/em>Cooking Light Magazine and <\/em>Health Magazine. My design work is on the shelf currently, while I pursue children\u2019s book illustration. I’ve spent the last ten years with one of three daughters on my lap, reading and loving the doors that books opened up to us. My styles rely on strong calligraphy line work. In some cases, my line work is drawn very small and electronically enlarged with flat fields of color. Other times, I’ll use pen and ink with watercolor. I’m currently working on a series of books involving several critter friends. To see more of my work, you can visit me at www.lorinichols.com<\/strong><\/a>. Also a soft-sculpture artist, I enjoy bringing my critters to life. You can see my soft-sculpture at www.etsy.com\/shop\/lorinichols<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nKick #4<\/font>). I got an ARC of Andrea Beaty’s<\/strong><\/a> forthcoming middle-grade novel, Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies<\/em><\/strong><\/a> — with illustrations by Dan Santat<\/strong><\/a>. (Naturally, given this news<\/strong><\/a>, I love that book title.) When I saw the ARC, I suddenly remembered something quite kicky, indeed: Andrea told me a while back that I had an influence on this book when she was writing it. She didn\u2019t like the main character’s name and was looking for a new one. After she and I had conversed about something via email, she changed the character’s name to “Jules” and, later, “Joules” (for science-related reasons). So, it’s hardly like the character was named for<\/em> me, but it is pretty cool to have that story to tell my girls. One day.<\/p>\n