My favorite exhibition that I have seen in the last few weeks has been Avedon Fashion: 1944 - 2000 at the International Center for Photography. This is an extensive show with over 200 photographs of iconic models such Dovima, Dorian Leigh, Twiggy and Penelope Tree, originally published in magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, capturing the glamour of decades past. I especially was mesmerized by the beautiful, elegant, black and white photographs from the 40's, 50's, 60's, so many of them shot in Paris. Here are just a few images. A visit to the museum to see lots more is well worth it! 

Dovima Paris 1955 

Dorian Leigh, Paris 1949 

Carmen, Paris 1957 

Suzy Parker and Robin Tattersall, Paris 1956 

Veruschka, 1967 

The International Center of Photography is at 6th Ave and 43rd St, near Time's Square, and the show is on all through the summer until September 20th.

It's time again to match the costume to the ballet! New York City Ballet's spring season has just ended and my daughter Lydia has kindly given me photos again of some of the costumes she was wearing. I think it is really fun to see the costumes close up. Can you guess which ballet these are each from?

1        2  

3       4

5     6     

                                                                                                                                                           7       8

 9      10

Lydia was in 16 ballets and so ...here is the list to choose from: La Valse, Coppelia, Firebird, Four Temperaments, La Stravaganza, Chaconne, Scotch Symphony, Romeo and Juliet, Simple Symphony, Swan Lake, Vienna Waltzes, Donizetti Variations, Glass Pieces, The Concert, Episodes and Sarcasms, Midsummer Night's Dream. To make this a little challenging! Some of the ballets have more than one costume and not all the ballets are represented! (Many of the costumes of ballets that she first performed in the winter season are here in costume game #1 )

This was a great season and I went to many, many performances.  To list just a few highlights: Janie Taylor and Robbie Fairchild in Opus 19/The Dreamer, Katie Morgan and Erica Pereira in Scotch Symphony,  Kaitlyn Gilliland and Sebastien Marcovici in Glass Pieces, Jenifer Ringer in Swan Lake, Tess Reichlen in Concerto Barocco and as Titania in Midsummer...and night after night, I loved especially watching the corps - an amazing group of beautiful, hard-working, dedicated, talented dancers. Each and every one brings something special and unique to the stage. Dancer's Choice on June 14th was a most wonderful celebration of the corps, from Dena Abergel all the way through to Stephanie Zungre. As many people know, a large number of corps dancers are being laid off because of cutbacks or are retiring. They will be missed and I am sad now that the season is over at Lincoln Center and will be soon for this contract year. But luckily I am going to go up to Saratoga to catch a couple of last performances. Hooray, I just made my reservation at the Adelphi Hotel!

Did you recognize all the costumes? Check your answers (all choreography by Balanchine unless otherwise noted) 1:The Concert (Robbins)  2:Swan Lake  3:Firebird (from the monster scene, which was choreographed by Robbins)  4:Midsummer (a hound of Hippolyta's)  5:Scotch Symphony  6:Donizetti Variations  7:Vienna Waltzes (last waltz)  8:Midsummer (Act II courtier)  9:Midsummer (a fairy of Titania's)  10:Vienna Waltzes (2nd waltz)

I love this sketch by Janie Taylor! She is also designing, and sewing herself, the costumes for the premiere of the evening: a new ballet choreographed by Ashley Bouder, to be danced by Kaitlyn Gilliland, Brittany Pollack, Amar Ramasar, and Sean Suozzi. I can't wait to see that and all the other exciting things on the program...just a few highlights: Serenade, with Maria Kowroski and Tess Reichlen in unexpected roles amongst the beautiful sisterhood of 17 dancers, Katie Morgan and Tyler Angle in the Sleeping Beauty excerpt, Episodes and Sarcasms, with music by Prokofiev (this is the piece my daughter will be in!) and excerpts from Union Jack for a grand celebration of the corps de ballet! Jenifer Ringer, this year's director and organizer talks about the event  here in TimeOut

Remember last year's wonderful keepsake booklet of photographs by Kyle Froman! This year Gwyneth Muller has been taking pictures behind-the-scenes with the dancers and we are each going to receive a gift of a packet of 20 postcards! Everyone has been very busy, donating their time, energy, and talents in the midst of the everything else they are doing (especially now as they are getting ready for next week's  Midsummer Night's Dream) Quite a feat that they are pulling this off!

Here is the program and casting from NYCBallet's website.  All those * are debuts - look what we have in store: All those * mean debuts! Look what is in store:

SUNDAY EVENING, JUNE 14, 7:30 PM
DANCERS’ CHOICE (Conductor: Karoui)

SERENADE (excerpt): *Kowroski, *Reichlen, *LeCrone, *Fowler
pause
THE WALTZ PROJECT (excerpt): *Ostrom, *Janzen, *Arthurs, *J. Stafford, *Pazcoguin, *Hall, *A. Stafford, *J. Peck [Solo piano:Grant}
pause
IN G MAJOR (excerpt): *Krohn, *Danchig-Waring  [Solo piano: Chelton]
pause
VALSE-FANTAISIE: *T. Peck, *Tworzyanski
intermission 
EPISODES AND SARCASMS (excerpt): *Applebaum, *Muller, *la Cour, *Schumacher, *Villalobos, *Alberda, *Paradiso [Walters]
pause
DANCES AT A GATHERING (excerpt): *Zungre, *Prottas  [Solo piano: Walters]
pause
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (excerpt): *Morgan, *T. Angle
pause
NEW BOUDER BALLET (World Premiere): *Gilliland, *Pollack, *Ramasar, *Suozzi  [McDill]
pause
UNION JACK: ROYAL NAVY: *Laracey, *Laurent, *Peiffer, *Abergel, *Walker, *Schumacher, *J. Angle, *R. Fairchild,*Somogyi

Tickets are $25 - $45  click here   This is a great way to directly support the Dancer's Emergency Fund.

Come on Sunday, and tell you friends to come too - Let's celebrate the dancers and make this a sold-out event! 

photo of Serenade by Paul Kolnik of NYCB.

Serenity and energy are words for the beautiful SAB Workshop performance last night. The 17 dancers in the blue glowing light revealed when the curtain rises on Serenade are breathtaking. That moment is particularly special and poignant at SAB: the dancers are so young, they have been growing up together, as "sisters" - and after Workshop many in the group will leave for their first professional jobs. In Serenade the dancers really seem to come together in that "sisterhood", and everyone from lead to corps, no matter their rank, has special moments to sparkle. Emilie Gerrity was the Dark Angle, Lauren Lovette the Waltz girl, and Shoshana Rosenfield the Russian Girl. And not to forget the boys: Adam Chavis was the Waltz boy, Price Suddarth was Dark Angel boy. This being both the 75th Anniversary of the founding of SAB and of the creation of Serenade on SAB students, this was a very meaningful and glorious performance.

Peter Martins, Kay Mazzo, and Marjorie Van Dercook, began the evening with the Mae L Wien Awards ceremony. This year the awards were given to Emilie Gerrity, Ashly Isaacs, Shoshana Rosenfield, and Taylor Stanley. Ashly unfortunately came out wearing a boot. She was to perform the Stars and Stripes pas de deux with Taylor but injured her foot two weeks ago. How frustrating that must have been for her not to perform. But Peter Martins made the exciting announcement that we will be seeing Ashly dance with NYCB, and infact that all four award winners will be apprentices! (There may be some more apprentices but they weren’t announced last night.) The three girls have all been together for several years and are graduating from level D. Emilie is originally from upstate NY, Ashly from Florida, and Shoshana from right here on the Upper West Side.  Taylor grew up in Pennsylvania. Additionally it was announced that Violette Verdy will became a permanent guest teacher at the school and she was given the Mae L Wien Faculty award for distinguished service.

Also on the program was Harlequinade, with 32 young children from the school, impeccably prepared, as always, by Garielle Whittle. The children in the first section, the Polichinelles, were the tiniest things I have ever seen and were adorable. All the way up to the Scaramouches, the children were enchanting.

Next the high energy of Stars and Stripes began. The First Campaign was led by Emilie Gerrity, the Second by Cecilia Iliesiu, the Third by Price Suddarth, and the Fourth, the pas de deux was danced by Angelica Generosa and Taylor Stanley. Angelica on very short notice and only 15 years old, from C1 - these two seemed to love every moment together and were fantastic! This is the perfect ballet for the youth and enthusiasm of the students: everyone went all out and was magnificent.

I love going to Workshop! It is a most wonderful coming together of the school, on stage and off. EVERYONE is there! It is a huge reunion for everyone associated with SAB, and especially of dancers. I call myself a parent alumni and I had so much fun seeing lots of fellow parent friends. An altogether fantastic evening. Congratulations and thank you and good luck to all the young dancers, beautiful each and every one.

I like to keep an eye out for new books by people who have been in my class at School of Visual Arts at one time or another. I am a proud clucking mother hen! One of these is a debut book, one is by a veteran author, and the others are by people who now have a growing backlist of books. I hope you enjoy hearing about these new books by a very talented bunch of authors and illustrators.

I've posted about Selina Alko and her books several times.  Her newest book, I'm Your Peanut Butter Big Brother is very special because it is her first book that she has written as well as illustrated. She first started this book when she was pregnant with her first child, and when she was in my class. She is married to Sean Qualls, also an illustrator, and they are a biracial couple. A young neighbor's curiosity about what their baby was going to look like sparked the original seed of the idea.  But books can take a long time to grow: her second child was born last year! A lesson in patience and persistence (and revisions!) in the midst of deadlines with other books and illustration assignments, and a very busy family life!  In Selina's book a little boy wonders about the baby in his mother's tummy: "Baby brother or sister, will you look like me?" The mom and dad and little boy in the pictures look alot like Selina and Sean and their son and she has said she often has fun putting people from her life in her illustrations! With the jaunty and poetic text that perfectly matches the art in her personal story, she captures the universal curiosity and excitement that surely every soon-to-be big sibling has. 

Susie Lee Jin's Good Table Manners for Little Monkeys is a cute board book for toddlers. The lessons in the books, such as "First, wash your hands...Sit up straight in your chair..." are made appealing with the adorable pictures.  They are bright and colorful and the little, busy monkey characters are super-cute. Board books with stiff, laminated pages and rounded corners, are pretty indestructible for little kids who still put everything in their mouths. Actually I imagine that they might want to take this one to their highchairs where they can put the lessons into action! And nice news: Susie has told me she is at work with her publisher on more books to go with this one.

And it is especially exciting when someone's very first book is published! Joyce Wan wrote and illustrated her picturebook,  Greetings from Kiwi and Pear.  It is about two monkeys who travel the world, complete with a map and STICKERS - surefire road to success! 

Jeanne Betancourt has written many, many books, and her newest novel is Ava Tree and the Wishes Three for children aged  6-9 is about the power of wishes and magic.  When Jeanne took class she was working on a picturebook that she would illustrate as well as write. That project has not been published yet but some of the ideas seem to have worked their way into this novel. Ideas can take many different forms! Her book is receiving rave reviews!

Linas Alsenas is amazingly prolific with TWO new books. Recently his third picturebook, Hello My Name is Bob was published, by Scholastic, and his nonfiction book for teenagers, Gay America: Struggle for Equality was published by Abrams. Gay America has received excellent reviews and many important awards. In a starred review Booklist called it a "Landmark history...This first-ever book to cover this material for young adults is essential reading for all young people -- gay, lesbian, and straight." His picture book is about Bob the bear and Jack the panda who are totally different from each other, but best friends nonetheless. What a nice review from Kirkus : "The genius of this work is not simply in the contrasts, but that, in slowing kids down, Bob's visual narrative will make them see the beauty of such simple acts as looking at the moon. Stories of unlikely friendships may be a dime a dozen, but this duo is endearing. A simple lesson of celebrated differences."

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone!!! For more info, everyone has websites:

Linas Alsenas' website and his blog (he often writes about living in Sweden with humor and wit) and here is the link for my interview with him

Jeanne Betancourt's website

Joyce Wa's website

Susie Lee Jin's website 

Selina Alko's website  and her blog and here is the link for my interview with her

photo by Paul Kolnik

Last weekend I saw both casts in the current run of Romeo and Juliet at NYCB. It was really fun to see the production again - it has been two years since it premiered in spring 2007.  I remember the excitement  (and the fair bit of controversy) over the new stream-lined production with its young lead dancers. The big success of those dancers was not just an anomaly - they have all been dancing up a storm in a big range of roles ever since. It was wonderful to see then again as those still very young and fresh Romeos and Juliets. Katie Morgan is so lovely and sweet with her handsome Romeo, Sean Suozzi, that my heart goes out to them to them entirely.  Sterling Hyltin is so impetuous with her passionate Romeo, Robbie Fairchild, that even if I understand how they got themselves into so much trouble, I cry for them at the end. 

It is exciting that the performance tonight is going to be on TV on public stations around the country for "Live from Lincoln Center".  In New York it will be showing on Channel 13 at 8pm, and repeating on Saturday May 23 at 1:30am, and Sunday May 24 at 12:15. Here is the link to find local times elsewhere. (For our relatives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, it is showing on Sunday May 24 at 9:30pm on channel 35 and you may be able to spot Lydia in the ballroom scene!)

The costumes are very colorful, set against the grey unit that changes from village square, bedroom, ballroom...and with foreboding the entire time, to the tomb at the end. Yellow against purple as you see in the picture above is just one example of how the full spectrum of colors are used to highlight and dramatize the action and emotions. Since I've always seen the show from up in the 4th ring, it is going to be fun to see it from a different perspective, from the eyes of the TV camera and I'm sure at times very close up on the dancers. I'm guessing it is all going to look fantastic! Sterling Hyltin will be Juliet, Robbie Fairchild, her Romeo. Watch for Daniel Ulbricht in purple as Mercutio, Antonio Carmena in blue as Benvolio, and Joaquin De Luz in yellow as Tybalt as they are all fantastic too. Tune in!

I've known that a couple of my books have been part of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library but I didn't know very much about her reading program until I just read an interview with her in School Library Journal. Imagination Library was launched in her hometown in Tennessee in 1996: every child under five received a new book every month in the mail, getting off to great start their exposure to books in their earliest years. Over the last 13 years her literacy program has grown enormously so that now 6 million books are mailed each year to registered preschoolers in the US, UK, and Canada.

From the interview: Did you ever think you'd be called “The Book Lady?”
I have been called a lot of things but there was a time in my life when the Book Lady wasn’t one of them! Honestly, it is an honor to be called the Book Lady. There’s even a Canadian film out now about me called the Book Lady. They did a great job of capturing the essence of the Imagination Library and my role in it.

Why have you said that the Imagination Library may be one of the most important things you’ve done?
You never know what people are going to think about what you have done or just how you will be remembered. Some people come up to me and tell me how a song I wrote helped them through a desperate time or allowed them to see through all of the clutter in their life. Songwriting is special that way; you just never know what impact a song will have on people. The Imagination Library is the same way. The letters I receive will just bring you to tears 'cause they tell me how important the books are to their kids. So maybe that’s what doing something important is—it’s leaving folks with a song or a book or a kind word to help their light shine.

Why is early childhood literacy so important to you?
In the beginning, all I ever hoped to do was to inspire kids to love books, pure and simple. What I discovered is a huge group of people and organizations who are so committed to helping kids at an early age. I do what I can but in all 1,000 communities we work in there are hundreds of people in every community who raise money to pay for the books, register the children, and do so much more to give their kids the best start in the world. I stand in amazement of all of their love and dedication.

How do kids react to the books?
I always thought that if we wanted kids to think that books are special then the books have to make the kids feel special—and that is exactly what has happened. Kids love gifts and they love mail so when you put the two together you get what we hoped would happen—children are excited about books. Kids run up to me all the time and thank me for the books. It’s the cutest, sweetest thing in the world.

For the full interview at School Library Journal, click here

My books that are part of the program are Zinnia's Flower Garden and Ana cultiva manzanas, the dual language Spanish/English edition of Apple Farmer Annie.  It is gratifying to know that books of mine are   included in this program, to know that so many children who might not otherwise have books, now have growing libraries of their very own.

  photo by Paul Kolnik

I think many people have the idea that going to the ballet is really expensive and don't realize that actually it is incredibly affordable. Depending on your situation it is possible to go to New York City Ballet for as little as $12 (if you are a student). It is very easy for anyone to go for only $15. And there is even a way to get orchestra tickets for $25. 

In my early 20's I lived in London and it was theater that was so accessible. It was possible to get cheap tickets to fantastic plays for only a few pounds (about $5). But when I moved to NYC theater was out of my reach. Instead I figured out pretty quickly that it was dance that was affordable here. In my mid-twenties, in the 80's I was going constantly to the ballet - for only $5. And I've been going to NYCB ever since. The most frequent place I still sit is in the 4th ring - the price has gone up in 25 years, but at $15, tickets are still not a bad price at all! 

I think people just don't realize, so I want to spread the word: the best deal around is The Fourth Ring Society!

The spring season has started! Naturally I have already been to several performances. A highlight in the first week was La Valse with the superb and dramatic Janie Taylor. There is so much atmosphere in that ballet. I imagine everyone wearing perfume - French perfumes, of course. I have no idea if they do, but that is what I imagine! This coming weekend Janie is debuting in Concerto DSCH and I'm excited to see that, as well as Scotch Symphony, with Jenifer Ringer, Benjamin Millepied and Erica Pereira. A special treat for me this week is the program with 4T's, La Stravaganza, Chaconne - three ballets I love AND my daughter is in all three! (The photo above is by Paul Kolnik: the finale in The Four Temperaments - a ballet to see again and again and again!)

We had a young Indian friend visiting us this past weekend and on Sunday afternoon she went to her first ballet performance ever, in her whole life. She went to NYCB's Coppelia and absolutely loved it. She came back and was just bubbling over with how enchanting it was. I was thrilled that her first experience was so perfect!  (And as a student her ticket was only $12!)  She was particularly impressed with how ballet dancers are so light on their feet and she had a million questions about pointe shoes. Of course there is a long tradition of dance in India, but not at all of ballet. She told us about Nrityagram - an idyllic sounding dance village near Bangalore. Before long my daughter was thinking what an incredible experience it would be to take a trip to India and do workshops there! I see from their website that the dance ensemble tours worldwide, and has performed in NYC. I will be on the lookout for their next visit!

Here's the link at NYCBallet.com for info about tickets and prices and programs and by the way, the videos at the Viewing Room under "News" are great!

NYCB's spring season opens tonight. I can't wait. Favorite ballets such as Four Temperaments, Symphony in 3 Movements, Firebird, Coppelia, Concerto Barocco, La Valse, Chaconne... are all being performed in the first couple of weeks. What a great way to start!

Over at MoMA there is a wonderful little exhibition, Stage Pictures: Drawing for Performance, that ties in perfectly with ballet and NYCB in particular. The picture above is Marc Chagall's design for a ballet called Aleko (1942). He also did of course the beautiful sets for NYCB's Firebird. There are designs by Bakst, Benois, Sonia Delaunay, Leger and more. Many pieces were originally in Lincoln Kirstein's collection which he donated to the museum. 

Above is the original costume design (1946) by Kurt Seligmann for Melancholic corps in Balanchine's Four Temperaments - for Ballet Society. In Kirstein's book, Thirty Years, he writes, " Seligmann swathed our dancers in cerements, bandages, tubes, wraps, and tourniquets, so that dancing became more a dress parade than a display of human bodies in motion. They were soon rejected for practice dress." Just as well, and so they have remained.  My daughter got a kick out of this get-up since this is the part she dances herself!

This is the original set design for Serenade: by William B Okie Jr. for SAB, intended for the premiere in Hartford, Conn. in 1934, but pulled just before the performance by Kirstein. The spiral decor proved impossible to hang.  The beautiful blue lighting is really all it needs! SAB will be performing Serenade for Workshop this year (along with Stars and Stripes, and Excerpts from Harlequinade - May 30 and June 1).

What a striking design by Sergei Soudeikine, 1929 - for Les Noces. NYCB will be performing Jerome Robbins' Les Noces in June. 

Isn't this gorgeous! It's by Natalia Goncharova, c 1937 for Le Coq d'or, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo production, choreography by Michel Fokine. This could make a good backdrop for Firebird too!

The dance part of the exhibition fills just two rooms but is well worth the visit! 

Links to New York City Ballet and Museum of Modern Art 

PS: Over at Oberon's Grove, Philip has written about opening night . Remember to check in there frequently throughout the season - his blog is the best place to get a first hand report of the performances!

My newest book!  

An excerpt from the Kirkus review: "Riki's passion for birds is evident, and likely to be contagious, in Wellington's latest. The precocious child is a diligent bird watcher who does all he can to attract and keep birds in his yard through all the seasons-from building a bluebird house and making his own bird food to putting out nest-building materials and growing sunflowers ... Bird lovers with young children and aspiring bird watchers are sure to want to emulate Riki."

From School Library Journal: "simple and appropriate for young naturalists" 

Here are a few pictures from inside the book. It begins: All year long many different kinds of birds come to Riki's yard:

Riki gets ready to make a birdhouse: 

Here he adds the finishing touches: 

In the winter he prepares special foods to put out for the birds:  (At the end of the book I include a recipe for yummy Bird Food Cupcakes!)

Later... in the spring Riki keeps a close eye on the birdhouse... there are going to be baby bluebirds soon: 

Coming around full circle, in the fall, it is time to get out the toolbox again: 

My cats Lola and Zoe inspired this book. I have a bird feeder on my fire escape. They spend many happy (and frustrating) hours at their "Cat TV". Mostly we have sparrows and finches. We have yet to see bluebirds but they are not unknown in New York City. After all they are the state bird of New York.

Here is the amazon link for more info

I've been working on a new series of coloring books for Dover Publications and the first one has just come out this week: Color and Cook CUPCAKES. This was a really fun project to do because of course everyone loves cupcakes! Doing a coloring book is very much like doing a "dummy", the 32 pages of sketches an illustrator draws when first starting a children's book. I planned out the coloring book just like I plan out a book, but in this case I didn't go to the next stage of working on the pictures in color. This time I'm leaving that for kids to do! 

Added bonus: at the end of the coloring book are my recipes for cupcakes: chocolate, vanilla, carrot, and applesauce along with 4 different frostings to go with them. I'm pretty proud of these recipes - they are easy and delicious, if I don't say so myself!

CUPCAKE Stickers will also be out any day now. Color and Cook PIZZA will be out in May. I've been working on more in the series, and sent in the black and white line art for another one about Christmas Cookies just this week.

Here are the links on Amazon: Color and Cook CUPCAKES and Cupcake Stickers  and Color and Cook PIZZA

I have quite a few projects coming out and being published all at once. It seems like I have been very busy (well, I have!) but actually on my end I finished them over quite a few months. It is the project I finished most recently in December that is ready the soonest. Here are the covers of the five books about a little girl and her dog published in Korea, in English. I did the pictures and the words were written by Lisa Thiesing, also an American living in upstate NY. Recently we "met" via email - I found her website  and contacted her which has been fun. Neither of us have any idea how our Korean editors found us - we both were contacted out of the blue. Luckily she likes the illustrations I did for her stories. Isn't that an illustrator's fear that the author won't be happy?! Now we are hoping that we might even work on something together again.

Here is the publisher's website: I can't understand a word - everything is in Korean - but it looks like these books are part of a whole English language program. 

It is fun having out-of-town visitors. I get out and do a few things that I might not do otherwise. My friend K came down to the city for her birthday - she wanted to go to a museum and her choice turned out to be a little unexpected and completely wonderful: the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum.

This museum in the former Carnegie Mansion on Fifth Ave is small and doesn't display a permanent collection: temporary exhibitions are always on show. I was happy to catch Wall Stories: Children's Wallpapers and Books, just before it closed, and the one room exhibition of South East Asian artist, Shahzia Sikander's selections from the museum's collection. 

But the main exhibition FELT was the highlight. Who would have thought - it doesn't seem a terribly grand or splashy subject but I found myself totally immersed in the world of wool. The glass conservatory located in about the middle of the exhibition is given over to the installation shown above. Created by Felt Lady Janice Arnold it is a tent-like structure, beautiful, quiet and calm with light coming through the translucent felted patterns. At the end of the show there are some videos that are fascinating. One shows people in Tibet (I think) making felt just like it has been made for centuries: all you need is some clumps of wool sheared off the sheep, which are dampened with water, rolled up and attached by rope to a horse or camel, and dragged around: it looks pretty simple. Another one shows Janice Arnold at work in her studio making the pieces for the conservatory installation, a much more laborious process, as there are many layers to each piece to achieve the various effects. I really love seeing how artisans make things. Also at the end of the exhibitions are samples of various felt products that you can touch. I had spent most of the exhibition wishing that I could touch things, and I heard other people expressing the same frustration. My suggestion is to go to the end of the exhibition first, touch a few things, and get that out of your system. Then plunge into the experience of surprising felt products: furniture, objects, clothing and more.

On the Cooper-Hewitt's website, click here for more interesting info about the tent project, and for lots of pictures of felt products, click here.  But there is no substitution for going to the show: I recommend it!

Early this morning I woke up to the sound of my cat gagging. My cat Lola loves to eat thread, ribbon, shoe laces, string of any kind and we constantly are on the alert to keep anything like this out of her reach. But sometimes we slip up and I knew this morning right away that something serious was going on. My daughter spotted a color of thread in Lola's mouth that last night had been used for a sewing project. I strongly suspected that there was a needle attached to this thread and that it was down her throat.

Poor thing, with a struggle, I got her into her dreaded cat carrier and we went by taxi straight over to the Animal Medical Center at 510 East 62nd St. I knew that with an emergency at 7am on a Sunday morning this was the place to go. The moment we arrived, Lola was immediately seen by the triage vet. She was whisked off for x-rays, and sure enough, there was a needle lodged in her throat. Dr. Hezel explained that she was going to sedate Lola and try to open her mouth wide to try to get the needle out that way. Otherwise the surgeon would have to operate. Less than one half hour later our fantastic vet came out smiling!  She brought me the needle on a piece of gauze. The gory details: she said that when Lola swallowed the needle she must have then gagged it part way up because it had gotten stuck in the back of her tongue. The procedure had gone well and Lola was sleeping it off. I can't tell you how relieved and grateful I felt!!

Very quickly after that we were home and here is a picture of her, feeling a little under the weather but on the road to recovery. Lydia said our other cat Zoe walked around the apartment meowing the whole time we were away. But since we have been back, all she does is hiss at Lola. I guess she still smells of the animal hospital. I am just so thankful that this has turned out well, that our beautiful purring kitty is safe and sound.

April is National Poetry Month. The Academy of American Poets has a great program where they email a poem every morning during the month to your inbox. AND it is completely free and easy to subscribe. The poems are selected from new books published this spring, and since I'm someone who normally doesn't read much poetry, everything is always new to me. I admit that I don't understand or even like every single poem but I always am impressed and excited by the variety, and each morning I feel like I am receiving a special little surprise gift. I have subscribed for the last few years and I love it!

I highly recommend signing up now so you are all ready and set to receive your first poem on April 1st.

Here is the link for Poem-A-Day , and take a look around the website while you are at it! 

Can you match the costume to the ballet?

1     2

3      4

5      6   

7         8   

9   10

My daughter danced in lots of ballets this season with New York City Ballet, and she has given me pictures of some of her costumes. Can you guess which ballet each costume is from? Here is the list to choose from. (To make this a little tricky, I'm listing all the ballets Lydia was in, which is more than the pictures you see here! Plus some ballets have more than one costume, and some costumes look really different from what we see on the stage with the lighting!) Here goes: The Nutcracker, Chaconne, The Four Temperaments,  Vienna Waltzes, Coppelia, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, La Stravaganza, Stars and Stripes, La Valse, Tschaikovsky Suite #3, Swan Lake, Simple Symphony, Ballo della Regina.

It has been a real eye-opening to me to see how hard the corps works! Since November, when the Nutcracker started, she has had less than 10 performances off when she didn't dance in one ballet or another. Six days a week they have class, rehearsals and performance, often spending 12 hours a day at the theater. There was one Saturday I remember when she danced both the matinee and evening performances, when she was in four ballets and a total of seven different costumes that day!  She has just finished her first season as a company member: she jumped right in, feet first! Lots of work, but lots of joy and excitement too! And I can't even tell you how much fun I have had seeing this all!

Check your answers (all ballets unless noted are by Balanchine):  1: Melissa Barak's Simple Symphony   2:The Nutcracker, party parent  3:Chaconne, first costume   4:Ballo della Regina  5:Preljocaj's La Stravaganza   6:Stars and Stripes   7:Vienna Waltzes, last waltz   8:La Valse   9:Tschaikovsky Suite #3, 2nd movement   10:The Nutcracker, flowers  

PS Click here for Costume Game #2 for more costumes at the end of the spring season.

This photo of Jock Soto while still a student at The School of American Ballet (he is now retired and teaches at the school) is just one of many wonderful photos up at the theater right now. Every time I go to the NYCB, I've really been enjoying in the intermissions looking at the exhibition: Full Circle, spread throughout the theater. (Above photo is from 1981 by Steven Caras.)

I'm getting ready for a busy day today. Actually it started yesterday with SAB's Valentine's Day Open House. All the students broke loose in festive pinks and reds, and it was lots of fun watching the advanced students in Jock Soto's partnering class. The boys really got a workout, partnering the D level girls for the first hour and C2 for the second hour. Jock wants them to make it all look easy, but to have the strength to maneuver and carry the girls around, while at the same time gallantly offering them a diamond ring (one of his examples) is clearly a challenge, but a fun challenge all done with a good sense of humor!  He says if anything goes wrong, the boy will always get the blame. "Get use to it, boys, " he says, "it is that way in life too!" As a former SAB parent and now supporter, the annual Valentine's Day Open House is a really illuminating way to get a peek at ballet training in action - I love it! My friend Philip came with me and he has just written a wonderful and detailed description of the afternoon here

Today I'm taking the train out to Larchmont to take part in a big multi-state Valentine's Book Day. Throughout New England (and New York counts) lots and lots of authors and illustrators of children's books are going to be at independent bookstores doing programs and book signings. I'll be at The Voracious Reader from 12:30 to 2:30. I believe they have been able to get copies of my newest book, Riki's Birdhouse. This is a sneak preview because it isn't officially out until April! Here is the website for the complete listing of who is going to be where: Kids Love Authors

By the time I get back to the city I will probably have to go straight over to Symphony Space on Broadway to get on line for The Art of the Pas de Deux: A Master Class with Jock Soto and Advanced SAB Students, at 6pm. Admission is free, with seating on first come, first served basis so I think I need to get there a bit in advance.  Here's a quote from The New York Times, 2/8/09: "Mr. Soto was a legendary partner, and the chance to see and hear him passing on his knowledge shouldn't be missed." I still miss Jock Soto as a performer at NYCB so it is a big treat to see him two days in a row in his teaching role working with the talented SAB students. This event is part of SAB's 75th anniversary celebration. (The above photo is by Ellen Crane from a few years ago - Jock Soto is working with Tabitha Rinko-Gay, a lovely young dancer now with NYCB and all the way to the right is Justin Peck, also now in the company - and about to have an important debut with Megan Johnson in Concerto Barocco!)

And from there I will jump on the subway to get down to Lincoln Center to meet friends for the evening performance at New York City Ballet. It's a great program, full of romantic storytelling, and especially perfect for Valentine's Day: Balanchine's one act Swan Lake (I'll be looking for Lydia amongst all the black swans!), The Steadfast Tin Soldier (based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale), Romeo and Juliet pas de deux (the balcony scene) and Slaughter on 10th Ave (from the musical, On Your Toes, choreography by Balanchine).

Somewhere in all of this I will have some chocolate. After all, what is Valentine's Day without some excellent chocolate! Happy Valentine's Day!

PS: This was a perfect day in every way. Thank you Voracious Reader for being so welcoming and it was great that so many families came and were excited about books! At Symphony Space Jock Soto and the SAB students were beautiful - I was awed by their dedication and charmed by their humor and I wish all these young dancers the very best of luck in the pursuit of their dreams. At NYCB it really was a most perfect performance in every way. I spotted my black swan, and Wendy Whelan in pristine white was truly a creature from another world. Megan Fairchild and Daniel Ulbricht in The Steadfast Tin Soldier were superb, adorable and poignant. Katie Morgan and Tyler Angle, two of the most beautiful and talented young dancers were simply excellent in Romeo and Juliet. And then Maria Kowroski's legs ... in Slaughter!  And my excellent chocolate? - from Mondel's on Broadway, a tiny little shop with chocolates made the old-fashioned way, by hand. I will have to write about Mondel's at length another time soon!

Exciting news from artist Ansel Pitcairn: he is part of a group exhibition, The African American Experience at The Arsenal Gallery in Central Park. Here he is at the show with his three portraits of Paul Robeson, Dizzy Gillespie, and Shirley Chisholm. These paintings were part of Ansel's book, Portraits of African-American Heroes, written by Tonya Bolden, published by Dutton Children's Books. It's great staying in touch with Ansel and hearing his news ever since he was in class at SVA several years back. Congratulations on the exhibition and the continued success of his elegant book which includes in total 20 biographical essays and portraits of important and inspirational African-Americans in a broad range of fields. Here's the link for more info on Ansel's website

The Arsenal Gallery is just inside Central Park at Fifth Ave and 64th Street, near the zoo. The show is on until March 5th, Monday - Friday and is free. Click here for more info on the Department of Parks website

American Library Association annual literary awards were just announced. Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls, published by Henry Holt and Company, is an Illustrator Honor Book for the Coretta Scott King Book Award, recognizing African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults. CONGRATULATIONS!

For my recent interview with Sean scroll just two entries down, or click here

And to find out more about Sean and his books at his website

I felt like I was in Europe last night while I was at the theater for the special "New Combinations" performance at New York City Ballet (and the trip only cost $15 with my 4th Ring Society ticket!)

First on the program was Bournonville's Flower Festival Pas de Deux danced by Katie Morgan and Allen Peiffer. I was pulled back to Copenhagen a couple of summers ago when I saw the Royal Danish Ballet in an open air performance. Katie has just the right sweet look for Bournonville and she and Allen were lovely together.

I LOVED La Stravaganza by Angelin Preljocaj. This is a totally cool piece that just feels very "European" to me. The music is a wonderful collage of Vivaldi, electronic, bird and water sounds, creating along with the lighting a very mysterious world on the stage. There are two groups of dancers, modern and old, with the "Vermeer" group dressed in 17th century inspired costumes. (My daughter Lydia danced in this section last night - exciting of course! She was put in at the last minute because of a suddenly injured dancer. Wow, when dancers are understudies they must always be prepared to go on!)

The Girl with the Red Hat by Vermeer on the left, and La Stravaganza being performed by the Royal Danish Ballet on the right:

In the program Deborah Jowitt describes the scene: "They look like escapees from a Flemish painting, stiff from being motionless too long, and, as they go about their recognizable daily tasks, the others wander around perusing them as if they were, indeed, artworks." The style of movement was strikingly different from what we usually see at NYCB. (The dancers had many hours of rehearsal lead by Naomie Perlov, assistant to Preljocaj, and then the choreographer himself.) Particularly excellent were Tiler Peck and Benjamin Millepied in their pas de deux when old and new meet. I wanted to stay longer in the world created by this beautiful ballet. When I got home, I was eager to find out more about the choreographer: Preljocaj lives and works in France, where he was born in 1957 of Albanian parents. He has a company (here is the link) of 27 dancers based in Aix-en-Provence. I will try to see more of his work whenever I can. He created La Stravaganza for NYCB in 1997. The piece had a similar effect on me as William Forsythe's "Impressing the Czar" performed by the Royal Ballet of Flanders which I loved so much this past summer.

It is exciting when NYCB invites choreographers to create new works for various projects and workshops. Douglas Lee, English and working in Stuttgart, Germany, participated twice in the New York Choreographic Institute. His new piece which premiered last night is called Lifecasting. More abstract than La Stravaganza, it seemed especially occupied with the particular physicalities of his dancers. Both ballets had many of the same dancers (the amazing Kaitlyn Gilliland and Robbie Fairchild, Adrian Danchig-Waring, Craig Hall, and Amar Ramasar)  and I loved seeing them all in the new light of these choreographers' movement.

Wheeldon's pas de deux from After the Rain, danced by Wendy Whelan and Sebastien Marcovici made time stand still and they were other-worldly. 

And ending the whole evening was Balanchine's Theme and Variations. When the curtain went up there was that collective "Ahh" from the audience, awed by the sparkle and the courtly tutus and Old-World setting. A perfect way to end the evening, because after all, classical ballet is at the base of it all! With all these ballets together, I felt happily in Europe for the evening.  I'm going back for another trip on Sunday for the same program (also repeated on Jan 31 and Feb 3) I highly recommend it!

I love teaching my children's book class at The School of Visual Arts in the Continuing Education department: every term there is always an exciting mix of people with a broad range of experiences and training. There is a lot of give and take and exchange between everyone - and then there are a few exceptional people who are truly an inspiration to us all. When Sean Qualls was in class several years ago we were all in awe! He was already a published illustrator and was working at that time on The Baby of the Way, written by Karen English. Every week he brought in beautiful sketches and color art work. Probably he just needed us as a sounding board - as an illustrator it can be hard to work in isolation. The book went on to be published in 2005 to great acclaim. These days he has more offers than he can do. (What a great position to be in!) One of his most recent books is Phillis's Big Test, written by Catherine Clinton. I was very happy to have the chance recently to catch up and to do this interview with him.

Phillis's Big Test is a historical picturebook for young children about Phillis Wheatley, the first African American to publish a book of poetry in 1773. When she was a young child, probably about seven years old (it was guessed because she was losing her front teeth), she was taken from her home in Africa and sold as a slave in colonial Boston, as a house servant to the Wheatley family. She was treated kindly by them, and learned to read and write, and was encouraged to study and write poetry. Her achievements attracted a lot of attention, although there were some people who questioned whether she, a young African-born slave, really could be the author of such wonderful poems. Before a panel of great and distinguished men in Boston she had to prove that she had indeed written these poems. She passed this "big test" and her poems were published in 1773. Phillis's Big Test, through the words and pictures bring us close to the young poet's plight and anxiety. "She shuddered and started to turn away, but then Susanna Wheatley's words echoed in her head: Your talent will speak for itself." In a calm and harmonious way (I'm especially thinking of Sean's beautiful use of color and composition), the book conveys a valuable message: Believe in yourself! 

I hope you enjoy hearing more about the book and Sean's process of working. 

First, how did this book get started?
I received an email from Margaret Raymo at Houghton asking if I was interested
in illustrating the story. I had met Catherine Clinton (the author) a couple of
years prior at a portfolio review. Even though I didn't have any published
picture books at the time, Catherine was very interested in my work. I've
always loved the image of Phillis Wheatley at her desk by the African American
artist Scipio Moorhead. Its the only image of her that exists from the time
that she was alive and the only surviving image from Scipio Moorhead so I agreed to illustrate the book.

How long did it take you, from start to finish, and can you describe the various stages of working on the book? What were some of the challenges, ups and downs, and high points?
From start to finish the book took about a year.
I always start a book by collecting reference and sketching the main characters; figuring out
what I want them to look like. I’ve learned that these early sketches are crucial
to developing the character and invaluable when putting the dummy together.
When making the dummy I’ll begin by doing a bunch of thumbnail sketches of
scenes that really appeal to me. Then I blow them up on my photocopier to
determine a size that is comfortable for me to work. Once the size is
determined I make the dummy and then use many of my earlier sketches for
various scenes. I reduce and enlarge the sketches on the photocopier and then
paste the down using a glue stick or tape. I’m not that good at drawing an
entire scene so each page comes together as a result of drawing all of the
individual elements separately and then pasting them into the dummy.

Some sketches, then a more developed sketch leading to the color painting:

The highpoint was definitely completing the dummy and starting the final art and
then completing the art and sending it to the publisher. Sheila Smallwood, the
art director was very happy with it so it was great to get her feedback.

These are a couple of my favorite pictures which give a flavor of the book. There are a lot of historical details in costumes, furniture, architecture. In your style, in your distilled way, they really evoke 18th century Boston.

The biggest challenge for me was to be historically accurate. I had planned to visit Boston to get reference but that did not work out. Every project has its own challenges but I always reach a point when I think “Oh my God, can I do this.”

All your books so far have been written by other people - have you met any of your authors? Is there any back and forth with them? And are you doing some writing yourself?
I’ve met all of the authors of the books that I’ve illustrated except for Karen English (The Baby On The Way). I suppose that there is back and forth but it’s all done via the editor or art director.
I never hear from the author directly regarding changes. I keep files on my computer for potential that I may try to sell but at this point I have not shown any of my writing to a publisher although I hope to soon.

Quite a few of your books have been about jazz figures. How did this happen - Do you know a lot about jazz? Do you listen to music when you work?
I don’t know a lot about jazz especially compared to people who really study it
but at around the age of 20 I set out to learn about it.

I don’t know how I came to be associated with biographies about jazz luminaries.
Arthur Levine from Scholastic (editor of DIZZY) really liked the portraits I
did for POWERFUL WORDS and had a sense that I would do well as illustrator of
DIZZY. I’ve always loved music. When I was a kid the idea of becoming a
musician trumped wanting to be an artist. My inspiration has always been fueled
by a desire to play music. Maybe that’s why I’ve been asked to illustrate books
about jazz musicians.

I listen to a lot of things while I work – mostly music but also audiobooks and
talk radio. I usually set my itunes to shuffle so I listen to everything including jazz.

How do you do your artwork? What is your medium and do you have any tips about your technique?
I paint mostly with acrylics but sometimes I use tempera too. I also use collage. Most of the
time I make my own by painting over old papers and then cutting or tearing but
sometimes I also use magazines or newspapers for collage and colored pencils.

My tip is a basic one and that is your style and technique should suit your
temperament and not just be a copy of someone else’s style. And don’t be afraid
to trace. I used to believe that it was a sacrilege to trace but I now do it
all the time. If I draw something perfectly once I trace it instead of trying
to redraw it again and again. It’s saved me a lot of time.

Sean's wife, Selina Alko, is also an illustrator. They met at a wedding and bonded over both being illustrators. They have two young children, which makes for a busy family and work life! What is your day like?
Having children definitely competes with getting work done but it also makes it more meaningful too. We both work from home. Our studios are on the bottom floor of our house in Brooklyn. Selina and I rely on each other for feedback but not as much as we used to. Both of our children are in childcare. Isaiah is 3.5 and Ginger is 8 months old. They both go to daycare - Isaiah full-time and Ginger part-time. I work Mon-Fri from 10:30am-7:30pm.

In that fabulous jazzy shirt it looks like you were destined from a young age to become an artist! How did you decide to become an illustrator, and specifically for children’s books?
I went to art school. I went to Pratt for 3 semesters. Halfway through my first semester of illustration I changed to fine arts. Children’s books sort of found me. When I was launching my career I would send postcards to anyone and everyone. My greatest ambition was to be a full-time illustrator. At first, most of my clients were
magazines and an occasional ad job. Books took off for me once I was asked to illustrate THE BABY ON THE WAY. Honestly, my work is more narrative and emotional rather than conceptual so all of the self -promotion I was doing paid off but not in the way I expected. Now, most of my work is for children’s book publishers and occasionally I do an illustration for magazines.

What is your advice for aspiring illustrators?
Don’t give up. Draw and paint everyday. Keep a journal or sketchbook. Get excited about
your work and if you can’t get excited about your work get excited about someone else’s. Look
at your work objectively against other work that you love and ask yourself “how can I improve what I do, how can I make it better.”

Here are some of Sean's other books mentioned in the interview:

He will have a new book, due out in the Fall - WHO WILL I BE, LORD? by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (Random House).

1/26/09 update with BIG NEWS:  American Library Association annual literary awards were just announced. Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls, published by Henry Holt and Company, is an Illustrator Honor Book for the Coretta Scott King Book Award, recognizing African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults. CONGRATULATIONS!

And to find out more about Sean and his books here are the links for his website and for his books on Amazon  

I just got the news from a former student, Patricia Fry, that her first book was recently published by Harper Collins: a pop-up book about The NUTCRACKER. A big congratulations to her! I didn't have the chance to see if they are selling it at the NYCB gift shop during the Nutcracker run - but it certainly seems a natural! For more about her book, her process of making a pop-up book, and about making the marbleized papers which are a component of many of the picture, take a look at her website: www.patriciafrybooks.com

And the Nutcracker season has just come to an end for this year at NYCBallet.  It was really fun to go to the final performance last night, complete with star performances all around. Sara Mearns may be the most recently promoted principal but already she seems like a senior ballerina with the way she brings beauty, technique and daring to every role. It was exhilarating to end the run with her Dewdrop, as well as with Teresa Reichlen as a lovely and serene Sugarplum Fairy. Thinking over the last six weeks, I feel lucky to have seen many of the youngest dancers spotlighted in new roles - that is part of the fun of the Nutcracker! Erica Pereira, Kaitlyn Gilliland, and Tiler Peck were the three new Sugarplums this year, and together with Kathryn Morgan, who debuted last year, I am looking forward to following them all in the new season about to start. 

Now as a mother of a young corps member I especially appreciate how hard all the dancers work. They are often at the theater for 10-12 hours straight. Most of the young women in the company do all 46 performances, often two in a day. But what I never realized before is that behind-the-scenes, they are also in rehearsals many hours every day preparing for the winter season which starts immediately after the Nutcracker. 

And what an exciting season it is going to be, starting with the all-Balanchine program on Tuesday night: Chaconne, Four Temperaments, and Vienna Waltzes - great combination! The Nutcracker is loads of fun, but it is the repertory season that I really look forward to! Hope to see you there too!

Check out all that is coming up at nycballet.com 

You can go to the ballet for as little as $15 click here
Or for students there are tickets for $12 click here
And now there is also a way to get orchestra seats for $25 click here

WOW!!! 

The house is still quiet here on Christmas morning. Just my cats, Zoe and Lola, and I are up. They are watching the birds. I am about to start lots of cooking. We wish you Happy Holidays!

Today's matinee was very special. It was the annual "Family Benefit" which supports the New York City Ballet's Education Programs and The School of American Ballet's Scholarship Fund. (This picture is by Valeriya Bulgakova, PS 200, 4th Grade, from the invitation card) For the occasion, some of the youngest and brightest company members, all fresh out of SAB within the last few years, had exciting debuts in one lead role after another. I loved the entire performance. It was so much fun to be there this afternoon! Erica Pereira was Sugarplum Fairy with Allen Peiffer as her Cavalier. They are a winsome pair (Remember how they were also Romeo and Juliet in spring 2007). Erica looks like she is light as a feather. Where does all her strength and stamina come from come?! She is amazing! She is strong as steel and at the same time so delicate, an ideal and delightful combination (I loved her last week as Lead Marzipan also).  Katie Morgan was Dewdrop and she was flying, with power galore. She looked like she was having a great time, and she was marvelous. Mary Elizabeth Sell and Devin Alberda were the lead Spanish couple with flair and pizazz. And Kaitlyn Gilliland was lovely as Coffee, seemingly slowing down the music with her movement. All these dancers have multiple roles over the Nutcracker run, swapping back and forth between some of these roles and many others. As Sugarplum Fairy on December 24th Kaitlyn has another big debut coming up that is not to be missed!  

In the first Act, it was a great pleasure to be invited into the party at the Stahlbaum's with Darci Kistler and Jock Soto (bringing back many memories of their beautiful partnership in so many roles). The extra significance is that they are both teachers at SAB, along with Andre Kramarevsky (Krammy) who played Drosselmeier (I love his sweep of his cloak and expressive hands, catching the light with many rings).

A friend told me that Paul Kolnik was in the viewing room taking pictures so I hope there will be some soon, perhaps on NYCB's website and I will post a link! 

Speaking of photos, I have been enjoying the exhibition of photos, "Full Circle", up in the theater celebrating SAB's 75 years.  The photos, both recent and historic, show the interconnections between SAB and NYCB with  pictures of students, dancers, and teachers, often in sequences showing people in multiple capacities and roles. (The photos are up through June during the winter and spring seasons) Many interesting SAB events are coming up. Here are some of the first ones. The anniversary "kickoff" is a special performance on Wednesday January 14th, with Serenade, Four Temperaments, and Vienna Waltzes, including some special SAB alumni guest dancers.  On Monday January 26th at 6 pm at the theater there will be a seminar talk: Tribute to SAB. (Free for guild members or otherwise $5) On Saturday February 14th at 5pm at Symphony Space there will be a free event: a master class with Jock Soto and SAB advanced students, The Art of the Pas de Deux. Mark your calendars! For more info here is the link at SAB's website

And here is the link to new videos on SAB's site by Kristen Sloan - check them out!

Mr Cookie Baker is "out-of-stock" at the moment. (My publisher says they will have copies again but in the meantime it is not available - right at holiday time - isn't that always the way!)

But I have some copies! If you are looking for Mr Cookie Baker (or other titles), contact me: monicaaw@earthlink.net 

I'm getting ready to start making my Christmas cookies! Here is a link to my recipe , which is in my book. Lots of fun to make, and eat!

H