It's been awhile since I posted and I don't have any good excuses. I wanted to include an image I made for my good friend Hayden for Christmas. He proposed to his girlfriend, Laura, in Central Park over the holidays and loves penguins, so this was his present from his mom and dad.

Speaking of penguins, my agent is busy pursuing editors to try to place my penguin book,
It Took A Little Patience, with a publisher. That continues to be my mantra as well. Fingers crossed!

Also, I include a painting I did a while back for one of my best friends who loves Dalmatians.

Happy Holidays to all!

Just signed with Ronnie Herman Literary Agency!

I'm headed to LA next weekend for the SCBWI National Conference. So excited and nervous. This will be my first national Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference. I've posted the promo cards I had made and will be showing my portfolio and picture book dummy. The best news was getting a contract from Ronnie Herman. We have been revising and working hard on my penguin picture book, "It Took A Little Patience." Now, it's Ronnie's turn to try to land a publisher. She's had plenty of experience and she used to work as an art director at Random House and as an associate publisher at PENGUIN. I love that.

This is side one and side two of the promo cards pictured here.

Illustration Friday "Asleep"

This is Walton the Weasel. SHE borrowed a park ranger's hat and is asleep at the Cape Cod National Seashore. Shhhhhh....

Art Catalog - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

I'm participating in the annual Silent Auction here. Lots of great art from some of the region's best artists. Check it out.


Art Catalog - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Long Black Coat

Patience the penguin gets so hot she wishes she could take off her long black coat. Here is a sweet little video that Fed Ex put together about the penguin rescue during Katrina. I could watch it over and over again.

Working on Patience and her penguins. This is the policeman who actually lived at the New Orleans Aquarium during Katrina-- Officer Dan Kinney. He fed the penguins for a week until the staff could get back to evacuate them. What a nice guy.

Hugging Patience

Working on my kid's picture book with penguins. Attended the SCBWI Houston conference this weekend which was great. Getting all my penguins in a row so to speak so I can start sending out my "dummy" to agents.

Cultivating Penguins

This week's Illustration Friday word is "cultivate." Since I'm working on a penguin picture book, I've been cultivating penguins left and right. They are such little characters. These are South African penguins and Rockhopper penguins (the ones with the crazy hairdo). I visited 3 aquariums in the past couple of months and took lots of photos for reference. The New Orleans aquarium, Monterey Bay aquarium and the California Academy of Science aquarium- all are wonderful. These guys are from the New Orleans Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Bunny, Fanny, Ernie, Dennis (rockHOPPER ha), Fanny and Rocky.

Illustration Friday "Layer"

Okay, so I know this is kind of a stretch but when my cat settles into this position she reminds me of a chicken who is also a "layer." I dunno, maybe she looks more loaf-like, but I've been sketching her and was in the mood to do some fur. She's sort of a weird mix of brindle, calico and tabby. Actually, to be quiet honest, this kitty is probably more of a combo representation of all three of our kitties. I'm gonna have to draw the dog next or he's going to get a complex.

Illustration Friday "Sweater"

This week's topic for Illustration Friday was "sweater." Since I'm working on a picture book featuring a pregnant weasel I decided I had to dress her up in a sweater of sorts. I can't decide whether to put clothes on her or not. It's a conundrum. So then I had fun putting her in a sun hat and red Crocs. Finally, in keeping with the penguin theme of last week I decked this guy out in a rather nautical pullover.

More penguins

A few more quick sketches from my photos. These are the South African penguins. I had to stop myself from putting on their bow ties, but stay tuned.

Illustration Friday "Reverse"

I visited New Orleans this past week and it was cold and rained the entire time. However, that made me venture off to the Audubon Aquarium where I discovered the delightful penguin exhibit. They have 28 South African Black Footed penguins and 3 Rockhopper penguins. I took tons of photos and talked to the wonderful Tom Dyer who is their penguin keeper. They are amazing creatures. Now this penguin that I sketched for IF is a big daddy penguin, the Emperor, like what starred in March of the Penguins. I've been down with the flu so stuck on the couch with not a lot of energy to go through the photos I shot but I couldn't get the penguins out of my mind. I decided that this penguin is trying to go in "reverse." Or it may be that his flippers reminded me of my backstroke, or it could be the cough meds. Whatever. I'm much better today and doing this little sketch made me feel a lot more chipper. Plus, I now have idea #2 for a picture book! Also, I keep forgetting to use better paper, this thin sketchbook buckles.

Illustration Friday "Surrender"

Since chocolate cupcakes are one of my all time favorites (next to red velvet ones with butter cream icing) and since I've been trying to go gluten, dairy, rice and corn free and what other excuses can I come up with-- THIS is what I'd surrender to. Didn't even paint it from the real thing because then it would have been way too tempting.

Illustration Friday "Dusty"

I took some of Richter's feathers (see previous Illus Fri post) and made Dusty the feather duster for this weeks Illustration Friday. The topic was "Dusty." Very fun assignment! If you're interested in participating in Illustration Friday check it out.

Dune Shack Summer

Dune Shack Summer by Suzanne Lewis | Make Your Own Book
Here's a preview of my book Dune Shack Summer about my Artist-in-Residency on the Cape Cod National Seashore. ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE period paragraph as we say down here in Texas.

Illustration Friday "Chicken"

Here is my first submission for Illustration Friday. The topic was "Chicken." I'm naming her Richter because as I worked on her feathers I realized they were sort of Richter scale-like.

I'm Working On A Dream

I'm working on an idea for a children's picture book. It's based on a true story I heard while staying out at the dune shack this past fall. Those of you who've read my book, Dune Shack Summer, know I was awarded an artist-in-residency a few summers ago at a rustic dune shack on the Cape Cod National Seashore. No neighbors, electricity or running water but the shack is only 100 yards from the Atlantic and I couldn't have been happier. Anyway, this fall when I had the opportunity to be there again, I was curious where all the field mice had gone because the first summer the brazen little things had taken over. I was told that a couple of weasels had moved in. Ahhhh, the food chain, I mean the circle of life. I'll be posting some more sketches here soon.