Play like a child at One Word One Day event

A fun day at the ABC studios , Southbank in Melbourne at the One Word One Day event. Run by the ASA and Zart Art to raise awareness for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation! Lots of beautiful work produced based on the word POUNCE

Yesterday, I joined a room full of amazing illustrators at the ABC studios , Melbourne for  the annual One Word One Day event. This year the event was run by the ASA and Zart Art, raising awareness for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation!  Zart Art is a yummy place to take your kids craft supply shopping and also where illustrator’s talks are held by the CBCA a few times a year. I spent last night drooling over the catalogue we were given to take home. I could see a list of kids craft day ideas in my head!

One Word One Day is SO MUCH FUN!!!! Lots of beautiful work produced based on the word POUNCE. The ABC filmed a couple of the key players for a kid’s educational program, ABC Splash. I sat there next to them listening to how it all works – filming that is.

It began with a table of art and craft supplies; not unlike you would find in a school art supply room. We were encouraged to experiment with as many as we can in the 3-4 hours allocated. The works are to encourage kids to have a go at mixed media. One or two may have played safe, but most of us welcomed to opportunity to plunge in feet first, not worrying about the result – with fun results. They may not all be masterpieces but the emphasis was on play, and play we did. It also opened the doors to future development. It was fun to see what other illustrators came up with.

In previous years they auctioned the art work. This year, the art will be donated and used for schools that join and therefore support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Schools will go into a draw for a chance to win a work of original art that will be framed and hung in the school library – awesome!

Some of the artist involved in the Melbourne gig were: Kathy Creamer, Nicky Johnston, Marjory Gardner, Bettina Guthridge, Kim Flemming, Sally Mazak, Katherine Strasser, Judith Rossell, Elise Hurst, Kevin Burgemeestre, Ann James, Craig Smith and obviously myself.

Demonstrating Children’s Book Illustration

Ringwood Art Society invited me to do a talk on Children’s Illustration and talk I did. I download a heap of information, show and tell (just about took my whole studio in) and a stack of enthusiasm in 90 minutes. The packed room were engaged – no yawning – yay!

It is always good to get positive feed back. “It was so much more interesting than watching another demonstrator paint.” many remarked . RAS was my old stomping ground so it was a real thrill to go back a visit. I felt right at home and excited to share something different with the group. Members took picture books home and a new appreciation of the wonderful world of children’s illustration. As artists, they could appreciate that a whole exhibition of paintings where wrapped up in one humble little picture book.

I used my iPad to tape my talk with the intention of self-assessment and improvement (boy am I animated!) and the possibility of any of it being useable on a YouTube channel (on my action list). I am considering uploading it with a little editing.