Them Aint Scraps...

"Them Ain’t Scraps Just Pieces of Love Ready to Tell a Story: The Artistry and Dedication of Adjoa J. Burrowes" was the title of an abstract presented by Children's Literature specialist Nancy D. Tolson at The Children’s Literature Association Conference at Simmons College in Boston June14. Tolson is also the author of "Black Children's Literature Got De Blues: The Creativity of Black Writers & Illustrators".
http://books.google.com/books/about/Black_Children_s_Literature_Got_de_Blues.html?id=-WIfAQAAIAAJ

Bye 2010, Hello 2011

What a fantastic year it has been! Highlights include my trip to The Netherlands in March for The Boekids Children's Literature Festival; multiple art residencies with the John F. Kennedy Center and Class Acts Arts; Destiny's Gift - the children's book by Natasha Tarpley that I illustrated was published in paperback; and coming on board with the non-profit Arts on the Block working with gifted teens on commissioned mosaic tile work. I am thankful and blessed!

The Life of an Artist

I showed my picture books and mixed media fine art during my artist talk to young apprentices at Arts on The Block. I talked about some of the challenges artists face in making a career for themselves in the arts. It's all about maintaining balance in one's life and honoring one's gifts.

Healing Stories for Teens

Yesterday at Arts on the Block I shared two books that I thought would go great with this months theme, " Creative Individuals Who Know and Believe in Themselves and Their Gifts." The book for young adults, Alicia Aftermath, written by author/illustrator Lulu Delacre after her daugther died tragically in a car crash in 2004 shows how spirits can still soar after devastation. The picure book Bird by Zetta Elliot was beautifully written about how a young boy uses drawing as a means to cope with his older brothers addiction and grandfathers death.

Clip, Cut, Paste

A sixth grade student views my display of books and illustrations

I started my new student centered residency today through the Kennedy Center's DC Partnership Schools Initiative. The residency I created called "Clip, Cut, Paste: Piecing Our Stories Together" was designed to explore the art of collage, bookmaking and creative writing. 3rd and 6th graders will work with me over a period of 10 weeks.

A Book of One's Own

We're coming to the end of my 6-week Kennedy Center Residency at The School Without Walls. The residency "Clip, Cut, Paste: Using Technology as a Bridge to Creative Writing" was designed for 9th and 10th graders. Most of today was spent reflecting on what we did over the past weeks including narrative writing, creating blogs, e-books and collage portraits from recycled paper. Everything will be compiled in a collaborative book and distributed on the last day during a reception.

Write Your Heart Out

6th, 7th and 8th graders at Takoma Elementary School worked with me on improving creative writing skills during my artist residency in October. I shared the works of prolific writer Jacqueline Woodson and other contemporary writers.

Joy of Self

Middle school students created flag books using accordion folds and made self portraits from recycled magaznes for the cover in an afterschool program in Takoma Park called "My Story, Our Story."

The Ties That Bind Us All

Kindergarten students in Falls Church worked with me for two days decorating paper, making collage, visualizing their Grandma's and Grandpops and learning how pictures truly tell a story. I read to them from a variety of picture books.

The Write Thing

I'm back at Takoma Park Education Center teaching a series of writing workshops to 6th, 7th and 8th graders. I've been deep in the library looking for great examples of descriptive writing.

I Love Books

This summer I read as many young adult novels that I could get my hands on (pictured above) as well as poetry books that I could share in my writing and art workshops.

American Library Association in D.C.

 

 I signed my children's books at my publisher Lee and Low Books booth, during The American Library Associations Annual Conference and Exhibition held in D.C.'s Convention Center. Over 19,000 persons attended and there were over 6,500 book exhibitions.The ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world.

Listen To The Wind with Susan Roth

Author, illustrator and Washington Children's Book Guild member Susan L. Roth treated Guild members to a hands-on collage workshop at the Channel Inn in S.E. Washington. Members created self portrait people out of paper, recycled ribbon and cloth as part of Roth's "Let's Hold Hands" (susanlroth/letsholdhands.com), international art project created to encourage friendship among children of the world. These artistic symbols of good will be gathered and exchanged with persons in faraway places around the world.

Following the workshop Susan Roth talked at the monthly luncheon about the creation of her book Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea, which spent 52 weeks on the New York Times' list of best-selling picture books. Listen to the Wind tells the remarkable story of the Pakistani village of Korphe, and Greg Mortenson efforts to build a school.

Oyster Elementary Finale

Author and Illustrator Jennifer O'Connell (left), art teacher Carole Whelan (middle) and I pose after the Author Cafe event at Oyster Bilingual school in D.C. This event with parents and 3rd grade students marked the end of a semester long bookmaking project. I'd been collaborating with Carole for over 3 years.

Artist/Writer Reunion

It's been over 10 years since I saw Sally Derby, author of the ward-winning picture book "My Steps." I illustrated her book, which was published by Lee and Low Books, Inc. in New York. The last time I saw Sally was when I lived in Huntington, WV. I had an art show at the Renaissance Gallery. Sally was signing books. Pictured above in Shady Side, Maryland, Sally and I both were invited as guests at the local elementary school during Book fair week.

Exploring Artists Books

Students explored artists books and learned how they differed from text books and other books. They each made flag books from papers they painted in earlier classes. They learned how to make accordion folds and how to adher flag sections in an alternating pattern on the folds.

Book Beginnings

Second grade students from Oyster Bilingual School in DC, paint with paste and tempera during my school visit. Students brush the paint on paper, then use paint scrapers to create lines and texture. Art teacher, Carole Whelan has invited me over the past 3 years as part of a book project where students are introduced to professional artists and illustrators and create their own artists' books. My first visit three years ago was facilitated by the National Museum for Women in the Arts.

Success With Paper

I started teaching art workshops at another Juvenile Detention facility in Maryland in December, through the non-profit organization, Class Acts Arts in Silver Spring. Classes were held Christmas eve and I wanted to introduce a project that was fun and meaningful, in addition to teaching them new paper decorating and folding techniques. We made cut paper ornaments from shiny foil paper and then made others that they glued on the front of blank cards or simple accordion books. They used rubber letter stamps to form messages in the cards. I then taught two folded paper techniques to make long garlands from wrapping paper that could be later used to decorate the tree that was on their unit. Each girl experienced some level of success as they cut, tore, folded and embellished paper.

Read To Me! Anytime! Anyplace!

An illustration I created in the book Destiny's Gift by Natasha Tarpley is included in the new 2010 Read to Me! calendar featuring artwork by children's book illustrators across the country, depicting cozy images of reading together each month. My illustration is on the September calendar.

The calendar, published by Family Reading Partnership, includes read-aloud tips by Esmé Raji Codell, author of "How to Get Your Child to Love Reading." The mission of Family Reading Partnership is to create a culture of literacy in which all children have early, frequent, and pleasurable experiences with books, together with a loved one, as a special part of everyday family life.

The Art of Reading

DATE: Saturday, September 19, 2009
TIME: Kids at Pyramid Atlantic: 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Art & Wine Reception: 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.
LOCATION: Pyramid Atlantic's ArtSpring Store,
8519 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD

Kids at Pyramid Atlantic: Read-alouds and art projects for the kids are scheduled for 2:15, 3:15 and 4:15, with Maryland Delegate Shirley Hixson, Sharon H. Philippart of PBS, The Great Zucchini and Gillian Clark, chef at The General Store.

The Art & Wine Reception features artists Adjoa Burrowes, Anthony Dortch, Marsha Gallo, Tony Gallo, Liz Macklin, Anita Merina, Ruse and Dave Scavone. A portion of the proceeds from art sales will be donated to The Reading Connection (TRC). Imagination Blooms, art by TRC kids honoring Eric Carle, will be on exhibit.