Going West Animation

The New Zealand Book Council‘s stop-frame animation of elements from Going West
by Maurice Gee sends shivers down my spine. It was made by the hugely talented designers, Martin and Line Andersen, who are based in London. To see more of their work, including a gorgeous animation for the Southbank Centre’s Classical season, visit their site.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Congratulations to author-illustrator Grace Lin!

It gives me such great pleasure to congratulate Grace on her illustrated novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon being chosen today as a Newbery Honor Book. I have a lot of admiration for Grace’s achievement – the Newbery awards are highly prestigious. And I found her blog entry very moving. Well done, Grace, you inspire us!

One Dream at a Time

Happy New Year!


I love an Enigma. Someone in my studio building hung these posters around the corridors and in the kitchen some time ago. I still don’t know who made them or who posted them, but every time I catch sight of one I stop to think about what it means. Another one was posted, too, that says “One Smile at a Time”, which I also like, but this one grabs me every time I see it.

This is a good time of year to think about dreams, both the sleepy type and the visionary, self-actualizing type. I have been sleeping a lot this winter, under snowy skies, grateful for the warmth of home. I have been dreaming a lot, too, about what 2010 will bring.

I like the groundedness of “One Dream at a Time”…just choose one, make it happen and get onto the next. Choose too many at once and chase your tail in frustration.

I wish I knew who made this poster. If you know, please tell me.

Or is it better not to know? Maybe the whole point is to keep a potent little mystery alive in the creative corridors.

Happy January New Moon – make a wish and follow your dream.