Category: Inspiration
9/16/21
My mantra is this: Play business like it’s a game. In other words, do fun things that benefit everyone–the creative director/editor, the artist, and the agency. Make up fun stuff that everyone will enjoy. It’s served me well in my (almost) 40 years in the business, kept me out of trouble, and kept us constantly energized.
In that spirit, one of the things we love to do most around here is our Annual Artists and VIP Retreat, which begins next Wednesday. Last year it went virtual. We were actually surprised by how much everyone loved it (yeah, we do miss the live singer/guitarist and yummy hors d’oeuvres in my garden, I’ll grant you that), but the Zoom aspect enables more VIPs to attend, plus a whopping 25 artists are attending this year from Jakarta to Los Angeles, from Barcelona to Berlin. And we’ve only got two spots left for VIPs. Read on…
VIP ATTENDEES
Here are some of the blue-ribbon companies–featuring creative directors, executive editors, senior industrial designers, senior product managers–that will be attending next week, from the book, toy, stationery, and gift markets:
Sterling Publishing | NYC
Penguin Random House | UK
Penguin Random House | US
Little, Brown and Co. | NYC
Running Press | Philadelphia
Editions Auzou | Paris
Uncommon Goods | Brooklyn
Buffalo Games | NY
Raspberry Books | UK
teNeues Publishing | NYC
Educational Insights | CA
Design House Greetings | MN
SPEED ART DATING
The VIPs and the artists meet each other in private breakout rooms (one-on-one) for 10 minutes to view artists’ breathtaking new work, view their toy pitches, or see their book dummies. It’s just under two hours long with the VIPs each meeting with 8 artists. We call it Speed Art Dating. Several VIPs have signed up for ALL THREE DAYS, and many are back from last year.
NEWS FLASH–ART DIRECTORS, CREATIVE DIRECTORS, DESIGNERS, EDITORS: Thursday is filled, but if you’d like to attend Speed Art Dating either next Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 2PM ET or Friday, Sept. 24 at 9AM ET to meet one-on-one with our fabulous artists and feast on their jaw-dropping work, simply reply to this email. But hurry! As of this writing, we have only one spot available on Wednesday and one on Friday. Simply reply to this email and let us know you’re interested.
My Recent Favorites
I went a little overboard on collecting a few of my recent favorites to put in this newsletter. Here you go.
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Various LRS artists + former LRS Artist Suzy Ultman
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Creating a unique book comes from understanding what makes you unique and discovering the story you’re excited to tell. To help you do this, I’ve created a playful, personalized and structured course that will bring out your special story. It’s packed full of quirky worksheets, Magic Cards, fun exercises and interactive LIVE videos that will guide you step by step to create your own special brilliant story – the story that only you can write. I hope you’ll join me October 18th!
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Want great art for your project? Don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be delighted to assist you with any of your art needs. xo
Lilla
Agent, Artist, Author
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells
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12/29/20
We were just discussing our enthusiasm for 2021. A new year, a new vaccine, a new president, a new beginning. Here’s hoping your holidays are a time to refresh and reboot.
Today, we’d like to feature the magical and dramatic work of our artist, Jennifer M Potter. You can see how her background in video production, comics and storyboarding influences her illustrative cinematic angles and lighting. Enjoy!
Animation by Jennifer M Potter
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“I’m always exploring. Travel is very inspiring, and being part of a community of creators is an endless source of inspiration.”
–– Jennifer M Potter
(San Francisco)
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Voices of Justice (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
Right: Portrait of Jeannette Rankin
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Claude: The True Story of a White Alligator has been getting rave reviews!
(Sasquatch Books)
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Above: Staying Cozy in the Winter
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Left and above: For an article on moving during a pandemic
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Above: Jennifer’s personal piece was chosen for The Washington Post’s “Art During the Pandemic” feature
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Above: Article on Relationships in Middle School
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The Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
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Above: Article on Camp Legends and Storytelling
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Pop-up card for Up With Paper
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Personal piece for Folktale Week
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Personal piece available for license as of this writing.
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I hope you enjoyed the show! Check out
our site to see more.
Want great art for your project? Don’t hesitate to
contact us. We’d be delighted to assist you with any of your art needs.
xo
Lilla
Agent, Artist, Author
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells
11/3/20
Every vote counts. Make your voice heard! Voting is how we keep a democracy of the people, by the people, for the people.
I asked our brilliant, international artists to make some VOTE banners, and I thought you’d enjoy seeing them. Artists all over the world recognize the importance of this election.
Artist Janie Secker captions her art with this: Honor the people that fought for our rights.
Christchurch, New Zealand
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San Francisco, California, USA
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I hope you enjoyed the show! Check out
our site to see more.
Want great art for your project? Don’t hesitate to
contact us. We’d be delighted to assist you with any of your art needs.
xo
Lilla
Agent, Artist, Author
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells
6/24/20
Happy Pride Month!
We’re excited to announce Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History, fully illustrated by Sarah Papworth. Here are a couple highlights from the book that we thought you’d enjoy.
Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!
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Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History(HarperCollins), with portraits beautifully illustrated by
Sarah Papworth.
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Available for license as of this writing.
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Available for license as of this writing.
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Available for license as of this writing.
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Available for license as of this writing.
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I hope you enjoyed the show! Check out
our site to see more.
Want great art for your project? Don’t hesitate to
contact us. We’d be delighted to assist you with any of your art needs.
xo
Lilla
Agent, Artist, Author
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells
6/4/20
We are in support of inclusivity and a positive vision for the future.
Art makes a difference. Read Sarah Walsh’s words below.
Sarah created art to honor George Floyd. You can find her T-shirts on Etsy, with 100% of the proceeds donated to Black Lives Matter and the NAACP.
Sarah writes “I’m an artist. Pictures are my words. I make art to express my feelings. So that’s what I’ll do to spread awareness and raise money. I also wanted to put an image of George that more accurately reflected the beauty of his life and the people that may have known and loved him versus him on the ground with a knee in his neck during the last moments of life.”
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Quote by R.J.Palacio from graphic novel “White Bird”
Illustration from Wonder calendar (Workman)
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Portrait of James Baldwin with Poem by George Ella
From Voices of Justice (Macmillan)
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From Rainbow Revolutionaries (HarperCollins)
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 Amber Lotus |
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xo
Lilla
Agent, Artist, Author
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells
5/28/20
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Kendra has worked on a variety of illustration projects for top companies such as Hachette, Page Street Publishing, Roger La Borde, Sterling Publishing, and more.
Click here to join our free public WebinART on Zoom with guest artist Kendra Binney today at 12:30 PM ET. Password: Kendra77
I’ll ask Kendra how she works in both paint and digital media, what makes a great art director, what her dream illustration project would be, how she enjoyed the Residency and creating a picture book pitch, her tips on working from home with her little boy, what she’s watching right now, and more.
We can’t wait to see you there as we put some goodness out into the world!
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Kendra Binney, illustrator
Washington State
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Right : Card for Roger La Borde
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Above: Sample book art for Hachette
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Above: Wall art for Oopsy Daisy
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Images above and below: Collection for Roger La Borde
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5/14/20
May 14, 2020 – WebinART #3 with Lilla’s Artists Residency participants: Bambi Ramsey, Erica Root, Kelly Anne Dalton, Kendra Binney, Mara Penny, Katie Vernon
Replay Link: Click here
Password: 5L!074g!
Our 3rd WebinART in the series was a very special one, featuring 6 artists who are attending Lilla’s Artists Residency this week. The artists are spending the entire week developing brand new picture book ideas, under Lilla’s mentorship. They are using the structure of Lilla’s new class My Kid Book Pitch which launches on Make Art That Sells in October.
You won’t want to miss this one!
5/7/20
May 7, 2020 – WebinART #2 with illustrator Katie Vernon
Replay Link: Click here
Password: 3G#a#6n^
Lilla chats with Katie about her stellar career making art in her eccentric style, what she’s working on right now, her favorite illustration project, and her creative process. Katie also reveals how her previous work as a florist influenced her illustration!
Enjoy :)
10/31/19
Happy Halloween! Hope you have a great spooky day with lots of treats.
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
Kendra Binney
Available for licensing at time of writing
Kelly Anne Dalton
Available for licensing at time of writing
Sarah Papworth
Available for licensing at time of writing
Mara Penny
Available for licensing at time of writing
Carolyn Gavin
Papyrus
Marco Marella
Publix supermarkets
Åsa Gilland
Available for licensing at time of writing
Katie Vernon
Available for licensing at time of writing
I hope you enjoyed the show! Want great art for your project? Don’t hesitate to
contact us. We’d be delighted to assist you with any of your art needs. Get to know us
here!
xo
Lilla
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells courses
P. S. Read what our clients have to say about working with our agency
here!
10/8/19
I’m reflecting upon our magical 3-day Annual Artists and VIPs Retreat this past week, now in its 5th year. It began as an idea we had, sipping coffee and dreaming up cool ways to do business.
Ideas + plans = new reality.
This year’s Retreat was such fun, but also super great for business. It’s what I call a feminist model of business–embracing things like physical beauty–loads of fresh colorful bouquets in vintage vases; it’s about healthy and abundant buffets; it’s about cozy and plentiful spots for people to relax and chat in the sunshine. It’s about a 🎸guitarist and wine 🍷 in the early evening with golden light. But it’s also about a bit of wackiness like playing vintage bingo.
Mix up the ingredients: beauty, coziness, nature, and play. Next add giant helpings of some of the most brilliant illustrators working today plus some of the top art directors in the business.
We are already getting juicy commissions as a direct result. Business is kind of a dull word for simply putting people together and benefiting both parties in a lucrative way. And when it’s about art, then it’s about adding more beauty to the world. And right there you have my business philosophy. Have fun with business, enjoy business, play business like it’s a game.
I’d love to share some of the highlights with you.
In addition to eleven top artists, we were honored to host Frances Soo Ping Chow, Creative Director, Running Press; Carolyn Eckert, Art Director, Storey Publishing; Marissa Giambrone, Art Director, Quarto; Ashley Halsey, Art Director, Sellers | High Note; Jo Obarowski, Creative Director, Sterling Publishing; Melia Parsloe, Associate Designer, Page Street Publishing; Julie Philibert, Senior Design Stylist, Brewster Home Fashions; Gibbs Rainock, Art Director, Hasbro; J Walker, Designer, 2Communiqué.
Our artists made lovely portfolio magazines to give out to the art directors:
Above: Portfolios featuring the work of Åsa Gilland, Sarah Papworth, and Julia Christians.
Above: Click photo to see Sarah Papworth flipping through her amazing sketchbook. This video post got over 14,000 views on Instagram!
Giveaways from the artists: Kendra Binney, Jennifer M Potter, Kelly Anne Dalton, Bambi Ramsey, Asa Gilland, Julia Christians, Erica Root, Jessica Allen
Speed Art Dating
The highlight of the Retreat is Day 2: VIP Presentations and Speed Art Dating. This is the glorious opportunity for our artists and the VIP art directors to sit together for 10 minutes and chat about the artists’ work. Oh yeah, and vintage tablecloths.
Kendra Binney (top) with Jo Obarowski from Sterling Publishing
Carolyn Eckert, Storey Publishing (left) with Erica Root
Ashley Halsey, Sellers Publishing | High Note (left), with Mara Penny
Jessica Allen (left) and J Walker, 2Communiqué
Åsa Gilland (left) with Marissa Giambrone, Quarto
Wine and Cheese Gathering
After a rich and lively day, the artists, Studio ladies, and the VIPs unwind with wine, cheese and music in the golden early evening light.
Click on the video above to get a small taste of our wine and cheese event in my garden.
Thank you to all the ADs who attended!
Art directors: Interesting in participating next year? Reply to this email!
Watch for our next newsletter where we show the Artist days at the Retreat: Show and Tell, Snoop Groups, Sketch Scavenger Hunt, and more.
Blurb magazines
ADs at the Retreat loved the gorgeous magazines we gave them featuring Card and Decorative art (left) and Children’s Book art.
—> Art directors, please contact us to request your very own gorgeous copy! Please include your title and company name with your request.
I hope you enjoyed the show! Want great art for your project? Don’t hesitate to
contact us. We’d be delighted to assist you with any of your art needs. Get to know us
here!
xo
Lilla
Founder, Lilla Rogers Studio
Co-Founder, Make Art That Sells courses
P. S. Read what our clients have to say about working with our agency
here!
