Category: new licenses
Featuring Mara Penny: check out TWO of her newest, fully illustrated books and her huge bolt fabric collection
Today, we’re delighted to feature our artist Mara Penny, who lives in Oakland, California. I fell in love with her work a few years ago when I spotted her in my courses at Make Art that Sells. She brings a joy to her work and fresh color palettes that are irresistible.
Dive in below and check out TWO of her newest, fully illustrated books and her huge bolt fabric collection (and a peek inside her home!)
Check out Mara’s fully-illustrated brand-new book, Like a Girl (Sterling)
Publishers Weekly writes, “Penny works in stylized collages that distinctively capture the likenesses of the women, who encompass people of varying backgrounds and abilities.”
Above: From Like a Girl(Sterling)
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
The Practical Witch’s Spell Book (Running Press)
The cool part about Mara is that she is able to paint such beautiful and magical subjects as you can see here, in her fully-illustrated book, The Practical Witch’s Spell Book. Her magical style was one of the many things that attracted me to Mara’s work initially, and I was eager for her to get a book that would showcase that part of her work, and so I was delighted when she was commissioned to illustrated this book.
A complete introduction to modern magic and witchcraft with spells and incantations for love, happiness, and success. See interiors below.
One of Mara’s dream projects was to design a bolt fabric collection, and so we were over the moon when she was commissioned to create several lines for the esteemed bolt fabric company Moda. She was asked to illustrate all 50 the United States.
Below, enjoy her first line from the Southwest region, called Desert Song. Mara illustrated the State Birds, State Flowers, and State Maps of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona for this collection.
Above: Mara was asked to create four different colorways for each pattern, which was a treat for this master colorist!
Mara’s studio
Mara Penny writes, “I have a gallery wall next to my desk that includes a portrait of my grandmother (top left) when she was about my age. That oil painting was my security blanket when I was very little. It was unframed and I would drag it around the house with me. The edges are roughed up and dog-eared. She was an artist, and the first oil painting she made was of an olive tree that hangs next to my desk. My daughter’s name is Olive so it’s a full-circle moment!”
How does an artist illustrate Eva Hesse with string and lettering? Lots of lettering by our artists.
Want to see the various ways in which seven top artists create beautiful and brilliant lettering? Read on.
Fun Facts: Did you know that agent Kim Fleming is fluent in French, and agent Joanne Hus is fluent in Spanish? Yup!
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
“Let’s keep asking questions”
Clairice Gifford’s typographic illustration for Flow Magazine (France)
From the sketchbook of the genius Helen Dardik
Julia’s sketchbook from my MBA course
Lovely serif uppercase lettering from Marenthe’s sketchbook
We love this innovative lettering treatment from Sarah’s book “I Know An Artist” (Quarto)
Trina created delicate serif upper and lower case lettering in this gardening illustration for Baltimore Magazine.
Artists like painting animals and people and flowers. See why! Deer, rabbits, a tiger and some chickens.
Stay tuned for a big announcement from the Studio coming next week!
Artists love painting animals, people, and flowers, which is good news for our clients, because as you’ll see below, they are picked up for loads of applications, such as picture books, wall covering, even magnet sets.
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
I’m crazy about the style of course, but the color palette? Love.
From of a magnet set for Badge Bomb.
There’s a reason that Daniel gets a ton of board book work, and so many other things. His updated mid-century style, color palette, and vintage lithographic effect is so appealing.
If you like this piece, wait until you see the work Kendra’s doing for my Illustrating Children’s Books course. Stay tuned…or contact us to see more.
Like a Girl (Sterling Publishing)
Seriously, the colors. And the likeness. And the composition.
This may be why you opened this email! Sarah Walsh’s sketchbook. This is the kind of thing she does for herself.
Wall decor for Open Road Brands
Happy stylized sunflowers! Those pink cosmos blooms; the feathers on the chicken; the fine pen and ink lettering: you can see why this charmer was picked up for licensing.
I took a whole bunch of photos in the Studio of new products just in, illustrated by our illustrators. Plus a cool walking bird.
We have clients in so many industries and we love them all–editorial, home décor, stationery… You keep our artists engaged and busy, with loads of fascinating products you’ve asked them to illustrate.
Here’s a sampling of some recent products. Dive in and enjoy. And thank you to all of our clients, old and new, and future ones, too!
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
Congratulations to Flora Waycott!
Flora’s stunning pop-up card for The Museum of Modern Art won a Louie Award for best Christmas card in the boxed category! The prestigious Louie Awards recognize the most outstanding greeting cards marketed in the U.S.
Congrats, Flora!
This is a fun one. Lots of Lovely Art’s gorgeous new art kit subscription box launched this month, fully illustrated by watercolor master Carolyn Gavin. It includes watercolors, markers, brush, pencil and an easy block colour project created exclusively by Carolyn for creating simple landscapes, as well as 3 great projects inspired by Hockney, Hundertwasser and Klee.
Happy journals and card sets by Hsinping Pan for teNeues. Coming soon: we’ve got lot of brand new books illustrated by Hsinping to show you.
Cover of The Mindfulness Journal by Trina Dalziel and card for Papyrus by Helen Dardik. By the way, the flowers on that Helen card are huge honkin’ gems.
Not only is Clairice Gifford an illustrator, but she’s a top-notch type designer, having lettered some impressive titles. Here’s a piece she did for Southern Living Magazine.
Look at these beauties we recently got in! Tara Lilly’s color palettes are charming, yet she always manages to come up with new ones. Plate series for TAG, Ltd.
You can see why Kendra’s images get snapped up for cards. They are modern and elegant, and easy to send to anyone. Here’s a recent design for Calypso Cards.
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
BIG NEWS! Plus animated Hank Williams, Susan’s going to NYC, and more!
We love photographing our artists’ illustrated products as they come in. Hope you enjoy them!
ART DIRECTORS: Agent Susan McCabe will be in NYC May 16-19 showing the new artist’s work plus our brand-new collections of available card art and our children’s book portfolio of the very best work. Be sure to contact Susan to schedule a visit. Not in NYC? We’re happy to send you a magazine-style portfolio of the card art or the children’s book art to keep for reference. Just give us a shout.
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
Walter Foster Publishing
Greeting Card for Sellers Publishing
Puzzle to Go for Mudpuppy
Greeting cards for Trader Joe’s
Greeting cards for Madison Park (left) and Sellers Publishing (right)
Great spots in Better Homes & Gardens “Do It Yourself” Magazine
See Anne Bentley’s cell phone, a mermaid animation, and more new art
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
What’s on Anne Bentley’s cell phone?
Bethesda Magazine
Stunning lettering by Clairice Gifford
Hodder & Stoughton Limited
A dreamy journal by Anke Rega
Personal piece
Time for planting! by Sarah Papworth
Personal piece
Mara Penny’s midnight beauties
Running Press
Bike Path map by Jessica Allen
Adirondack Life magazine
Look at this fabulous print that Kate Mason created for Hasbro’s Baby Alive “Special Edition” doll – just beautiful!
See a spa day animation, art on a wood slice, and witty dishtowels
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
Blue Q dishtowel
True Colors children’s book by Penguin Workshop
Yoga magazine
Blue Q oven mitt
Editions Milan
Personal piece
Calypso cards
Personal piece
Our latest animated image plus a whole mix of gorgeous new art.
Thought you’d enjoy some new work by our artists.
Contact us for art for your next project.
We’re delighted to help!
We’re very excited about our 3rd Annual Menagerie! Watch for your February 5th newsletter to get the link and password to see the hundreds of new pieces our artists are creating just for this!
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
From ‘This Little Scientist‘ for Simon & Schuster
From ‘The Practical Witches Spell Book‘ for Running Press/Perseus
For the cover of ‘Love a la Mode’ for Disney/Hyperion
Greeting card for Up with Paper
Personal work
Personal work
Carolyn Gavin’s Home Decor Collection
Check out more terrific products Carolyn has with Anthropologie:
xo,
The Studio Ladies
Calling All Anthropologie Lovers
We’re thrilled that our artist Katie Vernon’s new home decor lines are now available in Anthropologie. Links to buy these adorable linens are under our products page here.
See all of Katie Vernon’s portfolio here.
xo,
The Studio
