Category: Retreat
My brand NEW course starts today! Read more.
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Personal piece, available for license as of this writing.
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Peek inside the Studio, my garden, and see our artists’ Show and Tells.
We recently showed you highlights from our 3-Day Annual Retreat, and now I’d love to show you a few photos of the activities that the artists participated in, from our Sketch Scavenger Hunt to Vintage Bingo.
Thought you might like to see photos of the Studio and back patio set up and ready for the arrival of the artists, Day One.
Above: Breakfast on the patio.
After a Studio update to discuss all of our exciting new plans for the future, it was time for a vintage Bingo break.
Above: Vintage Bingo break!
Below: Our Snoop Groups. The artists broke into small groups to discuss a particular topic. Then, they reported back to the larger group with tips and thoughts.
Sarah Papworth, Anke Rega, Åsa Gilland, Jessica Allen
Erica Root, Mara Penny, Kendra Binney, Bambi Ramsey
We devote a load of time at the Retreat for the artists to do teach-ins, where they show something like an art supply that they love, share a tech hack, or anything else they want to share.
Above, artist Kendra Binney (Portland, OR) shows some of the ‘cheap’ art supplies she uses in her art, which was surprising to all of us, because her work is so elegant and fancy. For original art that she sells, she covers the work in light-fast resin.
Artist Anke Rega demonstrated how she incorporates digital work with her traditional media work.
The Sketch Scavenger Hunt was new for this year. I gave our artists a list of things to look for in my garden (like “Draw an unusual leaf” or “Draw something purple”) and then they were free to roam and sketch.
Anke Rega, left, and Sarah Papworth
Thank you, artists! See you next year!
I’m reflecting upon our magical 3-day Annual Artists and VIP Retreat
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.
“What do you look for in an artist?” Hear what Mitch Nash, co-founder of Blue Q, says when I ask him that question.
We’re so excited about our upcoming three-day 5th Annual Artists and VIP Retreat beginning this Sunday. Eleven of our artists are flying in from all over the planet to attend, and we can’t wait! Enjoy some shots from previous years.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram as we will be doing live posting and Insta stories during the Retreat. You’ll see lots of art, some mini interviews with the artists, and maybe even a shot of vintage bingo at break time.
Looking for some great art for your project? Contact us to assign or license. We’re happy to help!
Attending artists will be (in no particular order):
Kendra Binney, Washington
Sarah Papworth, England
Jessica Allen, Rhode Island
Asa Gilland, Jakarta, Indonesia
Anke Rega, Berlin
Julia Christians, Germany
Erica Root, Philadelphia
Bambi Ramsey, California
Mara Penny, Oakland
Kelly Anne Dalton, Montana
Jennifer M Potter, San Francisco
One of the highlights of the Retreat is Speed Art Dating with the art directors and our artists at nearby Mystic Lake. Our artists have a chance to visit with each art director and show new work. Want to see our artists’ latest art? Contact us! We’d be delighted to show you.
Click on the photo to hear what cool Mitch Nash, co-founder of the beloved company Blue Q, says when I ask him “What do you look for in an artist?”
Clairice Gifford and Flora Waycott showing their portfolios
We dedicate the entire day three of the Retreat for art making. Some years, the artists decorate blank white linen tote bags. Above, Trina Dalziel has appliquéd, embroidered, and painted a lovely pooch on the pouch.
Katie Vernon and her cheese labels; art from last year’s retreat. I had a vibe that if Katie creates some cheese packaging labels, it would attract a very very cool job. So Katie, being the lovely person she is, and brilliantly talented, created these gems. And lo and behold, she did get a very nice food packaging gig!
Taker a peek at Sarah Walsh’s sketchbook that she brought along to the Retreat.
Artist Marenthe from Amsterdam, agent Susan McCabe and artist Clairice Gifford from Utah having a good laugh.
Left to right: Coffee break time with artist Kate Mason of Australia; Janine Vangool, Publisher of Uppercase Magazine; Mitch Nash, co-founder of Blue Q; artist Flora Waycott of Australia
Sarah Walsh, Katie Vernon and Mara Penny working away on their art projects.
A workshop on writing children’s books on last year’s patio. I’ve completely re-landscaped the back gardens and patio. We’ll show plenty of pix in an upcoming newsletter.
Kate Mason’s bird house for Studio M, in my garden.
Our Retreat Recap! See how we have fun while schmoozing with art directors.
We were thrilled to host our 5th Annual Artists & VIP Retreat at my home a few weeks ago. I’d love to share some of the highlights with you.
Above: Anke Rega, of Berlin, shows some of the artists a nifty way that she makes masks and layers on Photoshop.
Here’s the loveliness that was on Anke’s screen.
Below: Meet one of our newest artists, Åsa Gilland, who traveled from Indonesia for our event. Here, she shears some denim on craft day.
Above: Sarah Walsh drawing with a white paint pen on blue gouache.
Here I am salivating over Sarah Walsh’s art at our one-on-one speed dating. People, it’s all about the shoes, let’s face it.
Above: I should never leave these three alone. From right: Zoe Tucker, Brighton, England, Children’s Book Art Director who delighted all the artists with her expertise. Center:Artist Mara Penny of Oakland; Left: Zoe’s irreverent and lovable sister Dr. Kirsty Sinclair.
Above: Katie Vernon shows the artists images from her recent artist residency in Iceland.
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We devote a load of time at the Retreat for the artists to do teach-ins, where they show an art supply they love, share a tech hack, etc. Here, artist Jennifer Potter (San Francisco) generously shows her speedy way to make technical pattern repeats.
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New Products! A pup in a cup, a well-being illustration, honest history, and a dreamy paper collection
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Sarah Walsh for Honest History
Rebecca Jones for Crocodile Creek
We’re looking for an illustration agent to join our team! Learn more here.
We’re getting ready for our Annual Artists and VIP Retreat here in Arlington, MA. Stay tuned to see more.
Katie Vernon for Roger la Borde
Trina Dalziel for Breathe Magazine
Our Annual Retreat Highlights
When you mix up some of the top illustrators working today with a bunch of the most exciting VIPs in the industry, you get our 3rd Annual Artists Retreat at my studio/home/nearby lake. This is how we work with our artists on their career development, keep them inspired, and basically energize all of us.
Our artists, studio ladies, and Janine Vangool, publisher of UPPERCASE (on right).
Author Tami Charles teaches us some tricks for writing children’s books. #tamiwrites
Artist Marenthe, Agent Susan McCabe, and artist Clairice Gifford enjoy some laughs.
Some of the artists brought their sketchbooks to show as Jessica Allen did here.
We’re getting ready for our 3rd Annual LRS Artists Retreat!
Over here at Lilla Rogers Studio we’re getting ready for our 3rd Annual Artists Retreat for our represented artists. Starting this Sunday, it’s three days of making art together, learning new things, schmoozing with top VIPs in the business, eating well and more. Here’s my garden where we’ll hang out the first day. Follow along at #lillasretreat on Instagram.
UPPERCASE MAGAZINE
Guess who is coming to our Retreat? We’ve got VIPS from companies such as Blue Q, Hallmark, Quarto, teNeues, Candlewick, Sterling Publishers and Janine Vangool, Publisher of the highly acclaimed UPPERCASE Magazine. She’s hanging out with us and I’m sure she and I will concoct some pretty interesting ideas beneficial for both brands. And that, my friend, is how we do business around here. I always say “Play business like it’s a game.” That means: have fun with it.
We are honored that Mitch Nash, the founder of BlueQ, will be attending our Retreat. We love BlueQ!
I’m getting the back garden prettied up. I like an informal setting, plying everyone full of lots of good food and drink to inspire creativity, ideas, and relaxation. I’m going to lead my artists on a very cool art project which I show you in a later newsletter. Stay tuned!
Imagine what my artists are going to do with all this goodness on Day Three: Craft Day! I’m giving each of them blank tote bags to decorate. We’re talking inks, fabric paints, sashiko thread, gem setters, Helen Dardik rubber-stamps, sequins… See that little face in the middle? That’s my test piece, LOL. When Flora Waycott and Kate Mason come (a few days early from Australia) they’ll make a little sampler to test the materials.
XO,
Lilla
