29 days to go!

Hey all

Day 29 of #30boatsin30days! Today's boat is a small sailboat. Did you know that large watercraft are called ships and small watercraft are called boats? Yes they are!

Even though I am prone to seasickness, i still think boats are things of magic and to be admired! 

Stay tuned for tomorrows boat and another fun boat fact! 

Have a great day!

30 boats in 30 days

I can't believe it! It's almost here!!! 30 days until Boats for Papa is released!!! I would use more exclamation points but I think there is a limit on how many you can use before they cease to mean anything. 

I can't begin to describe how excited I am. There's been so much momentum as its gotten closer but to know that after 2 years (well technically 34.5 years since its my lifelong dream) my book will be on the shelves at the end of the month it too thrilling! 

So for the next month, I'lll be posting a painting of a boat a day leading up to the release! You can follow along at #30boatsin30days or you can see them here! 

What floats my boat!

Hey all!
I hope you've all been having a lovely spring! I've been busy plugging away at my next picture book, Laundry Day, and things have been going awesome! With having a new baby we are doing A LOT of laundry, so my inspiration is very close to home these days.

Recent news, my ARE's (Advanced Reader Editions) of Before I Leave arrived a couple of weeks ago! I was SOOOOO excited to have those show up in the mail! It's still a surreal thing to have a book I created in my hands know that it's going to be a part of the world! Before I Leave comes out February 2016! I have to admit also, it was wonderful to see my little hedgehog and anteater again. I just loved those little characters so much!

I really big news news, momentum for Boats for Papa has really been gaining these past couple of months. It has received 4 starred reviews which has blown my mind!

Kirkus Review
Booklist
Publisher's Weekly
School Library Journal


Boats for Papa was also selected by the incredible non-profit First Book that gives access to new books for children in need. It was such a HUGE honor to have my book chosen to be a part of their Stories for All program. The books they choose are geared to expose children diverse books that they can relate to and that promote inclusivity. A lot of the children they target are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or from underrepresented backgrounds. Being selected means that 10,000 copies of my book will be made available in trade paperback so it is more accessible to the kids who need it. I couldn't be more thrilled to know that my book will be helping kids and hopefully making them excited about reading as well as feeling connected to the book and comforted by its message.

And with that, my book launch is getting closer and closer! I am getting so anxious!!! Tuesday June 30th at Secret Garden Books in Ballard at 7pm is where we are having the party- the day my book comes out! I'm planning on having some fun and yummy stuff at the launch so hopefully you can make it out and join the party! If not, I'll be signing at the Urban Craft Uprising the weekend before!

Also in preparation for the big launch, I will be posting a boat a day on social media! So keep your eye out for my flotilla!

Hopefully more news is to come, so keep your eye out!
All the best!
Jessixa

Ahoy!

Hey there!

Spring is upon us and for me that means one thing- by book Boats for Papa is nearly out! I've been waiting for this day, well my whole life, but for two years in publication terms. I wrote the story three years ago, signed my book deal two years ago, and finished the final art about a year and a half ago. It's been the patient waiting game ever since. And I get my advanced copy this week!!! Ack! The mail can't come soon enough!

I've already got so much good response for the book due to the early review process, so I'm anxious for its full emergence into the world! A couple of weeks ago it was reviewed on Kirkus to which it received a Starred review!!! I'm so honored! You can read the review here: 

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jessixa-bagley/boats-for-papa/

In the meantime, I'm working on my third book Laundry Day. Which is such a fun and different book than my first two. I'm just starting the paintings for the book, which is due summer 2016, I think.

Okay, better get back to it, but I just wanted to share my anxious mood with you all!

Happy spring!

Busy beaver!

Well it's been a long while since my last post. Things have been quite busy for me with having a new baby and such so I'm going to ride that excuse train on not posting sooner.

He past few months I was just enjoying lots of time with my husband and baby before I had to go back to work and get started on my new book. Now everything is back in full swing and I haven't got a square to spare! But it's all good! I'm just trying to manage the life/work balance.

As for books and such, I am just getting started with my picture book "Laundry Day." I've been getting the sketched finalized and will start painting in the next week or so. I'm excited to work on this book because it's so different than my last two books. It's funny with lots of silly details making it very fun to draw and paint. I'll be spending the bulk of the year working on it, since my time is limited at the moment.

In other news, my book "Boats for Papa" is nearly out! I've just got a few months to go, but I'm already planning for the launch! My official book launch will be at Secret Garden Books in Ballard in Seattle on Tuesday June 30th at 7pm! I'm pretty excited and am thinking of fun things to do for the event. If you can't make it on Tuesday, I'm also going to be at the Urban Craft Uprising the weekend before- June 27th & 28th at the Seattle Exhibition Hall at the Seattle center. I'll be selling and signing books. Hopefully you can make it to either event!

Also in preparation for my book coming out, I've been making these little driftwood boats! They will be shipping out to various bookstores and book buyers around the country to introduce my book! I collected the driftwood on the beaches of Seattle and handmade the little flags. The flags are the letter "B" in the nautical alphabet ('B' for Buckley)!

They are really fun to make and it's gotten me extra in touch with my character.

Other than that, my second book "Before I Leave" is off at the publisher having its magic happen. Stayed tuned for more info to come,  but it should be out early 2016!

Okay! It was great to catch up. Back to the grind I go!

Jx

Happy New Year!

 

Hey everyone!

It's a new year! It's really hard to believe. So much happened in 2014. I finished two books and had a baby! So much more little stuff happened in between that was fun and magical. And now we are starting out a new and glorious year that has so much in store. It's such a good time to look back and look forward.

 

In book news:

My first book Boats for Papa comes out June 30th! It feels like it would never get here but it's so close. Before I Leave is in the process of being finalized and will come out Spring 2016. This coming year I'm working on my next book Laundry Day, also for Roaring Brook Press, due date TBD. So many cute animals in store for me to draw! I can't wait.

In personal news:

I plan on spending as much time as possible with the cutest baby west of the Mississippi and learning him on the ways of the Jedi.

I hope you all have a lovely 2015. Be kind to yourself and others. Love what you do and do what you love. Be in the moment as much as you can.

Cheers!

jx

Boats for Papa- BIG BIG NEWS!

Hey all!
It's been a whirlwind past month and half and there is sooooo much to talk about!

First off, I finished all of my art for my next picture book Before I Leave. This is the book I spent the summer lovingly toiling over about the friendship between an anteater and a hedgehog. I sort of fell in love with these animals while making this book, to the point where I would highly consider having a hedgehog as a pet. Before I Leave is due out Winter 2016, so more to come with that!

The next most recent big news is that earlier this week I got my Advance Reader's Editions of my book Boats for Papa! I was SOOO excited to receive these! It was such an awesome thing to hold my book in my own hands was sureal to say the least. It's was like holding my dream in my hands. It looks so good. I am beyond words to say how I feel about how it turned out. I can't wait for it to hit the shelves June 30th, 2015!

AND to top it off- just this morning, I received some phenomenal news: The Japanese rights to Boats for Papa was just sold at the Frankfurt Book Fair to distinguished publisher, Asunaro Shobo. SO awesome- and the book hasn't even come out yet!

And if that wasn't awesome enough- I found out Boats for Papa was selected by the Junior Library Guild!!! It is an AMAZING honor to be selected by them! They go through over 3000 books and select what they believe to be as the best ones and send them to small libraries that can't afford their own selection staff. It's a very bog honor and I am so grateful to be among the chosen "best books" that will make it into the hands of thousands of little kids.

All of this is so awesome and overwhelming, and all just before I'm about to have another dream come true- having a baby! Ahhh!!! So much to be happy, and thankful for.

Thanks to everyone for all of your support!!!
jx

MY BOOK JACKET!!!

Hey Everyone!
I've been sitting on this for a few weeks, but I got my book proofs for Boats for Papa!!! I was SO thrilled when the package made its way to my doorstep on my birthday! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift! Book due out JUNE 2015!!!

Here the the full final jacket:

 

I LOVE IT and can't wait for my book to come out!!!!

 

Happy Birthday Beatrix Potter!

Hey all!
I've been spotty about posting the last few months but for two good reasons:

1) I'm working on my second picture book for Roaring Brook Press. It's called Before I Leave. I don't want to say too much about it other than it's a story about moving and parting from friends, and that it stars an anteater and a hedgehog. Needless to say I am IN LOVE with both animals right now and they have made a special place in my heart. The book is due out sometime... in the future. Maybe winter 2016? I'm not sure. All I know is I have an October deadline and reruns of Cake Boss are getting me through the fast paced crunch!

2) I am having a baby! Woo hoo!

So that is what I'm working on right now. I've been pretty occupied with both things, hence my blogging hiatus. I can't reveal much about the book now, but I have been documenting the process pretty well this time, so I'll be able to share more about it after the book is finished and I have the  go ahead.

So much to think about and to do over the next few months. 

In other news, I am supposed to get my proofs for my book Boats For Papa this week- AHHHH!!! So I will try to post at least a snippet of the cover when they arrive. I can't wait to see the book!!! So much work and so much love went into it, it will be magic to see it getting even closer to being published!

I have to get back to work but before I do, I had to mention that today is Beatrix Potter's birthday! She has been an inspiration for me since childhood and contributed to who I am as an artist today. I love her illustrations and stories so much- she was so good at creating a world for her creatures to live. My favorite Beatrix Potter story is the Tailor of Gloucester- which was Beatrix Potter's favorite story as well. I think that we could have been kindred spirits in another time! So happy birthday to a creative hero!

NY NY- picture book paradise

Hey Everyone!
It's nearly a month after the fact, but I thought I would catch you up on my recent trip to New York! It was super fun and exciting. My husband and I went to meet with my editor Neal Porter to see where the magic was happening with my first book Boats For Papa (due out April-June 2015) and to talk about my next book project we are doing together. So exciting!!! It was a truly magical experience getting to go the the Roaring Brook offices (in the freaking Flatiron Building) and see where my book is going to come to life! I got to meet my AMAZING book designer Jennifer Brown and everyone in the office and they were all so nice! I couldn't have asked for a better home for Buckley and Mama. We laid out the artwork and Neal did a dramatic reading of book. I got a little misty when this was happening as one does when they get to see their dreams come true. Definitely the highlight of the trip. I even got to go to Neal's and meet his kitty, Arthur. It was love at first pet.

We were in town when the SCBWI NY Conference was going on- a sneaky plan on my part so I could see all my friends while I was there and meet with my super rad agent Alex! Alex and I hadn't formally met in person since I signed on with her last year. So it was great to see her in the flesh- not over the phone or email. We even got to have a karaoke jam together while in NY. Now that's what I call an agent.

It was sooo great to catch up with my good friends Lisa, Brooke, and Maple while in town too. I love these ladies. They make it so fun to be in the children's book community and I'm lucky to call them my friends and artistic peers. We even managed to sneak in a little hangout time in between all of the children's book madness. Hot chocolate, Books of Wonder, Pho, Wine... all the stuff that is good in life. (Please Note Aaron on the far left is the victim of a panoramic face melting in the photo and doesn't always look like this-but he loves when the camera makes him look like Sloth from Goonies.)

On my trip, I also got to meet a ton of WONDERFUL folk at Simon & Schuster, Abrams, Greenwillow Books & Little Brown and Company. All so, so lovely and fun and kind. It's a reminder when you get to me so many amazing people why I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to get to be a part of this business.

And if all of this wasn't enough, while we were in town, there were two AMAZING exhibits going on. The first was the Little Prince exhibit at the Morgan Library. They had the original manuscript and drawings from "The Little Prince"by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on display. It was so moving to get to see the early stages of this book that is dear to my heart. Oh and, not to mention, I got to see a Guttenberg bible at the Morgan Library collection. Sort of amazing. The second exhibit we saw was at the New York Public Library called The ABC of it: Why Children's Books Matter. It was incredible. It was a retrospective on children's literature and they had so many original manuscripts and pieces of artwork from classic children's books like: Beatrix Potter, William Blake, John Tenniel- the list goes on and on. A very magical and amazing exhibit that I recommend anyone checking out if you are in NY between now and September.

Lastly, our trip ended with a walk at Highline Park. It was a lovely day and a trip I'll never forget.

Painting bears and fish

Hey all 

It snowed last night in Seattle, so it's a great excuse to stay in and paint! It's bears and fish and trees and whales today. I'd say its already a perfect day.

Sketching on a sunny afternoon

Happy weekend!

I for one can't be more excited its Saturday. And to start it off withe a bang, I'm doing some sketches for a joint project that I'm working on with my husband Aaron. It's always so fun to collaborate with him and I feel like each time we work together we get closer and closer to having a unified artistic voice. With out last show back in September, we did joint writing and drawing for our comics art show, 1828 Lincoln St. This time we are taking a slightly different approach, with Aaron is doing all the writing and the initial sketches while I am doing the final art. I don't want to say too much more about it, but will show more as we get more completed. 

Other than that I'm just in the process of revising my portfolio and making some new postcards for an upcoming visit to NY to meet with my super awesome agent Alexandra and my amazing editor Neal at Roaring Brook Press. So lots to do-but all art related so its very fun!!! Back to the paper!

Done!

Well I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm done with my illustrations for my first picture book "Boats For Papa." I sent off my paintings this week and they arrive safely at Roaring Brook Press (cocooned in tape and bubble wrap)! This has been an incredible experience. I still can hardly believe that it happened. I guess when i get a copy in hand I'll finally believe it. I gathered up my painting test pages when I was cleaning up my book stuff and enjoyed the view! I still think there's more laying around somewhere I overlooked...

This has been an immeasurably rewarding and fulfilling process and I can't wait to get started on the next book! But, I think I've earned the weekend off so I'm heading to the art museum to see some Franz Von Stuck and get a hamburger with Aaron! 

Sketching day!

Hey everyone!

I've been closing in on finishing my book and sent off some of my final illustrations today! I still have to do the cover which we are working out, so while I wait for feedback, I thought I would get some sketching in. 

I'm currently working on a picture book idea that features an anteater, so I thought I'd try out some sketches of these hairy beasts and see how they feel. I really love drawing animals. They have so much personality and character in their simple gestures! It makes them ripe for drawing; and the reference material is SO fun to look at! Now I have to see if this little guy likes wearing clothing because what I love even more about drawing animals, is drawing anthropomorphic animals!

What's up 2014?

Hey everyone
Well, sadly I succumbed to the holiday madness and haven't posted since just before Thanksgiving! So quick catch up:

My lovely husband and I did our booth at Short Run just after Thanksgiving. Short Run is a local comics festival that features self-published works as well as comics and books from small publishers. It was our first time having a booth at the show and it was super fun. We both debuted our graphic novels at the show as well! When we do work together or print up our books, we do it under the name Gorilla House Press. We have a tumblr of joint work there. Aaron is insanely prolific, so a lot of the work on the tumbler is his, but it's sort of a catch all for all of our random work.

What else? I am nearly finished with the illustrations for Boats For Papa, which I am really loving working on, so a part of me will be sad to be finished. But it just means I'm that much closer to getting it finished in hand-which is AMAZING to me! This has been the best creative project I've ever got to do in my life and I've cherished every moment of it! And also once this book is finished I'm onto book two already! What??? How did I get so lucky?! I am so over the moon I still can't believe my dream has come true! So at least I have another awesome project to look forward to! I'll keep you posted as things come up.

But that is really the bulk of what I've been up to. That and juggling a million work and holiday things. So I'm glad to see the new year come around to allow for new things to unfold!

Also, here is the front and back of my promo card I sent out this year. It features my favorite twin badger brothers, Tic and Tac, being silly as usual. So happy new year to you all! I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store.

1828 part two

Hey all
Things are busy is book world for me these days. I've been painting all of these summer beach scenes for my book lately which is funny because outside my window is a glorious colorful fall! I guess that's how it works in book land sometimes, always living in another world.

Anyway, I wanted to do a follow up post with the rest of the pieces of the show that Aaron and I had last month. So without further adieu, here part two of 1828. Enjoy!

1828 art show

Hey everyone!
It's be a month I've been off blogging. I was quite wrapped up in makin' lots of art- the best reason for not spending more time blogging! My husband Aaron and I created work for a show we had a Joe Bar in Seattle. Here is a synopsis of the show and some images of the work! The show is up until October 8th at Joe Bar ( 810 E. Roy, Seattle, WA 98102) Some if you are in town, come and check it out while you still can. Enjoy!

1828" is a collection of illustrations and comics based on the house built by Aaron's great grandfather Marvin E. Pack. Two long generations of Mormon relatives inhabited the house until Aaron's parents took over. Years of de-cluttering revealed many bizarre religious and antique occupational relics. The house invokes its own mythology by leaving a trail of such esoteric delights. Aaron and Jessixa explore the visual vocabulary inspired by this very real Salt Lake City house and expand on it's oddities through a series of comics and ephemera.

Labor Day drawing!

Hey everyone

Summer continued to fly by and now fall is fast arriving. All the while I've been been busy working on my book Boats For Papa and about a million other things. The big thing that is just around the corner for me is a joint show at Joe Bar in Seattle with my wonderful husband Aaron Bagley. We are doing a drawing/comics show inspired by Aaron's parent's Victorian house in Salt Lake City, Utah. We are working on the pieces together, drawing and painting them all simultaneously. We love getting to do joint projects and this one is extra fun because of the personal connection. The show opens Thursday September 12th during the Blitz Capitol Hill Art Walk! The opening is from 5-8. If your in town come check out the show!

Okay, back to drawing!

Sunday respite

Hey everyone
I'm in the midst of moving, but I really needed a break and wanted to work up a piece I have been kicking around based up on my trip to Camp Wandawega last month. I thought I would share it with you!

This is inspired by a row boating adventure my husband and I went on while at camp and it was the most picturesque moment in time. This captures that part of the trip and is a nice way for me to hold onto that memory.

Back to packing...

Busy summer: Part 1

Hey everyone!
Oh wow! I realized I haven't posted in a month and a half! Goodness me. Time flies is an understatement of the century for me over the past two months. I feel like I've been SO busy I really can honestly say I haven't had time enough to do a good post. I am not sure where to begin!

Well to catch you up to what I've been up to in the art department are a couple of fun things. I've still been refining my sketches for my picture book Boats For Papa (due out Spring/summer of 2015). It's been such a fun and incredible process to be learning as I go. I've been asked several times what the process entails so I thought I'd share it (so far). Basically I've been revising my sketches and then sending them off in book dummy form to my editor (the AMAZING Neal Porter at Roaring Brook Press) and book designer/art director (the also AMAZING Jennifer Browne). They then talk about the changes they'd like to see and we have a conference call and go through the book page by page on the phone (since we all aren't in the same city). Then I make the changes and send it back and we talk again about those changes. That process happens a few times until they fully approve the dummy. Once that is approved, I'll start making the paintings. From them, we'll see, since I haven't been through that part of the process yet.

I was recently in Chicago on vacation and through an act of serendipity, got to meet Neal in person which was something I didn't know if/when that would get to happen. He was there for ALA and we got to meet and have lunch.

It was incredible! He was so sweet and kind and SOOOO smart about books. It was a pure joy and I felt so lucky to get to work with someone of such a personal and professional caliber. It was one of the highlights of my trip for sure!

Also while in Chicago, there was a celebration of 75 years of the Caldecott at the Art Institute of Chicago. They had some original and digital prints of some of the winners and honorees from the last three years.

There were pieces from A Sick Day For Amos McGee Illustrated by Erin Stead, One Cool Friend illustrated by David Small, Grandpa Green illustrated by Lane Smith, pieces from Extra Yarn and This is Not My Hat illustrated by Jon Klassen, and an illustration from The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkey, just to name a few. It was so cool to get to see some of the work up close and to be in the presence of artists I admire. It was such a great bonus to get to see the exhibit while I was there! It was very inspirational.

More on the topic of art, as I've been working on my picture book, I also took a wee bit of time to finally print up some little mini-comic/art homage books I've been making for a while. I think I had posted that I'd been working on some Twin Peaks related books.

Well I finally finished the first two volumes and started selling them at a few places. Currently you can find them at Scarecrow Video and soon Sonic Boom Records in Seattle. Also while I was in Chicago my husband and I traveled to comic book Mecca, Quimbys. We brought a bunch of our mini comics and they are currently for sale there as well! Call it nerdy, but it was a bit of a dream to get to go there and sell comics. It was overwhelming almost in the quantity of comics and zines that they had, I wish we had more time to spend there, but we left with a pretty nice heap of comics so it was a pretty good success.

I am thinking of adding a way to purchase drawings and my comics on my website or perhaps set up an Etsy shop. Until then though if you are interested in my mini comics or what have you, you can always just shoot me an email at: jessixag@gmail.com

As for other art related items, as if I'm not busy already, my husband Aaron and I are starting work for a joint show that we are going to have in September at Joe Bar. It will be comics related but also have original art from the comics on display. More on that to come, so stay tuned!

Okay, that is good for Part 1. Part 2 coming next!