Sunday, April 22, 2012

Conference weekend=awesome

Phew! My first annual Western Washington SCBWI conference was great! I'll keep my synopsis short because I have a lot of drawing to get to already- but it was packed. These conferences have been so inspiring and encouraging that I feel like I'll always be able to take away something awesome from them. So here are my top five highlights from this weekend:

5) Keynote speakers Bruce Hale's inspirational speech about never giving up and pushing yourself harder-culminating with him singing a variation on Desiree's song "You Gotta Be."

4) Melissa Sweet discussing her process of making picture books and seeing footage of her gorgeous studio space-I wonder if she would notice if I moved in?

3) Totally unexpectedly getting 1st runner up for my portfolio is the juried portfolio show! What the hell?! I was so stoked, especially after my very disappointing portfolio presentation at the L.A. conference last summer and my artistic evisceration by E.B. Lewis.

2) My über encouraging and complimentary art consultation with the incomparable Lisa Ruth Cummins, art director at Simon and Schuster- for whom I now have a humongous art girl crush on. I can't French braid hair but I think I could still be a great BFF if she's ever in the market for one.

1) Leaving feeling like I can really do this.

So all in all, confidence building, inspirational and motivating. If you ever get a chance to go to one of these conferences, it will be the wisest weekend you ever have. So enough blogging for one night! I'm off to draw and start again tomorrow, even more ready to kick my own ass.

4 comments:

Jessixa Bagley said...

By the way, I'm such a nerd, I put this award up on my fridge when I got home. Yes I did.

Liz Wong said...

I didn't get a chance to talk to you at the conference, but I wanted to tell you how much I loved your portfolio. Super adorable. Also, you are not a nerd; I am going to frame mine and stare at it every day.

Sue Dennen said...

How great! Congratulations!!

Jessixa Bagley said...

Thanks so much! And Liz- congrats to you!!! I LOVED your work so much. It was one of my absolute favorites of the show! It is so fun and quirky. SO much character and your technique is just lovely!