I’ve been paging through a lot of my old sketchbooks lately (a sure sign that my wanderlust is flaring up—though this time there’s simply nothing to be done about it), and I keep finding myself drawn (no pun intended) to quiet moments and peaceful, solitary scenes. I’m sure that’s not an accident…but no matter. Whatever… More
Speaking of sunny SoCal islands, on my last book research trip I finally got to cross a big line item off my national parks bucket list: Channel Islands National Park. I made this sketch at Inspiration Point (I really should do a post sometime about all the Inspiron Points in the various national parks…there are… More
One of the things I’ve been doing in my little metaphorical lighthouse lately is dream of sunny shores and road trips past. And my favorite place to remember right now is Santa Catalina Island—26 miles off the coast of southern California—which I visited a few years ago while researching my book. The centerpiece of Avalon,… More
I wish I could remember where, but long ago I read some author’s opinion that lighthouses were mankind’s greatest invention, because they were entirely selfless in nature. That thought has stuck with me all these years, and it pops into my head every time I draw a lighthouse. The memory has occurred to me again… More
Greetings from the [Quarantined] Coast! Hoping this finds you safe and well, and staying home to help “flatten the curve” of the virus that is suddenly everywhere at once. Here in Washington we’re sheltering in place—and as fate would have it, today I am celebrating (from home) the release date of my newest book! Greetings… More
Today is the “book birthday” of The Best Coast: A Road Trip Atlas! After nearly three years of work and a solid decade of research, I can’t believe this day is here. I am so excited to share this labor of love with you, and I hope you’ll love it, too. With 99 hand-drawn maps,… More
On my last big book research trip up the West Coast, I finally had the chance to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Of course, it was everything it was hyped up to be and more—I loved watching the sea otters at feeding time, being mesmerized by the jellyfish exhibits, even learning about the building’s past… More
Just over a year ago, the Tailor and I met a couple of good friends for a long weekend on the Oregon Coast. Our friends live in San Francisco, so Lincoln City was almost exactly the midpoint between us. And besides, we had an ulterior motive: we wanted to search the beaches for hidden treasure…. More
Towards the end of the design process for my new book, the design team at Sasquatch Books and I were putting together all the odds and ends that make up the cover, both inside and out (you’ll find a behind-the-scenes look at the front cover on my studio blog). One of the last elements to… More
While I’ve hinted at this several times on social media, and even shown some snippets of my process along the way, mostly I’ve been sitting on my hands lately, trying my best to keep mum while I wait for time to tick by. And now the waiting is almost over, and it’s time for the… More