The New Year, the Poster and "Ysabel".

I am very pleased to start the new year with a very cool commission from the lovely folks at the Canadian Children's Book Centre. A poster to be designed to promote this years Canadian Children's Book Week author and illustrator tours. This is a special year as it is the thirtieth anniversary of these tours. The theme is "The Magic of Books", which is an inspiring brief to say the least. The photo shows me with the first stage of the composition for the poster, an inviting landscape with an "archway" of trees. I am now populating the image with faeries, a dragon or two, one small lad named Dennis, one Lion and a lampost, etc. I hope to post the completed image at the end of February.
My good pal and fellow punster Guy Gavriel Kay has a fabulous new novel out called "Ysabel". The Globe and Mail called it an "instant national bestseller". I read the book before Christmas and was so taken with it that I wrote some pieces of music that I am in the process of recording at Rahlen Sullaphen's home studio. "The Wild Hunt" from "Bright Weaving" is in use at the top of www.ysabel.ca , and I have to say it seems to be a perfect fit. One of the new pieces called "Awakening's" will, I hope, find it's way onto the "Ysabel" site soon. Alyssa Wright recorded her cello part yesterday, and Rahlen will add his sonorous bass lines and then we shall mix the tune. The photo above shows Rahlen and myself in mid flight on a tune from last year's "Words and Music" concert.