Minnesota SCBWI 2011 Winter Field Trip Recap

Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody! For those of you who shied away from this past weekend’s Minnesota SCBWI Winter Field Trip because you were wary of our new experiment, rest assured: it wasn’t a complete disaster! Only one person got lost in the conservatory (me), and we met some new members. For a first try, the turnout wasn’t bad at all!

Needless to say, it was fantastic to see so much greenery this time of year, not to mention feel warm all the way through for the first time in months! Como Park Conservatory is now my favorite place to visit during these cold MN winters. It’s prime real estate for drawing, scoping out a few animals, and people-watching.

Read a very nice recap of the event from attendee and new member Scott Spinks. Thanks to all the enthusiastic artists who joined us for a lovely time! I’m sure we’ll be doing this again next year!

Minnesota SCBWI 2011 Winter Field Trip

Come in from the cold and join the Minnesota SCBWI for our first annual winter field trip!

Stop and Smell the Flowers
Date: Saturday, February 12, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Place: Como Park Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Drive, Saint Paul, MN 55103
Fee: Free ($2 donation to the Conservatory is suggested.)

Feeling a little uninspired by Minnesota’s dark and dreary winter?  Grab your sketchbooks, journals, paints, and pencils for a few hours respite with the vibrant hues of Como Park Conservatory’s blooming oasis. All ages and disciplines are welcome to attend. This event is bound to be refreshing!

Minnesota SCBWI 2010 Summer Field Trip Recap

I’m finally back to blogging! After an extended stint in Hermit Mode, I met some important book deadlines and can finally ease up slightly and enjoy the summer!

Fortunately, it hasn’t been all stress and lack of sleep.  On July 10, the Minnesota SCBWI held its annual Summer Field Trip.  By popular demand, we held it at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley. It was nice to see some of the grounds, chit-chat with several of our members, and meet some new folks while sketching the animals.  I wish we could have stayed longer since the weather was so beautiful that day.  Here are a few of the drawings I did in my sketchbook:

Be sure to check out Steve Thomason’s sketches from the day, too. Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun!

Minnesota SCBWI 2010 Summer Field Trip Announced

Back by popular demand: The Minnesota SCBWI Field Trip to the Zoo!

Zoo Day 2010
Date: Saturday, July 10th, 2010
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Place: The Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley, MN 55124
Fee: $16, Parking: $5

Everyone is welcome to attend. Pack a lunch, your art or writing supplies, and some sunscreen! We’re going to spend the day gathering inspiration from the various creatures and activities that the Minnesota Zoo has to offer. Sketch, paint, write a children’s poem, come up with a new character or story idea, or practice a creative technique… Go WILD with your imagination!

Meet at the Main Entrance at 10 a.m. We will share our work and do some brainstorming when we meet for lunch at the Grizzly Coast Café at 1 p.m. (Visit this interactive map for details.) This is a great chance to mingle with some of your fellow Minnesota SCBWI members!

Download a copy of the flyer for more information. See you there!

Minnesota SCBWI Field Trip Recap

I love the Minnesota SCBWI field trips to the Como Park Zoo! The people are always great, the weather is fabulous, and there is lots of time to sketch and enjoy the animals. Folks get to meet each other in a more informal setting and have tons of fun in the process. The trip this past Saturday continued to uphold this awesome tradition, and I can hardly wait until next year!

In addition to capturing images of the animals, it's also fun to study artists outside their native studio habitats:

The turn-out this year was the best it’s ever been, so thanks to everyone who made it out for the fun (we're sorry that some of you had to leave before lunch!). We hope to see you all again next year!