Elly MacKay's Blog

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Red Sky at Night comes out May 1, 2018. This book is for cloud watchers, adventure seekers, tea drinkers and nature lovers. If you would like a copy, you can order one from your local bookstore or online here at Amazon or Indigo. I hope you will enjoy it. It is a Junior Library Guild Selection.

I finally joined Instagram. You can get a peek inside the book there. Elly.mackay

Happy spring! -Elly

PS – I will be speaking this weekend at SCBWI CANADA EAST, sharing the process of illustrating  picture books. Here is a link to the event. Hope you can come!

The Art of Story 2018

Date/Time

Date(s) – 04/27/2018 – 04/29/2018

8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Location

Albert at Bay Suite Hotel

435 Albert St. – Ottawa, ON K1R 7X4

PSS – I am going to PEI from May 5-12th for TD Children’s Book Week. I will be travelling from one end of the island to the other, visiting schools and libraries along the way. Get ready for lots of photos!

 

 

What a wonderful evening! Last Thursday was the launch of Waltz of the Snowflakes and the opening of my show in Elora. I am so thankful to Bear Epp for all the work she put into the show. There were many people helping out. Thanks Micaela, Shelly, Fraser, Mike and Jen at the Elora Centre for the Arts.

That night, I took some shadow portraits. If you are one of the shadow people here, let me know and I’ll send you the image. Ellymackay@gmail.com

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Here is a pano of the show and a few others:

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My dad, Steve Irvine took this last one for me. I am so thankful for all of the support the community in Elora gave this show but also to my family who made the drive (or looked after my kids while I prepared- Joan Irvine) and at home, put up with my mess for the last couple weeks! (Love you Simon, Lil and Ko) ❤

Show runs until November 12th, 2017. You can go and take your own shadow portrait or pick up a copy of Waltz of the Snowflakes! I think we’ll be seeing some snow pretty soon.

 

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Waltz of the Snowflakes comes out in just a few days! I will be having the launch at The Elora Center for the Arts, along with a solo exhibition. Oct. 12 – Nov. 12, 2017.

OPENING/BOOK PARTY: Oct. 12, 7-9pm

Need a holiday book? Waltz of the Snowflakes can be found online or at your local independent book store via Indiebound 

*Junior Library Guild Selection

From School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW):

MACKAY, Elly. Waltz of the Snowflakes. illus. by Elly MacKay. 32p. Running Pr. Oct. 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780762453382.

PreS-Gr 3 –This wordless picture book opens with Christmas just days away, but the only sign of holiday cheer is Gran’s holly leaf print dress and her excitement at having tickets to The Nutcracker. Granddaughter is far less enthused at having to venture out into the cold wet night and walk to the theater wearing fancy clothes (except for the high-tops on her feet—a nice touch). The situation is not improved when the boy who teases her in the lobby ends up sitting next to her. But then wisps of color come from the orchestra. The act one scene where Clara receives a nutcracker prince from Uncle Drosselmeyer vibrantly leaps from the page, and both boy and girl are enthralled by the music and the action. Bright backlighting makes MacKay’s paper-cut artwork look tangible, as if readers could peel the figures from the book and bring them to life. The absence of text allows the expressive illustrations to tell a multilayered story: the granddaughter’s progress from sullen reluctance to joy, her and the boy’s relationship of initial animosity to friendship, and, of course, the ballet’s plot. Even the title serves dual purposes as a nod to a movement in the show and the spontaneous dance between grandmother and granddaughter through the gently falling snow at the end. VERDICT Theatrical, magical, and very much of the season as seeing The Nutcracker itself.–Joanna Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

From Kirkus (STARRED REVIEW):

 The Nutcracker casts its enchantment in this wordless picture book. (…) Graphic panels are the perfect presentation format for a favorite ballet. (Picture book. 4-7)


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 A little peek, and a few more.
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I’ll have an update on the exhibition soon. It is a show that is travelling from the LCVA in Virginia.
For now, here is the invite. If you are in the Elora area, I hope you will check it out! It has my dioramas, photographs, shadow works and process work from my books.

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NOTE:
If you are able to come, I’ll be capturing shadows at the opening.

Maya – South Asia Book Award Winner!

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Maya (Owlkids, 2016) is the winner for Gr. 5 and under. The other award book, presented for grades 6 and under up, is “What Elephants Know” by Eric Dinerstein (Disney-Hyperion Books, 2016). It is such an honour. Mahak Jain and I will be attending the SABA ceremony this October in Michigan and plan on doing some school visits.

Waltz of the Snowflakes  – Preorder

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You can now preorder my next book, Waltz of the Snowflakes!

A Most Magical Girl – Readings Children’s Fiction Book Prize winner 2017

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Such wonderful news for Karen Foxlee! I’m so happy to be connected to this book. I did the cover art and interior illustrations.

Here is a link for information on the book and award.

 

 

 

 

Proofs for Red Sky At Night!

This spring I have been working on a book that uses old weather folklore to tell the story of a grandpa and his grandchildren taking a camping trip. It will be published by Tundra next spring. I have been working with the same people that I worked on the Anne of Green Gables series with, Tara Walker and Kelly Hill. ❤

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Mama Mourning Dove and our new pal Griffin

She is sitting on her second round of eggs! The chicks are often in the garden. I love having her here on the balcony from my studio. Even better… we got a puppy! We are all so in love with Griffin.

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Wishing everyone a wonderful summer! ~Elly

Maya – South Asia Book Award Winner!

[image error]

Maya (Owlkids, 2016) is the winner for Gr. 5 and under. The other award book, presented for grades 6 and under up, is “What Elephants Know” by Eric Dinerstein (Disney-Hyperion Books, 2016). It is such an honour. Mahak Jain and I will be attending the SABA ceremony this October in Michigan and plan on doing some school visits.

Waltz of the Snowflakes  – Preorder

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You can now preorder my next book, Waltz of the Snowflakes!

A Most Magical Girl – Readings Children’s Fiction Book Prize winner 2017

[image error]

Such wonderful news for Karen Foxlee! I’m so happy to be connected to this book. I did the cover art and interior illustrations.

Here is a link for information on the book and award.

 

 

 

 

Proofs for Red Sky At Night!

This spring I have been working on a book that uses old weather folklore to tell the story of a grandpa and his grandchildren taking a camping trip. It will be published by Tundra next spring. I have been working with the same people that I worked on the Anne of Green Gables series with, Tara Walker and Kelly Hill. ❤

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Mama Mourning Dove and our new pal Griffin

She is sitting on her second round of eggs! The chicks are often in the garden. I love having her here on the balcony from my studio. Even better… we got a puppy! We are all so in love with Griffin.

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Wishing everyone a wonderful summer! ~Elly

The past few months I have been working on a book called Waltz of the Snowflakes. It will be out in Fall, 2017 with Running Press. Thought you might like a peek! I will tell you more about the book closer to the pub. date. For now, I’ll show you something sort of fun… I hid my family on one of the pages. Here are the grandparents (both sets), my husband and kids, and my brother and his wife.

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Another fun thing to make – CANDY. Here is a glimpse of the theatre I made for the book, filled with dancers, chocolate and candy swirls.

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Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! Let it snow! xo Elly

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Look at the beautiful (and TINY) nursery Whitney Leigh Morris (of The Tiny Canal Cottage) created. Recognize the art?

Last night I had some off cuts… isosceles triangles. So, I made some more triangles. The kids enjoyed playing with them and so did I. I actually got a little obsessed with arranging and rearranging them. I quite like when rigid, geometry is interrupted. I also found they look nice when softened by light. Hope you like them too:

Lily made a great one.. a bird!

I hope you are enjoying some great time with your families this summer too. ~Elly

Happy Book Birthday to A Most Magical Girl

by Karen Foxlee  ~ August 2, 2016! (Alfred. A. Knopf)

“Karen Foxlee takes readers on an extraordinary journey from the depths of a secret world beneath city streets to the starry skies above London rooftops – a world where magic can be seen in puddles and teacups and heart lights lead the way home.” (jacket)

★ “Clever” – Booklist, starred

★ “Elegant and accessible.” – Publishers Weekly, starred (Best Book of the Year)

★ ” Deliciously complex and convincingly detailed.” – Kirkus, starred 

I was so excited to work on the cover and interior illustrations for this book. Here is the cover and one of the interiors.

Congrats Karen! It is an enchanting read.

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The Mazza Museum

I was so honoured to present at the Mazza Museum: International Art from Picture Books summer conference this July.  The museum holds a collection of over 11,000 original pieces of picture book art. They even have a gallery dedicated to paper engineering! I found some of my favourites… Frog and Toad, Max drawings from Where the Wild Things Are, plasticine art from Barbara Reid and the moiré art from Gallop. (If you are curious about the hand – they cast our hands! How cool?!)

It is rare that so many kindred spirits are in one place at one time. I loved learning from all of you talented authors and illustrators! My kids are enjoying your books so much! These were the presenters this year –Mazza Summer 2016. Some personal highlights from the talks I took in: Mary Louise Gay explaining the “Show and Tell” of picture books; Lizzy Rockwell talking about how picture books can bring about social well being, Lita Judge’s inspiring story of growing up in the wilderness and how it has influenced her books, Steve Light’s pen collection (really!), and Randall de Seve’s thoughts on the power of picture books and how they influence us later in life. It is an inspiring week. I felt so lucky to be a part of it. I’ve never given a talk to such a large crowd but it was far less daunting than I expected – thanks to the warm welcome. Benjamin E. Sapp, Kerry Teeple, Dan Chudzinski, Matt Bower, the staff and the volunteers at the Mazza you are amazing!

 

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Other News

The CBC suggests Butterfly Park for a great summer read! CBC Summer Reading

The Kirkus Canadian Edition features Maya!

Teachers, I’ve updated the activities you can find for my books: Activities

We held a Beach Baby book party at the beach. So happy to finally met you Laurie Elmquist!

The Eden Mills Writer’s Festival is coming up . If you are there, come by and say hello! I’ll be presenting on the 18th of September.

And the Virginia Children’s Book Festival is on from October 13-15!

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It is so good to be home. Here are my little swimmers (photos by their grandfather, Steve Irvine). Enjoy your summer my friends! ~Elly

Phew… back from travels and enjoying refreshing Georgian Bay with family. It has been just about the busiest month I’ve ever had and while fun, it is SO good to be home with my kiddos. I am going to break this up into 2 posts. One on the LCVA and one on the Mazza.

On July 3rd Simon and I took the kids to their Grandparent’s place and headed to Virginia to set up my exhibition at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. The exhibition is called Chasing Shadows (July-November, 2016). We spent a week with some of the nicest people. I am so happy to have met the staff and friends of the LCVA. It is in Farmville, a town between Richmond and Charlottesville. I was so impressed… everyday people were in and out of the gallery going to classes and peeking in as we set up. It is a thriving, well loved, well used center. In October I will be back when Farmville hosts the Virginia Children’s Book Festival. I will be holding my workshops right in the gallery. We’ll be playing with paper, light and shadow. The festival is going to be AMAZING: http://vachildrensbookfestival.com/

The installation in the front window gallery was quite the challenge. I have never worked larger than about 3ft by 3ft and the window had to be 2 sided so it could be viewed outside from the street but also inside from the gallery space. The final piece is 33ft by 10 ft and is 3 ft deep. I learned so much from doing this and would likely do something completely different if I had the chance now but I like the way the room feels in the morning light and how it glows at night from outside. Here is a little animation of the set up.  So much Yupo paper and all inked and cut by hand! You can see lighting a space like this is tricky.

Here is BETTER view of the install… a time lapse. I am so thankful that Yupo sponsored the show by supplying the paper… that is a lot of paper! (Thanks Bill and Kevin!) I made all the coral, rocks, fish and squid at my studio and brought them with me. I even had a shark in my suitcase.