Just before we moved (and when things were already migrating into boxes) I received copies of award-winning Canadian illustrator and artist Eric Orchard's delightful new series which contained the adventures of two cloud dwellers, Harry (a bear) and Silvio (a raccoon) and their unexpected guests, the intrepid Maddy Kettle who arrives in a flying boat and the dangerous Goblin Gang who have been pursuing Maddy. And there are other flying boat adventurers in the series such as Memphis Lemon Finch, his sidekick Stink Bat and the mysterious Thimble Witch who wears a fantastic beak mask. The whimsical tales are charming (for adult and younger readers) and the pen and ink drawings are so expressive and captivating that Eric won a Silver Award for this year's Spectrum 17, a yearly juried publication featuring the best in contemporary fantastic art.
I follow Eric on facebook and I enjoy reading his frequent updates that chronicle note only his work, but his life as a father and an artist. It has reminded me, especially after my recent post on the film Who Does She Think She Is?, that these days there are many artist-fathers working just as hard to juggle parenting, nurturing, and creative work. In Eric's many updates along with quick posts about his process and his sketches, one can also read of the usual exhaustion, the acts of negotiating distractions just to have a few more moments of work, and the needs of a sick child that obliterates all other schedules and deadlines. But there is also the fun of slowing everything down and just enjoying the long afternoon, sitting on the floor and playing before starting work again. It reminds us that making art and having children are not mutually exclusive enterprises.
Do stop by Eric's website and have a look at his beautiful color illustrations as well as his comics and his blog to follow up on his many new projects (including art for Jeff and Ann Vandermeer's new Steampunk Reloaded anthology and a tarot card for Super Punch's new exhibit of tarot cards produced by a wide variety of artists -- an amazing project by the way). You can become a fan of The Adventures of the Flying Boat on facebook and keep up on all the new sketches, stories, characters, and finished pieces. And...you can purchase the mini-comics here.
