Solo Show at Eva G. Farris Gallery: WHERE SKETCHBOOKS MEET STORYBOOKS

 

Join me Thursday for the Gallery talk! 

The show is a mix of sketches and final art from 9 books. Most are paintings with a few giclees sprinkled in.

Image from Black Beauty

Me at the Gallery Door

Screen outside the gallery

The gallery after an 8 hour install!

Gallery Opening

Gallery Talk

Story Art Show at Art Academy of Cincinnati

 

I am so excited to be a part of this show!

Works by Regional Book Illustrators

November 14—December 12, 2025

Pearlman and McClure Galleries

Public Reception: Friday, November 14, 2025, 5—8pm

The Art Academy of Cincinnati is pleased to present Story Art, a group exhibition featuring picture book illustrators from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

About the exhibition: This exhibition celebrates the breadth and variety of talented book illustrators in our region, featuring illustrations made with traditional painting, digitally produced art, photography, and sculptures, as well as a display of the printed books that the illustrations are from. There will also be examples of process material, such as sketches, studies and storyboards.

Every year, Cincinnati hosts the Books by the Banks festival, bringing hundreds of accomplished regional and national authors and illustrators to the Main branch of the Cincinnati Library. Story Art will open the same weekend as the festival, and will include many authors participating in Books by the Banks. This exhibition offers students of the Art Academy and the wider community the opportunity to view the artistry and process of bringing story books to life.

Artists included in the exhibition: Erin Barker, Keturah Bobo, Tim Bowers, Jane Dippold, Jeffrey Ebbeler, David FitzSimmons, Barry Gott, Jacob Grant, Fern Haught, Will Hillenbrand, Tara Calahan King, Terri Libenson, Loren Long, Tammy Lyon, Katie Mazeika, T.L. McBeth, Wes Molebash, Debbie Palen, C.F. Payne, Merrill Rainey, Rafael Rosado, Blyth Russo, Chris Sickles, Joe Sutphin, Christina Wald, Lindsay Ward, Deann Wiley

About the curator: Jeffrey Ebbeler is a New York Times best-selling illustrator. He has illustrated and occasionally written over 60 books for young readers. His published work includes picture books, middle grade and chapter books, and graphic novels. He teaches illustration at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and is also an AAC alum.

More info: https://www.artacademy.edu/exhibitions/story-art/

HADORI STANDS UP Kickstarter

 

LAUNCHING TODAY!

Shari Lyon has decided to release the 4th book of the Read To Me Sing To Me series herself.

I had a wonderful time doing the art for HADORI STANDS UP!

Shari and I first worked together on Paw, Hoofs, and Wings, the official children's book for the San Diego Zoo Centennial.

This is a much more serious book. It is such a beautiful story. It is another book that takes place at night but the art is darker than Paw, Hoofs, and Wings. 

The story is about a hippo who stands up to protect her friends from poachers.

You can back the Kickstarter until the end of June.

Spread from HADORI STANDS UP

Sing with the animals!

There are some sketch tiers! I know I have a lot of friends who love hippos.

And I LOVE the Sticker Sheet!

Back it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sharilyonhadori/hadori-stands-up-a-childrens-book

Interview with Studio 56

I recently was interviewed by Brenda Murray with Studio 56 about children's book illustration.

Profile on Illustrator Saturday!

I was profiled on Kathy Temean's Illustrator Saturday. She asked some great questions!

Read it here: https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/illustrator-saturday-17/

The San Diego Zoo Centennial Book is Out!!!

Book Cover

The book I illustrated for the San Diego Zoo for their Centennial Celebration is out! It was an amazing project to work on and the author, Shari Lyon is wonderful.

Here are a couple spreads:

It is about a Galapagos turtle named Speed and a baby orangutan named Pongo who travel through the zoo at night reminiscing about the first animals brought there.

Here it is on display at the zoo. I hope to do a signing there soon. You can buy it here: http://shopsandiegozoo.com/collections/centennial/products/childrens-book-cd-paws-hoofs-and-wings

Surrounded by hero plushes!

Shari with a couple fans...

Whoooo Goes There! Many Paintings of Owls...

I recently did some illustrations for a book about owls. It was a very enjoyable project and I was given permission to share some of them.

There is something enjoyable about illustrating raptors, owls in particular. Perhaps the attraction is in their big luminous eyes.

The book will not be out for a long time. I will post when they are available.

Children's Book Illustration Art Show!!

Join us for the opening of the Children's Book Illustration Art Show at the Sharonville Fine Arts Center in The Westheimer Gallery on Friday October 4th from 6-8pm

Viki Woodworth, Tammie Lyon, Christina Wald, Jeffrey Ebbeler and Vanessa Sorensen will be displaying their illustrations that have been used in children’s books.

The show will be up until October 27th and each weekend there will be special events with the illustrators, including live drawings, crafts, story times, mazes and more!


RSVP on the Facebook event page:


https://www.facebook.com/events/601236876585460/


Come and bring your kids to our special events each Saturday at the gallery!


October 5th, 11 am: Tammie Lyon and Jeffrey Ebbeler will do a Live Drawing and Painting event, plus story-time!

October 12th, 11 am: Christina Wald will do a Live Drawing and Storytime event!

October 19th, 11 am: Viki Woodworth and Vanessa Sorensen will do a Jokes, Mazes and Storytime event!

Indiana Bat Festival

Close Up of Fruit Bat

Here are some images from the Indiana Bat Festival! Thanks to Laura Hohman and the Indiana State University Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation for being excellent hosts and the invitation. It was great fun!

I will have a link soon the the university photos when they are onine.



Rob Mies doing his Bat Demo with a Fruit Bat

 

Me Signing at my Table




One of the Cool Things About a University Science Department: Skull Displays!





Kenton County Library Children's Writer and Illustrator Workshop: Saturday, July 17th

Dave Richardson and I are doing a talk for writers and illustrators at Kenton County Library next Saturday.

Here is the description:

"Writer Dave Richardson and illustrator Christina Wald will lend their expertise to help those who are looking to publish work for children's books or publications. Discussions will cover topics such as writing for children's magazines, marketing your illustrations traditionally and online, and an overview of the process of illustrating a children's book from start to finish. Registration is required as space is limited."

Location: Mary Ann Mongan Library, 502 Scott Boulevard, Covington

Hope to see some of you there!

Additional information:

Anyone interested in registering for the workshops can call 859.962.4077 or email Patricia Richards at patricia.richards@kentonlibrary.org. If you are also interested in the writing portion with Dave, he is asking that they bring one page of a sample writing they have for kids.

Also, bring a portfolio if you are coming to the illustration portion.

Since the library doesn't open officially until 10, she asks everyone who registers to be here no later than 9:50-9:55, so that we can begin promptly at 10.There will someone at the front entrance of the library to let workshop attendees in ahead of time.

Blue Heron Day Celebration-March 6th

I will be up at Bath, Ohio for the Blue Heron Day Celebration! It should be a great event. There is a pancake breakfast and I will be reading Henry the Impatient Heron and drawing for the kids who attend.

More details here...

I look forward to seeing Akron! (It is my first visit.)

Little Red Bat-Anticipation

Little Red Bat is shipping the first week in March and so I am posting some of my favorite pieces from the book in anticipation of it coming out.

Above is my favorite painting from the book!

While I worked on the sketches, I visited a couple who do bat rescue and happened to have a red bat family they had rescued and released a week or so later in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. (This took a LOT of phone calls. Red Bats are hard to track down in captivity) It helped so much to see them in person and I took video of the bat moving. It completely altered the way I drew them.

As an illustrator it emphasized how important it is to see the real animal you are drawing if possible. It allows you to really see and understand.

Carole Gerber and I will have a kick off signing at Blue Marble in Ft. Thomas on April 17th from 2-4.