Friends,
Today I’d like to share two exciting pieces of news with you:
I’m offering an illustration portfolio critique & AMA in partnership with Books for Palestine
The Books for Palestine auction is open through this Saturday, November 11, and funds will be donated directly by the auction winners to their choice of three organizations, chosen in consultation with Palestinian organizers and activists: Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Adalah Justice Project, Palestine Writes Literature Festival.
If you have any illustrator friends or illustration-curious folks in your circle, please feel free to share this auction with them! For other creatives in the book community: there are plenty of other items available in this auction, like manuscript reviews, query critiques, and book bundles.
Poet and activist June Jordan wrote:
Believing that you can do something
to make things better, you do
something, rather than nothing.
You assume responsibility for the
privilege of your abilities.
You do whatever you can.
Participating in this auction is my way of doing that “something.”
And in other news, I was interviewed by illustrator & writer Carolyn Yoo! 🎙️
I got to meet Carolyn this past summer at Milkwood, a creative retreat for the children’s book community. When she came by to say hello, I felt a calm wave of warmth and relief, which reminded me of my first day of second grade, when a kind classmate came up to introduce herself to the shy new kid. 🙋🏻
I am very grateful to people like Carolyn who radiate peaceful energy and generously share that energy with others. You can definitely see this in her artwork too, which you can check out here.
Soul spark ✨
What’s been inspiring me lately
Last weekend, I got to hear Anatolian musician Ali Doğan Gönültaş perform live at Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon. Of course, I wept. I hope you enjoy his beautiful work too.
Waving to you with my paintbrush,
Haruka