Cherry Blossom Festival Show

So yes, the Cherry Blossom folks will be showing the poster contest entries during the festival. They will be on exhibit from March 18-April 1 at the Art Institute of Washington' Gallery in Arlington, Virginia. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, March 18th from 11 am to 1 pm. I am very excited that my work will be on exhibit. This also gives me an excuse to go to DC in the spring. I've missed the wonderful show of tulips around the mall and the daffodils on the P street beach.

Marketing

I'm starting to address hundreds of fall promotional postcards to send to publishers, card companies, graphic designers and others. It is part of the marketing plan I have set in place for myself. This is the first year of my business and I set a goal to do one-three mailings this year. This one will be number two. The first one didn't get me any work and I don't suppose this one will either. However, it makes me feel that I am not a hobbyist and allows me to get my name and images seen. Perhaps someone of the hundreds of people will set up an "Anna J. Boll" file somewhere or stick my postcard on their bulletin board. Then some editor will walk by and say, "Hey, who is that illustrator. I have a book that she'd be perfect for." Well...you never know.

Year two goal is three mailings and possibly paying for a source book ad in Picture Book . Only if the postcards get me some work though.

First frost

Frost was on the ground this morning and I failed to pick my great basil crop. I had planned to freeze cubes of pesto but I think I missed my chance. Our spring this year was non-existant. Winter and mud lingered and then suddenly it was the end of June and hot. Now it seems that fall will be a literal wash out. We got pummeled with rain and now the frost is on the pumpkins. The leaves are still on the trees though and many are still unchanged. They have been fooled by rainy warmth.

I heard from the National Cherry Blossom Poster contest. I did not win, but they are hoping to create an exhibit of the 70 entries in a gallery during the festival next spring. That would be great.

Highlights is considering a few of my poems right now and I hope to hear from them soon. I need to finish up DC for Me and submit it to Charlesbridge. Preschool Jumble is simultaneously submitted. I don't know if I'll hear anything anytime soon.

The big talk in my family is about the trip we are going to make to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. I can hardly believe we are talking about November. Where did the year go?

We did it!

I am looking at the evaluation forms for the Fall Folio Feast and smiling.
"Very classy event."
"Excellent [art] quite a variety."
[Enjoyed],"the atmosphere, the speaker, the food too!"
"Great to meet other illustrators and talk about the business."
"Very friendly, informal, professional atmosphere."
"Food was lovely."
[Enjoyed]" meeting illustrators and buyers."
"Terrific [art] very high quality."

I am so pleased. It was so satisfying to look around yesterday and see what I had envisioned and worked for so many months become a reality. The abstract thought/idea/concept becoming concrete.

The event spurred interest in the organization and, I think that through word of mouth, we will grow. The art buyers were impressed by what we had to offer. I hope they too will spread the word. Perhaps when they are looking for someone to hire, they will come to our website first.