A Nomination for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Awards

Oh my, I've just received some really wonderful news, such uplifting and encouraging news.  I've been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Awards!  I am one of two candidates nominated from Iceland.  It's an award that honors the achievement of an author, illustrator or storyteller in children's literature from all over the world.  I could not possible be more honored.  I'm not sure I'm worthy of being in the company of such masters that have been nominated and/or received the awards.   But I sure am gonna enjoy this nomination and cherish this feeling of knowing I must be on the right track with my work.  And it's a good feeling.

Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) is without a doubt one of my heroes.  I grew up with her stories and now I love reading them for my own children.  Her characters were unique, strong, independent and fun.  But still  they were very real and dealt with real problems in their own unique and humorous ways.  And you get the feeling they were created with so much respect for children - respect for the characters and the readers.  Her stories will live forever.  

I couldn't resist using this image I found of Astrid Lindgren :)

If you want to learn more about the brilliant Astrid Lindgren, click here.  And if you haven't read anything by her, please, please, check out Pippi Longstocking, Emil of Lönneberga, Ronia the Robber's Daughter and The Brothers Lionheart just to name a few.  

Monster Train (Illustrakids)- Maurice Sendak Tribute Show

I was invited to participate in a show in Italy in honor of the late, great illustrator legend Maurice Sendak.  It's an honor to take part in a show that celebrates the author and illustrator I most admire.  70 illustrators from around the world have pieces in the show which is held at a beautiful little town  in Sardinia.  I used some collage in this piece, but wanted to keep the graphite effect I got with my pencil, so I painted it digitally.    My fellow Icelandic Illustrator hero, Erla María also has a piece in the show, you can see her awesome monster illustration here.  To find out more about the Monster Train exhibit, press here ( it would however be very helpful if you spoke Italian ;)   

Painting and preparing for Summer

I've said it before, but every time I get the opportunity to do a city-scape painting, I jump to the chance.  My husbands sister got married earlier this month and the family gave her and her hubby this painting.  I especially love doing a painting for someone I know and I really enjoyed making this one here called "Samferða", guess I'd translate it in English as "Together" which I think fits pretty well for the occasion. 

- Samferða -

This Winter was a bit too long for my taste.  I've thought like a million times since March that Summer was just around the corner.  Well, it never was....till now!  ...I think.  I was just browsing through some photos from last Summer, just to prepare myself for what is about to come, like;

...biking...

...hiking...

...hiking with chardonnay and mittens...

...kayaking...

...drawing...

...waking up in a tent...

 ...and of course jumping (I'm really the worst jumper).

A Boy and a Penguin

The other day I just wanted to play with drawing one character in a little series.  So this little fellow and his penguin friend were born.  I think I already like this little boy's company, so you might very well see him again :)

Town Festival Stamps Released

Twice in just two weeks I've had a really good reason to rush to the Post Office.  Yesterday the Iceland Post released the 2013 Town Festival Stamp series.  I couldn't be happier with how they turned out.  You can order them right here.

So forget about emails and start writing letters!

2013 - Town Festivals

Happy weekend!

Thumbelina and Website Update!

It took me literally two minutes to race to the post office after I'd opened (torn up) the envelope from the Post saying I had a delivery there from Sterling Publishing.  Inside that little brown box were the first copies of Thumbelina!  

As you can see, I was in such a hurry to open that box that the photo is not even in focus.

And inside that box were ten copies of...tada....

Oh, I won't lie, it's a real good feeling to hold this in your hands.  I told a friend it's kind of like having a baby, cause after the months of carrying it, thinking about it, worrying about it, putting all your energy to it; it's here, your creation!  And you are darn pleased with it. 

...ok, it's nothing like having a baby, but still, I said that to my friend.  But I caught myself sneaking the book in  my bag when I left the house in case I met someone I knew and would casually drag it out of my purse "...well what do we have here, a book?!"

Here are two spreads from Thumbelina I haven't shared before.

Website Update

In other news, I've just updated my website; www.lindaolafsdottir.com!  My brilliant web-designing-developing-programming husband (whom I've been married to for eight years today!) put it all together for me.  I'm so lucky he's so brilliant at this and that he's willing to spend all the many hours and nights making it just the way I wan't it to be (although I'm not always sure how I wan't it to be).  He also made a mobile and tablet responsive versions of the website so it should be easier to browse through it on those devices.  I kept the same illustrative look I had before but changed the categories and added a whole bunch of new images. 

I'd love it you took a minute to check it out :)

Below are the illustrations I did for the new categories:

Patterns

Paintings

Stamps

Website Update

Love,

Linda 

Pretty things

This week - no art work, just the beauty of the tings around me.  

Akureyri greeted us beautifully when we went there skiing in February.

 Lára (right) and her cousin Bríet (left) didn't quite have the energy to ski all day, 

but they sure had a lot of energy at the cafe in downtown Akureyri.

Lára visits this statue every time we go for a walk at my parents summer house.  We found it in the field around someones cottage. Wonder how it ended up there.

We biked all around Reykjavík in the glorious Spring weather during Easter.

Slippurinn

My bike.  I love it.

My city.  I love it.

Look how happy I am, I found a swing I fit into!

Relaxing at a café. 

Proud to call this gentleman my hubby for almost 8 years and boyfriend for almost 19 years

(gheez, we sound old).

Coffee is definitely the second best thing to drink after a bike ride.

Easter Sunday morning starts with chocolate as always.

Here's Dagur with his 'egg'.  

And Lára with her 'egg'.

Oh, and here it is; the crochet bed sheet I made for Lára.  

I shamelessly brag about it like constantly.

 Hope you are having a lovely Spring wherever you are.