words and language Archives - Page 12 of 12

November 27, 2009 In art, books & stuff, children's books, creativity, design, illustration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Sharing the Gift of Reading: Saxton Book Tour Happenings

Tis the season! … and there’s a lot in store for Fairy and Mermaid fans in New Jersey, New York and Arizona.

Skip the malls and head to Sussex, NJ on Saturday, November 28, for what sounds like a terrific showing of talented artists and craftspeople selling some top-quality American-made items at the Sussex Elks Lodge Arts & Crafts Holiday Fair.

The event runs all day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I’ll be there with Fairy and Mermaid books, signing special notes for unsuspecting recipients.

The Elks Club is an active supporter of both Veterans and Disabled Children. Support the good causes and join the fun at: Sussex Elks Lodge, 152 County Route 565, Sussex, NJ. For more information call: 973-875-3990

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Next, I’m excited to be heading west to Sedona for the opening of my art exhibit / book signing event at the Tlaquepaque Andrea Smith Gallery. (Read more here.) The opening reception is Friday, December 4 from 5 – 8 p.m.. I’ll also be at the gallery on Saturday, December 5 from 12 – 4 p.m. Here’s the invitation in case you’re in the vicinity, or know someone who might be.

After Sedona, I’ll make a couple appearances in New York City at the much anticipated and highly rated “Holiday Market at Union Square“. My publisher, Shenanigan Books, has a wonderful booth set up there through Christmas Eve – so if you’re going to the city, this would make a great, festive stop.

I’ll provide NYC book signing dates soon. In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview of the NYC Union Square booth. Hope to see you at one of these great events!

November 9, 2009 In art, books & stuff, children's books, creativity, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Fairies & Mermaids On The Move

We love to share the joy of reading …. and we’ve got several events lined up through December, all in time for the quickly approaching holiday season. Here’s a quick run-down of where I’ll be with A Book of Fairies, The Book of Mermaids, and the oh-so-fun Magnetic Mermaid Dress-Up Game:

Thurs., Nov. 12, Summit, NJ … 6-7:30 p.m.: Book Signing at Washington School Book Fair

Wed., Nov. 18, Summit, NJ … 7-9 p.m.: Book Signing at Jefferson School Holiday Boutique

Sat., Nov., 28, Sussex, NJ … 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Book Signing & Gifts, Sussex County Elks Art & Craft Holiday Fair

Fri. & Sat., Dec. 4 & 5: Sedona, AZ … Art Exhibit & Book Signing, Andrea Smith Gallery at Tlaquepaque

Sat. Dec. 19: NYC … Book Signing & Gifts, Holiday Market at Union Square

September 20, 2009 In books & stuff, communication, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Homage to Books and Bookstores

Some say that bookstores are on the path to extinction. Like ditto sheets and cassette tapes, and tv’s with rabbit ears. In fact, there was a column in the Boston Globe recently about a school that’s planning to discard its entire library and become solely digital.

That’s right, no books at all. (Gasp!) I could hardy believe it. I felt incensed – how dare they take the young away from real live books, the texture of the paper, turning of the pages, the holding and carrying and the lining of shelves with them.

Okay, so a textbook might not be so lovingly treated, and in some ways I might even (dare I?) agree with digitalizing some of that to alleviate not only costs but the cumbersome qualities. But surely that’s not all they teach from. What about novels and short stories and poetry?

I’m no wimp when it comes to the digital world. I adore my Macs. I’ve used them professionally since they were first introduced. They’ve made a massive difference – without the slightest doubt, for the better – in the production aspect of my work. I have enormous appreciation for the wonders of the computer. And I’m definitely on the high end when it comes to time spent and knowing one’s way around the computer. They’re essential – and I love them! I even name them for crying out loud.

But no books? That’s taking it too far.

Yesterday I was signing books at The Town Book Store in Westfield, NJ, and I have to say, it’s a really lovely shop. It’s a small, independent bookstore, but not so tiny that you can’t move around comfortably. Owner Anne Laird has done a beautiful job. It’s well lit, well designed, and truly a pleasure to walk into.

The word delicious comes to mind – the very deliciousness of its books. The Town Book Store is a yummy place with plenty for the eyes to feast upon, and like a box of chocolates, you want to try them all and have a hard time deciding which to taste first. You gaze at the colorful wrappings, you want to pick them up, touch them. You gingerly open first pages with wonder and anticipation of what new acquaintance you’ll meet inside, what new thoughts, journeys, revelations or scrumptious tidbits you’ll discover.

And being in that shop reminded me of that article I’d read about about New England’s Cushing Academy abandoning its library.

How can ebooks ever replace the marvelous textural sensation of bound and printed works? To think they even could! There’s so much more to a book than the printed word … there is the presentation, the feel, the weight, the scent. There’s the deliciousness.

Their passing would be an atrociously sad day.

PS: My daughter also made a fantastic, practical, far less romantic point: “You know, computers crash – books can’t!” …Wise words from a teen.

August 12, 2009 In communication, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Writing & Reading: Alive or Dead?

I recently got on my high horse during a conversation about the craft of writing: the debate basically being whether writing and reading are alive or dead, whether we’re becoming/nurturing a breed of illiterates who can only function in 140 characters or less, a world of tweeters and soundbites. Let’s just say the topic sparked my interest.

It’s certainly becoming obvious that peoples’ attention spans in general seem to be shrinking into tiny little boxes, needing – or only able – to hear just what’s essential in as few syllables (and often as few individual letters) as possible … and while this may be due in part to information age overload and everyone’s time being filled up the wazoo, it can still be cause for concern. Are we losing our readers and writers?

I think not (and surely hope not). Those who love to write, write – they can’t NOT write. And those who love to read, read. I don’t believe that’s gone, nor will it be in the near future. The method through which they read and write may evolve, but the art will not die. It might be something as ancient as humanity: an inner sense or desire for storytelling. Soundbites just won’t cut it in that realm; they’ll never be as satisfying as a full story.

All my life I’ve been one of those who feels a compulsion to write. But I learned early on that not everyone shares that interest, skill or passion for writing, and have personally come to terms with that being “the way it is”.

Consider this: well before the advent of tweets and twits, brief emails, or the computer itself, writing was often preempted by a phone call. Before telephones, maybe there were the full-blown multi-page letter-writers, and the postcard-sending types. So it might just be that there have always been “pockets” of those who are simply more inclined toward the written word.

Newspapers and magazines may be going out of business, the publishing world may be in flux, but there’s still a thirst for the written word across all age groups. And what’s more, I think there’s room for both tweeting and writing …as long as they don’t confuse one as the other!

August 7, 2009 In art, children's books, creativity, graphic design, illustration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

"A Book of Fairies" Book Launch!

It’s a pleasure to announce that “A Book of Fairies” is now available online and at local bookstores.

Yes, in between designing, illustrating and writing for business clients, I design, write and illustrate children’s books. You can visit the author/illustrator website at patriciasaxton.com for lots more information, some Q&As, links, and games – and the patricia saxton blog, where there are different types of thought articles on creativity, event updates, and a special Sightings page for reading about – or better yet, sharing your own – experiences with the fairy realm!

Note: Patricia will be signing books on September 12 at Princeton, NJ’s Children’s Book Festival, and September 19 at The Town Book Store in Westfield, NJ.

June 17, 2009 In art, children's books, creativity, graphic design, illustration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Saxton's "A Book of Fairies" Receives Reviewer Praise

available for pre-order on amazon.com

From Midwest Book Review:

A Book of Fairies is a fantastic children’s picturebook that presents a fascinating listing of imaginary facts about imaginary creatures. From the nature of Fairyland, to finding fairies, the tasks of fairies, fairy secrets and language, fairy medicine, and more, A Book of Fairies is a fun source of mystical speculation. The beautiful color illustrations perfectly complement the thoughtful text. A Book of Fairies is sure to bring joy not only to young readers, but also to adults who still believe in fairies!

“Of all the earth fairies, flower fairies are around us the most. Flower fairies are the ones skipping through the ivy, or tending your vegetable patch – yet they can be awfully hard to spot. They make their clothing from leaves and colorful flower petals, so they blend right into the gardens where they play.”

June 15, 2009 In communication, marketing, presentation, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Tangled Messages

Mixed messages are rampant, and their effect is usually one of two things: confusion or fear. Both of which can lead to a state of suspended inaction. What are people to think these days? A little clarity please, would be nice, if not wise.

The jumble of words and images slung at people day after day begins to resemble a garden overgrown with weeds. Hopefully, most folks can clear away the tangled messaging and find some sense among the vines. Something that is what it is, and means what it means.

Here are a few tangled messages that come to mind:

There’s nothing to fear, but if we don’t fix this problem there could be disastrous effects.

My door is always open, just please call first and not between 8-4 or 5-9.

This new drug will cure your disease, but it may kill you.

Isn’t it fabulous? There are now 2545 channels on tv and you can watch them all day everyday, even all at once!

And then, perhaps thankfully, some mixed messages elicit humor. (What were they thinking?) Unfortunately, they still have the fear/confusion factor in play. (Apologies to Mr. Rothenberg, but one must admit this image hardly elicits optimism.)

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I like a good riddle as much as the next person, but if it’s not meant to be a riddle, please don’t go there! A little extra thought is well worth the investment of time, especially if it avoids a tangled mixed-up message.

June 8, 2009 In art, creativity, graphic design, typography, words and language By Patricia Saxton

The iPhone and Fun with Type

While adding some weblogs to my blogroll, I came across one called Huge Type. I was intrigued. You can’t consider yourself a serious designer without some form of adoration for typography. Clicking on the site, I found it was an experiment / experience kind of thing. Further intrigued me.

Then I saw that this project / experiment incorporated the iPhone. (There again, who doesn’t love the iPhone?) And I thought, what a great, entertaining way to direct people’s attention to the sheer volume of outstanding typography – and its fantastic craftsmanship – that surrounds us daily, to the point of viewer non-chalance.

We see type so often – on magazines, buses, billboards, our computers, our books – we use it to write with, design with, read with – that typefaces run great risk of being taken for granted. They’re just “there”, they show up, they look good or bad.

Alot of people aren’t all that aware of the important role played by type. But it is an amazingly important, critical part of any visual layout. One word can evoke entirely different feelings based on what font is used to say it. That’s pretty powerful.

So, while I’m at it, kudos to all the font designers out there, who painstakingly render their works of typographical art. Thank you to the type design greats of history, and the modern font artists who carry on a strong tradition of skilled mastery.

Well I got off on a bit of a tangent there – but well worth it, if it reminds people of the expressiveness possible through the use of type and a gathers a little appreciation for the unsung heros of typography. (We all know of Leonardo DaVinci and Frank Lloyd Wright, but how many know Giambattista Bodoni?)

So, take a look at this site if you’re interested in combining the iPhone and a little fun with type. You may start seeing letters and words in a whole new way. http://www.hugetype.com/

January 9, 2009 In words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Matter of Words

I love words. Written words. Not everyone has this kind of voracious appetite for words, and I understand that a lot of people would rather talk, or hear words, than read or write them. Maybe it comes with breeding, or DNA. But for those of us who love writing, it’s like breathing; you feel compelled to do it.

As a child, if I wasn’t drawing, I was writing. That pretty much still holds true. I love to write … letters, stories, poems, thoughts – all of it. I love the possibilities offered up with each new ripple of intermingling letters. I like the rhythm and the play of sounds that create a sentence. I love how words flow on a page, how they fall or jump, dance or hum, whisper or smack. I like how they all come together to make sense of something.

I also like that there are thousands of words available to pick from. And I like games where you find as many words as you can from one larger word. I like making words in scrabble. Words are fun.

But I also have a deep respect for words. Spoken or written, they are reflections of thought capable of moving people to personal greatness or ruin, to love, or even war. They can calm, or outright bore. They can repulse or inspire. In a split second, the words we choose to use can hurt just as easily as heal.

Some may argue that words are just talk; words are insignificant. That actions speak louder, I do agree. And true enough, not every word uttered will have the impact to captivate, bring laughter round the world or poison a soul. But I believe that even our everyday language carries far more weight and influence than we realize.

It’s important to be careful with our words; to be mindful of what we say. Maybe to “watch your mouth” as your mother might have said. To take even just a moment before speaking to check the thought.

Whether you love words or not, the world would do well with more respect for the power words can hold.

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