The original Saxton mug. Best mug ever.

Thirty-three years. Practically vintage. Possibly even fossil material. (yikes – let’s stick with “it’s a good long time”.) But maybe thirty-three years in business is worth something. A pat on the back. An acknowledgment. A bit of reflection. So here goes.

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January, 1985. Think Madonna, Whitney, Aretha, Sting. Think “Back to The Future”, “The Breakfast Club”, “The Color Purple” and “Out of Africa”. Think Keith Haring and Jean-Michael Basquiat. Think dance clubs. Think big hair and huge earrings and shoulder pads, leggings and high-tops and high-waisted pants.

And a young woman at a drawing table dreaming big dreams. Conjuring. Plotting.

So it was that Saxton Illustration & Design began in a small apartment in Chatham, NJ with a spark of an idea, a sweep of unexpected boldness, a love for freedom and a sack full of creativity (and some clients in her pocket; she wasn’t entirely reckless). It’s traveled far since then.

Countless designs for boatloads of clientele, hundreds of drawings and hundreds of pencils, pens and tubes of paint, miles of paper, an intimacy with tight deadlines and working round the clock, branding and more branding, words and more words, an endless array of pencil points, several Macs and four books later – it’s been quite a ride, full of plot twists, feasts and famines, joys and frustrations; all of it.

There was also the discovery of my love for tea. There was Center Street. Brainstorms with Kevin. Collaborations with Glenn. Magic with Leona. Lunches with Milton. Angie’s with everybody. The Midtown Direct. A brief stint with the mob. Art shows. Paper samples. There was Kenya, Egypt, Scotland, England, Germany, Venice. Jose and Yoko. Mary and Pete. Barnes and Noble. Sabbatical in Sedona. Motherhood. Lasting Friendships. A richer relationship with the Universe.

And while it’s evolved from t-squares and triangles and rubber cement to my first little Mac (then another and another…), from printing presses to screens, fax machines to email, brochures to websites, floppy disks to clouds, postcards to blog posts to facebook and instagram … my rules are the same: : 1.) Listen well. 2.) Stay current. 3.) Be reliable. 4.) Always do your best.

So there you have it. Except for one more thing. Having taken a few more leaps since 1985, I’ve learned that creativity never goes out of style, nor does it stand still – I’ve learned that it’s a restless and demanding master, and I its humble servant.

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January 2018. Think Hip-Hop. Think Netflix. Think Street Art and Online Galleries. Think leggings and high-tops (yes, they’re back – just be thankful the shoulder pads aren’t.)

And the girl at the drawing table? Older, but still dreaming, conjuring and plotting.

The Classics.

The post 33 Years appeared first on saxtonstudio blog.

Surrounded by magnificent rocks that shine bright orange-gold to fire-engine red as the sun goes down, stars so close you can pluck them out of the night sky, where javelina roam and bobcats prowl and hawks and ravens fly in circles in big, blue expanses over red earth rich with evergreens and cactus and magic…. all this I get to enjoy while finding my way to settling in (with a proper studio and a much anticipated reunion with my own things currently in storage back east).

And while I wait, what better way than my books to make a little mark in my new town – a place where dragons surely breathe amidst those rust-colored mountains piercing the sky, and fairies flit between rocks and splash their wings in the creek (and where, perhaps, mermaids only wish to be!).

Fortunately for me, the wonderful folks at the highly respected Sedona Arts Center thought it was a good idea, too, so next weekend (December 15^th and 16^th) I’ll be in their gallery between 6 and 8pm, pen in hand, meeting more good people and signing books.

Oh, the magic.

If you’re anywhere near Sedona, Arizona next weekend, I’d love to see you. If not, but like the idea of giving the gift of reading and imagination to the young (and young at heart!), all my books (and mermaid dress-up game) are available on Amazon.

Stay tuned for more notes to come. More art. More writings. More of what happens when you surrender to your callings. Most importantly, enjoy your holiday season, be safe and love well, because that’s the best magic of all.

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The post Dragons in Sedona (and other magical things) appeared first on saxtonstudio blog.

With great pleasure I bring to you “Book of Dragons” – the third book in what has become my trilogy, of sorts, of mystical creatures. (Mermaids, then Fairies, now Dragons.) Along the way I came to know a few dragons quite well, and learned a lot from them. (They really like classical music, for one thing – who knew?) I hope you and the children you know will enjoy learning about them, too!

I’ll keep you posted about upcoming book signings and/or events. In the meantime, you can head on over to Amazon and pick up a copy!

The post Dragons Be Here! appeared first on saxtonstudio blog.