Oliver Jeffers

Jeff Hamada of Booooooom reminds us of an enchanting clip on one of my (and it seems everyone's) favorite illustrators, Oliver Jeffers. It's a delightful piece, but I found an even more wonderful gift from something I had read about Jeffers a few years back. He moved from Ireland to Brooklyn, and in the piece he said that, "As far as becoming an illustrator is concerned, I made the decision out of college that I believed that I was good enough, and I went for it." He made the decision that he was good enough and he went for it. I read that and felt like I was struck by a bolt of lightening. Can you imagine if we applied those words to whatever it is we wanted in life? Let's all try it. Oh, and there's one more golden nugget from Jeffers that all artists need to remember as well. "If you really believe you are good enough, then you shouldn’t care what anyone else thinks about your work." That's right.

Oliver Jeffers Author Film 2013 from Oliver Jeffers on Vimeo.

Happy St. Patty's Day

Deaglan was feeling a little low on this St. Patrick's Day, missing his homeland a little more keenly than usual.  He felt his face fold into furrows as he scowled against the cold wind.  Winter was giving a last little gasp, and this Irishman wasn't too happy about it.  He was just about to resign himself to feeling cranky all day when someone on the street turned his frown upside down with the offering of a free Shamrock coffee.

"My luck is changing, Deaglan thought.  He felt his wrinkles soften as he accepted this serendipitous gift, and reminded himself of a saying from his homeland, "If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough."  He was.  Hope you get lucky, too. (-;