A Study in Red

The Northern cardinal is a year-round resident where I live, and frequent visitor to our backyard pond and feeders. It’s one of my favorite birds, and so not surprising perhaps, the subject for several of my paintings. In this latest work, Red Bird - Northern Cardinal, I tease apart those very cardinalesque attributes -chunky orange beak, angular crest, the male’s black mask and high-chroma scarlet feathers- and apply them to the canvas in a way that I hope is pleasing to the eye and reflective of my fondness for this lovely and cheerful song bird.

This original acrylic painting is available for purchase from my shop.

Butterfly Note Cards

NEW in my shop! Eight folded note cards, each featuring my illustration of a butterfly. Blank on the inside. Fun fact on the back. Envelopes included.

Bird Notes

I’ve added a new set of Backyard Birds notecards to my Etsy Shop. The pack includes eight cards and envelopes. Each card features an illustration a different species. On the back of the card is a blurb about the bird.

My latest collection of Backyard Birds notecards.

Card front.

Card back.

This 5th edition of my Backyard Birds series features a Brown Creeper, American Redstart, House Sparrow, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Summer Tanager, White-crowned Sparrow, Gray Catbird, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.

Check out Backyard Birds Collections 1 through 4, as well as sets of Waders, Ducks, Corvids, Woodpeckers, Owls, Birds of the Flinthills, and Hummingbirds. Birds aren’t your thing? Take a peek at my set of Damsels & Dragons notecards, showcasing colorful illustrations of dragonflies and damselflies!

All notecard sets may be purchased from my Etsy shop, BradSneedStudio.

Encountering John Brown

It was super gratifying to create illustrations of John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, and others for the ENCOUNTERING JOHN BROWN exhibit on display at the Watkins Museum of History in Lawrence, KS until November 6th. Kudos to the creative team at Overland Traveling Exhibits for producing this informative examination of Brown’s life and legacy as seen through the eyes of those who knew him.

Virtual Storytime

Join me virtually at the Raven Bookstore Saturday, May 1st at 10:00am central. I will read my new book, BECAUSE I’M NEW, and draw a picture. Hope to “see you” there!

Review For, BECAUSE I'M NEW

I’m delighted to report that the first review of my forthcoming picture book, Because I’m New is in, and it’s a ⭐️ star from Kirkus! I cannot wait to share this book with you when it releases March 15th!

Here’s the review:

“The joys and difficulties of adding a baby to the family are detailed in this sweet tale.

The text unfolds from the point of view of a new baby, giving readers an inside perspective on the things a baby can’t do—like catch the ball an eager older sibling tosses—and the wide range of things a baby can do: watch, listen, and, of course, cry. A tender relationship between the siblings blooms from their first encounter, when the baby muses, “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.” The older sibling is warmly portrayed as a role model, teacher, and friend, the text never skipping over the loud and exhausting elements of life with a baby. The tiny protagonist reminds readers that while babies need a lot of help from their parents, they need it from their older siblings, too. One double-page spread depicts the exhausted parents, older sibling, and even dog collapsed on the couch, recovering from all that helping. Over the course of the story, the baby grows and changes and shows off the new skills gained once “I am…less new.” The baby, now a toddler, can now catch that ball and actively play with the older sib, the illustrations charmingly depicting the changing, still-affectionate relationship. The characters depicted in the story present White. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 11.9% of actual size.)

A giftable book that is both encouraging and honest. (Picture book. 3-7)”

New Picture Book

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Cover of my new picture book, Because I’m New. Coming March 15, 2021.

It’s here! Well, not quite. Because I’m New releases March 15, but for now, I’m delighted to share the cover. Look at that cutie pa-toot-ee! It’s a sweet peek at a young family adjusting to the arrival of a new baby. Surprisingly, it’s baby who explains just what to expect.

You may preorder from Raven Bookstore. When you do, not only will you receive a signed book, but also be entered in a drawing for an original color sketch I made while contemplating final art for the story. It’s a 10 x 6.5 inch acrylic ink and watercolor painting. Cheers!

Autumn Leaves Pattern

I turned my little watercolor leaf paintings into a repeating pattern. Rather than simply making a casual scatter pattern, I decided to assemble some of the leaves so that they form a shape that winds its way through the design and provides a bit of structure. I think this design would look nice on a table runner, placemats, and napkins.

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