sharon vargo

I've been GNOMED!

2008-04-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, the target of a family prank, known collectively as GNOMING!
One misty morning I gazed out the kitchen window and was startled by this little mythical creature on my deck. I've heard tales of this mysterious girl gnome who is secretly passed amongst our family. The mystery to me is HOW they did it ... because she weighs a TON! (She's rock solid and didn't move an inch from our Indiana earthquake!)
It seems gnomes where created long ago as a way for people to continue sharing stories of these invisible night-time gardeners. She's been here for a few weeks now and I'm waiting for her do her earthly magic in my yard. She can clean up the flower beds, mulch and maybe even plant my vegetable garden.
Many Gnome websites said they are fond of jewelry - then jewelry it is! As you can see I did a little make-over on her ... hopefully the bling will lure her pointy-hat friends into my yard! I don't want to be a fairy tale skeptic if these invisible little creatures can spruce up my gardens!
I think she needs a name too... any suggestions?

Spring Cleaning

2008-03-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

We post new art each season to the picturebookartists.com website.
For spring I'm posting an illustration from one of my 'working' manuscripts titled, BIG TOP BIRTHDAY. I pulled the art out of hiding and dusted it off for the blog. I guess even book projects undergo a little spring cleaning!

New Years Promo

2008-01-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome and Happy New Year!

Here's my NEW illustration
for the NEW Year's promo postcard!

It is based on the Chinese calendar, where each year is named after an animal in a twelve-year cycle.

How did "animals" get selected to
represent years in the Chinese calendar?

One legend tells the story about a Jade Emperor who created a Chinese calendar to tell time. On his birthday, he proposed the animals compete in a swimming race across a fast-flowing river.

The first twelve animals to cross the river would be awarded a year to their name. First was rat, followed by ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. To this day, the Chinese calendar has followed this cycle of years named after these twelve animals.

2008 begins the cycle with the
year of the Rat. Here is a sketch
of Rat from the original painting.

To find out which animal year you were born in, you can visit Topmarks site
and type in your birthday for the answer!

I'm a monkey.

I use this art in my email signature.

Thanks for visiting my blog ... best wishes for 2008!

Studio Makeover

2008-01-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

The studio got a makeover at the end of 2007.

I painted, organized, and added new magnetic strips from IKEA.
These handy strips make displaying art a snap.
New on display below
(center) is my holiday promo art.

It's painted in acrylics on Arches Watercolor buff paper.
The original measures 14" X 21". Even with the larger size, the last animals on parade were challenging to paint!

Here's a closer look at the last three animals,
each is only one inch tall on the original art.
Good thing they make tiny paintbrushes!

To the left of my holiday promo art is my
Picturebook Artist's winter art post. Let's zoom in...

Thanks!

2007-11-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

On Oct 22, 2007 - Finding Wonderland: The Writing YA Weblog featured my Robert's Snow flakes! Have a LOOK!

Buckaroo Bash - Bessie's Bed Cowboy Hat!

2007-08-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, Amigos! I was selected as one of the artists for the 2007 Buckaroo Bash, an Adobe Society fundraiser for educational outreach programs being held at the Eiteljorg Museum.

The Eiteljorg Museum is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It opened in 1989 and was founded by Harrison Eiteljorg. The museum showcases Western and Native American art and cultural objects. The museum's design is inspired by the land, people, and architecture of the American Southwest.

Here are some rootin'-tootin' facts on this years Bessie's Bed cowboy hat!
Bessie's Bed is a children's book that I illustrated about a bathrobe-clad woman who shares her warm, dry bed with several animals that have been washed out of their homes one stormy night. The author of this fun beginning reader, Terry Webb Harshman, is an ace-high gal from right here in Indiana, too! I am honored to have the opportunity to create a hat for the 2007 Buckaroo Bash!

It's Snowing!

2007-07-24T11:32:00.001-07:00

I'm excited again to be part of
Robert's Snow : For Cancer's Cure!

Robert's Snow is an online auction that benefits the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
200 children's book illustrators will create art on individual snowflake-shaped wooden templates. They will auction these snowflake creations on eBay with 100% of the proceeds to benefit Sarcoma Research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/The Jimmy Fund.

This year's snowflake adorns an original poem contributed
by Rebecca Kai Dotlich. I am honored to have the opportunity to
illustrate her beautiful words for the
2007 Robert's Snow Snowflake: For Cancer's Cure.
AND can you tell? ... I LOVE poetry!
Visit Rebecca's website at http://www.rebeccakaidotlich.com

limited edition prints

2007-05-09T18:23:00.001-07:00

Published by
Child at Heart Art Gallery
in historic downtown Newburyport, MA ...
I'm selling limited edition prints!!
The art is bordered by Terry Webb Harshman's poem, "STARS."
The 13 X 19 giclee's are printed on Arches Infinity Smooth paper. Each print is numbered, signed, and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Please contact me if you are interested in a print!

Book Reviews

2007-04-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

A Wild and Woolly Night
Author: Lorraine Lynch Geiger
Illustrated by Sharon Vargo

A Wild and Woolly Night is a children’s picture book for children ages 4 to 12. A hardback edition with a cover that is beautifully illustrated with a boy in his bed surrounded by a variety of animals...
By Terry South - BookPleasures.com

Once in a great while a book comes across my desk that I can hardly wait to tell the Bookworm readers about. And this has happened. Florida author, Lorraine Lynch Geiger and Indiana illustrator, Sharon Vargo, have teamed together for a deliciously different book for children of all ages, "A Wild and Woolly Night"....
by VELMA S. DANIELS - BOOKWORM

Just off the press is the colorful hardback "Wild and Woolly Night". This fast moving story revealing a mysterious parade of animals may be read at a galloping pace for older children and promotes parent/child bonding as it creates suspense on every page....
The book is a well-written fantasy, in verse and humor, about a small boy trying to fall asleep. He is kept awake by an assortment of cuddly critters moving about on his stash of bedspreads. It is designed for ages four through twelve. Sharon Vargo, an author and illustrator, has added magic to the cover and pages with her friendly little critter images.
By Elizabeth Walker - Sebring News-Sun

2007-04-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

Barnyard Idol is a new art sample created in acrylics
on Strathmore Bristol. The original art is 9 x 12.