Kids Activities

Just whipped up some coloring pages and activities to bring along to book signings for the kiddos who stop by! Feel free to print one out! There are others too, as well as some free goodies, stop by a book signing to get them all!

My Maine:

Down East in the Ocean: 

Enjoy!!

July Book Events!

Click and zoom in for full size text! 

*"Click to order" links disabled on image. Buy My Maine here, Buy Down East in the Ocean here

Volunteer Project on the Local News

Tonight we FINISHED the mural! We've been working everyday on this to get it completed in time for the open house this Thursday evening. Tomorrow is clean up day, but the last bit of white was painted and brought to life tonight, and it feels great to be done! We've been getting some publicity for the work we're doing and for the Community Counseling Center lately, too. Yesterday, the Portland Press Harold stopped by to shoot photos for an upcoming article, and today WCSH6 reported on the project on the 11:00 news. I wasn't expecting to be interviewed (and was a little nervous for my TV debut!), but we were happy to share the story. Photos of the finished room coming soon.

Here's the clip!


We also were mentioned in an online article on the WCSH site: Read here

It's been a blast...but my back and I are ready to go back to my nice desk, chair and flat paper  :)

Children's Room Mural

For the past couple of weeks, several artists and I have been working in collaboration with my sister, Dani Fazio, on a wonderful project for the Community Counseling Center. CCC offers an important and wonderful service, and has recently moved into a brand new facility in Portland. However, they were in desperate need of a little color on their walls! That's where we came in.

We are working in the children's trauma room, called the "Willow Room", which is a space dedicated for kids, from toddlers to teens. I'm part of a group of local artists and volunteers who are donating time to transform the space into a fun, magical, comfortable and interactive area for the kids to spend time. It's the first mural I've ever worked on, and am having so much fun with it.

We have started a blog to show the CCC staff and community our ongoing progress. It's fun to see it all coming together so quickly. Check it out here! 

Dani worked with a couple people from CCC to come up with a concept of what they wanted to see in the space- on one wall an underwater scene of the ocean and Portland skyline, lighthouse around the corner and tide pools. On the opposite wall, a willow tree blowing in the wind. (Sketches by me)

We then projected the drawings onto the walls to trace out the plan...

Few days into painting...

Check out the blog for more pics, and stay posted here for the final product! 

*Side note, see here for info on how you can help us decorate the rest of the rooms, hallways and offices! We need more art! THANK YOU!* 

Len Libby Signing

Thanks to all who stopped by Len Libby Candies this past Sunday for our My Maine book signing event! It was a rather small turnout, (because let's face it, competing with the first 75° degree day after a month of rain wasn't easy!) but it was a fun afternoon either way. We met some great people, made a few new little friends, including a future children's book illustrator in the making, and of course couldn't leave without a helping of the best needham ice cream you'll ever taste. The book, along with matted prints from the book, and a few chickadee and moose prints on wood blocks, are still for sale at Len Libby. So if you were too busy at the beach, we understand, and you can still go check it out!

Me, Suzanne, and Maureen Hemond-Len Libby Owner

Our next book signing scheduled for My Maine is on July 9th, in Dameriscotta, ME. Stay posted for details!

Donate to a Great Cause, Local Business

To my fellow artists and illustrators-

I'm working on a mural in the children's trauma area of the Community Counseling Center in Portland with a few other artists, and was hoping as an extra help, to gather some artwork and children's books to donate as well. They recently moved into this brand new location and have many bare walls. They need art for both the adult and children's areas. If you have any prints you'd be willing to donate (unmatted, unframed, older work, is all fine!) or children's books you've written or illustrated (signed would be extra special!) please contact me directly at nicolefazio@yahoo.com.

There's an open house for the new facility on June 16th. We'll have the mural completed by this time and I was hoping to gather the art before then, too.

Any size, 2D works only, and please choose art that reflects the manner of the facility (wellness, positivity, peace...no dark and gloomy images!)

Thanks so much! Hope you can help this great place!  :)

Nicki

"My Maine" Book Signing, Memorial Day Weekend

Hope to see you there!!

Bailey Portrait

In memory of miss Bailey
8"x10" Oil on Canvas

Detail

I completed this pet portrait recently as a commission. Still new at pet portraits, but I really enjoy doing them. I want the pet to portray it's personality the best I can, or as much as I can through using just a photo or two of them.  I've used oils for both dogs that I've painted for clients, and I really like how many textures I can achieve with them. I'll probably do some in the future with watercolor and pen, my usual tools, to try some different styles, but oil paint is always a really fun change of pace for me.
Also, Bailey's family was really happy with how she came out.  It felt great being able to do this piece for them of their cherished pup.

Client website

I am no web designer (it's not easy getting these things up and running!) but I took my first stab at it for a client of mine, "Life's Healthy Pleasures". We needed  to create a simple, informational platform for potential new clients, as well as any consumers interested in learning more about the company. A couple of years ago, I designed the branding for "Life's healthy Pleasures" as well as the logo for the vending services, "Good on the Go", and the design of the vending machines themselves. Check out my first website here! It was a great learning experience and will hopefully do more now that I've learned the basics!

Advanced Copy of Down East Book!

Had an unexpected ring at the doorbell today from UPS, and this is what I found!

Down East in the Ocean--in stores this May!

Back jacket

This is my second book and I'm really excited about it and happy with how it turned out! I can't wait until it's published in May. This book was so much fun to do, was a fast turnaround, but well worth the late nights and hard work. 

An extra fun aspect for me is that Down East in the Ocean was written by Connie & Peter Roop. They are the authors of many, many, books...including one in particular that I grew up with and simply adored, Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie. 

Fun fact: First publication was the year I was born!

Pretty cool how life will give you a little wink and a nudge like that every once in a while.