A Day in the life...

For a stay at home Mom, who wasn't sure if she would survive re-entry into the art world, Saturday was a good day.

I was up at the New England SCBWI conference. I took some great workshops with amazing illustrators and had a positive critique with someone from Greenwillow books, an imprint of Harper Collins. I met some really nice people. Donna, Bree, Cathy, Maureen, Mary, Angie, Jennifer and Tracey. I met up with Gina Perry, the talented illustrator I met at the NYC conference, and met her friends and fellow SU grads. New England is abundant with warmth and easy conversation and friendliness...,and an awful lot of people have relocated there from Long Island!...hmmmm....

The NESCBWI held a poster design contest with the theme "Take Flight". I watched other eager, enthusiastic, talented artists put up wonderful work all around me. Some so good, I was tempted to write someone else's name on my ballot. I sat as they read the award announcements.. People's Choice.. honorable mention, third place, second place... winner... me. ME? Really? Me! Hooray! What a great thing!- I went up got my award-sat down, happy.

Next category, unpublished: I was a little foggy from happiness and kinda heard, "The people have spoken and the judges agree, a repeat winner, Kelly Light"...my next door seat neighbor, Bree Baldwin, nudged me and hit my shoulder, and I popped up out of my seat... in shock.

After that , a blur of warm wishes and congratulations and wonderful words of encouragement.

I drove home today with some new feelings I've never felt before in my 17 years since becoming a working artist. Validation. Hope. Possibility. Pride. I think I'm going in the right direction after all of those detours. Sign post up ahead reads "Keep going!"

PS: The published winner: Frank W. Dormer - great stuff, google him!