A Visit from Riikka

Riikka Jäntti, the Finnish artist behind the Accio Quote! Artwork, is visiting America! She spent a week with us in Tucson where we were blessed with fabulous weather and lots to do.

Riikka brought me copies of her delightful book, Nokikätkön ritarit ja Kuuhiisi (The Knights of the Sooty Nook), and kept us enthralled with her sketched account of her travels via Amtrak from New York to Chicago to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, to Tucson. In the picture on the left she is drawing the sunset over the Avra Valley in Tucson Mountain Park. She says she will send us scans of it when she gets back.

Riikka, it was awesome to finally meet you! I hope the rest of your trip is full of adventures too.

New artwork coming!

Artist Riikka Jäntti just sent me nearly 40 banners and buttons for Accio Quote, so soon we will have gorgeous, professional new artwork!

Riikka doesn't have a website, but there is a mini-gallery of her work over at the Harry Potter Lexicon.

The Floo Network to raise money for Book Aid International with Deathly Hallows guide

The Floo Network (The Harry Potter Lexicon, The Leaky Cauldron and Accio Quote) has launched "HarryPotterSeven.com," a collection of essays about Book 7 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) that we hope will raise money for Book Aid International, an organization that works to set up libraries in developing countries.

If you read the excellent "Scribbulus" essays on the Leaky Cauldron you will recognize many of the authors; Steve Vander Ark (Harry Potter Lexicon) and I also contributed sections. Steve summarized "What we know so far" -- as only he could -- and I selected statements Jo has made in interviews about Book 7, made my best guesses about what will be important, and then wrote some commentary that I hope will be helpful.

Check it out: Book | Leaky News article

P.S. The delightful artwork is by Polly Beam

Introducing Riikka Jäntti

I am pleased to announce that children's book author and illustrator Riikka Jäntti will be doing the artwork for the new Accio Quote!

Who can forget Riikka's painting of Draco? or of Hogwarts? And the field animals she paints for her children's books have the mastery of Beatrix Potter. Like Potter, Riikka's animals are totally realistic and yet endearingly human at the same time.

There is a bit more information on Riikka over on the Harry Potter Lexicon.

The current artwork for Scoop's, the QQQ and Accio Quote is just something I did in Fireworks. Riikka's (coming) new artwork will knock your socks off.

My list of fan artists

I thought I would share my list of fan artists. Some have given the Lexicon permission to reproduce their artwork, some haven't and some haven't been asked (but might -- it's not my decision).

http://del.icio.us/madampince/fanart

Makani=cheering charm

Makani made my day today. It was an OK day. Pulled weeds, went to work, grocery shopped and came home, but something made me check my subscriptions to friends' Livejournals and Harry Potter fanartist Makani (Heather Campbell) had posted no fewer than 4 new Potter drawings (3 canon and 1 gloriously noncanon of a goth Ginny) and a portfolio she drew while at the zoo.

Why is simply viewing creativity like this as good as a Cheering Charm? One of the reasons I enjoy Harry Potter fandom so much is because it seems to compel people to write, draw, sing, film, in response. Me? I make lists =). Artists rock.

Makani's Livejournal: http://buttfacemakani.livejournal.com/
Makani's homepage and portfolio: http://acciobrain.ligermagic.com/