Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Photo Updates

I've been busy writing so I haven't posted much. Fortunately, I have the lazy--er, I mean "busy"--writer's solution to ez-blogging: photos! 

Check out Drag-Queen Cleo posing with tiny Harry Potter books in (my editor) Cheryl Klein's office. Someone gave her those adorable booklets because, um...she worked on the real ones!  See how stately Cleo looks? Yeah, I can tell ya that despite my best efforts, I was not able to pull off the same level of dignity.

I did, however, try to keep the squeeing and jumping to private moments. (I mean, come on--I was at SCHOLASTIC people. In NYC! I met Arthur Levine!) Though now that I think of it, I sure hope that ladies room was empty. (Hmmm, this might explain the sudden appearance of security...)

While at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my friend, Diane Capriola, I stood before this portrait of a Egyptian/Roman boy (right).  It's one thing to see Fayum portraits in art books. It's quite another to stand before them knowing that they were actually used as mummy covers.

This painting in particular touched me because of the boy's soulful eyes.  I also love the hint of a smile playing on his lips.  In my upcoming novel, CLEOPATRA'S MOON, this is what I imagined Cleopatra Selene's youngest brother, "Ptolly," looked like. 

Drag-Queen Cleo, as you can imagine, became quite melancholy in the Ptolemaic/Roman Era wings of the museum.

The only thing that cheered her up was gold. And lots of it.
During Memorial Day weekend, I was delighted to spend time at Mingei World Arts signing books and hanging with the delightful Egyptian artist, Mohamed Elganoby, whose gorgeous paintings Mingei featured during the Decatur ART WALK.  I was totally sold on his work when I initially saw them but I became a true fan when I learned that he uses the same technique in his encaustic paintings that the ancient Egyptian painters used for Fayum mummy portraits.

If you missed seeing his gorgeous work, come back to Mingei during Labor Day when Elganoby returns for the Decatur Book Festival.

Finally, I am preparing to help run "Camp Kane" at Little Shop of Stories next week (Camp Half-Blood is in July). The camp is based on Rick Riordan's best-selling books about Egyptian gods and monsters. Riordan is an amazing person. Not only is he genuinely nice, but he also has the Midas touch. Whatever he writes turns to gold.

So, there you go. All caught up now.

7 comments:

Amalia T said...

Helping to run camp Kane sounds like a pretty sweet Gig!! I hope you have a great time!

Cathy C. Hall said...

Well, I just read "The Red Pyramid" and I think Cleo is every bit as entertaining (possibly MORE than) those kids.

And oh, yeah. Arthur Levine called. He says he can hear again. :-)

(P.S. I'd squeeee, too!)

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

@Amalia, Camp Kane is a blast.

@Cathy, as always, you crack me up!

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

I'm with Cathy---definitely squeal-worthy!!

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

@ Lisa--so true! I wonder if I'll ever get over the squeeing stage...

Unknown said...

You're very lucky Vicky - getting to see a Fayum portrait in person! They came up in a discussion about ancient portraiture at 3PP recently - included were some links to some fascinating articles on the portraits from the British Museum and American journal of archaeology >> link

Kind Regards
H

Unknown said...

Aren't the Fayum portraits amazing? I've selected a few who look like some of the characters in one of my planned future novels. Their eyes reach into you and grab your soul.