felishino

Web Banner Designs

felicia — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:57:42 +0000

Recently I was asked to design and illustrate a couple of website banners. Just wanted to share them with you. If you are interested in having me create one for you, please contact me!

This first one is for Gingham Trundle which will eventually be a site where you can purchase among other things, dresses including those sewn by a group of women in Africa. I was inspired by the client’s description of her company:

“… summers in the country, hot and humid, with fireflies dancing over the creek, sitting on a quilt made by my grandmother. I want girls wearing our clothes to feel that freedom and beauty. I want them to inspire imagination in the beautiful, while giving work to those who need it.”

The illustration is a collection of pencil drawings that I scanned, composed and colored in Photoshop.

This second banner is for Collecting Nisei Stories, a site where Nisei (2nd generation Japanese American) writers are invited to share their stories surrounding the WWII Japanese concentration camp experience. Some stories, including Yoshito Wayne Osaki’s “My Dog Teny” which inspired the children’s book that I illustrated, where originally published in two books, “From Our Side of the Fence” and “Making Home from War” both edited by Brian Komei Dempster. Other stories are from various writing workshops that Brian and Jill Shiraki have hosted throughout the Bay Area.

The accordion folded image is a pen and ink and watercolor illustration that I scanned and superimposed over a photo collage done in Photoshop. The imagery in the collage where taken from personal photos the writers provided for the books.

The Sun Gallery: The 23rd Annual Children’s Book Illustrators Exhibit

felicia — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:54:21 +0000

when…

Exhibit: February 15th – April 7, 2012
Artist Reception and Book Signing Party: Saturday, March 17, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

I will be there for a short while to meet other artists, enjoy the show, and sign some books. Hope to see you there!

where…

The Sun Gallery – Building Community Through Creativity
1015 E Street
Hayward CA
510.581.4050
sungallery@comcast.net
www.sungallery.org
Gallery Hours: 11:00am – 5:00pm, Wednesday through Saturday

what…

Make it a Family Weekend!!

Bring the kids and take a look at the wonderful Children’s Book Illustrations currently on show at the Sun Gallery. The kids can drop into the Free Children’s Art Workshops held the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, or just explore the variety of artwork on display in the Main Gallery.

Every year for the past 23 years the Sun Gallery has hosted a highly prestigious exhibition of artwork by nationally acclaimed Children’s Book Illustrators and this year is no different. The Sun Gallery is proud to announce:

The exhibition features well known illustrators from across the United States. Many of the illustrators are also the authors of the books. The books range from publications suitable for very young children, for example, Ashley Wolf’s Baby Bear Sees Blue, to books aimed at older children such as the bilingual book, Side by Side/Lado a Lado, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, which describes the story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez as they fought for farm workers rights in the 1960’s.

the illustrators…

Joe Cepeda, Side by Side/Lado y Lado
Tom Leonard, Here is the African Savannah, and Here is Antarctica
Christy Hale, The East West House and Sky Dancers
Ashley Wolf, Baby Bear Sees Blue
Felicia Hoshino, Sora and the Cloud
Susan Guevera, Wild Women of the Wild West
Elisa Kleven, The Friendship Wish
Julia Cairns, A Full Moon is Rising
Andrea Burris, Tater and Tot, The Kitty Cat Alphabet Book, and
The Dog Lover’s Alphabet Book
Jessica Lanan, Good Fortune in a Wrapping Cloth
Lin Wang, Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story
Mike Dutton, Donovan’s Big Day

Book Readings Around the Bay!

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:52:45 +0000

February 25th – Saturday – 2pm – Books Inc. – Alameda read more…

March 13th – Tuesday – 10am – Copperfields – Petaluma read more…

March 18th – Sunday – 11am – The Reading Bug – San Carlos read more…

Book Reading – The Reading Bug – San Carlos

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:40:27 +0000

Sunday - March 18, 2012
11:00 am

The Reading Bug
785 Laurel Street
San Carlos, CA
(650) 591-0100
www.thereadingbug.com

Map

For friends on the Peninsula, catch a reading of Sora and the Cloud at The Reading Bug!

Book Reading – Copperfield’s Books – Petaluma

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:32:03 +0000

Tuesday – March 13, 2012
10:00 am

Copperfield’s Books
140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, CA
(707) 762-0563

copperfieldsbooks.com

Map

For those up in Sonoma County, I’ll be heading to Petaluma to read Sora and the Cloud at Copperfield’s Books!

Hope to see you there and tell your friends!

Book Reading – Books Inc. – Alameda

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:23:02 +0000

Saturday – February 25, 2012
2:00 pm

Books Inc.
1344 Park Street
Alameda, CA
(510) 522-2226
www.booksinc.net

Map

For our East Bay friends, please join us at Books Inc. Alameda as both Oliver Chin and I will be reading from our new books, The Year of the Dragon and Sora and the Cloud!

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with authors OLIVER CHIN and FELICIA HOSHINO, who will each read their picture books for this very special storytime! Learn all about the year of the Dragon and take a trip into the clouds with your favorite neighborhood bookstore. For ages 3-8

“Sora” Review – The New York Times

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:33:23 +0000

Review – The New York Times

“… Miyazaki-like …”

(What …? Still catching my breath about this one.)

“An Ode to Flying”

By Pamela Paul

Published: January 4, 2012

Read online at: The New York Times

The classic Japanese children’s song “Tako no uta” (or “Song of Kites”) is a cheerful ode to flying. It is also one of many Japanese cultural references embedded in “Sora and the Cloud,” Felicia Hoshino’s rich, clever and appealing book. Offering both English and Japanese text, it is itself a lovely tribute to the joys of soaring high.

We meet Sora as an infant on his way from crawling to climbing. “As he grows, he climbs over everything in this path” — even his mother’s back while she cleans under the table, and his father’s shoulder as he chopsticks up his breakfast.

The characters’ brief exclamations as Sora clambers and explores appear only in Japanese and so provide an opportunity, for those who don’t know the language, to ad lib their own admonishments and exhortations as little Sora climbs atop a jungle gym and tackles a large tree. (The phrases are translated in an endnote, which also explains some of the cultural references in the text – a lion-faced airplane, takoyaki balls and Kintaro, a boy painted on many Japanese kites.)

It is tempting to label “Miyazaki-like” anything appealing to children and Japanese in origin. But in this instance the analogy fits. The nameless cloud is a benign yet mysterious and uncontrollable presence as it lifts Sora, Totoro style, into the sky. There he views a skyscraper mid-construction, an amusement park, a festival of kites and other boyish marvels. Hoshino’s intricate and delicate drawings deliver this parade of sightseeing pleasures in a way that is at once dreamlike and visceral.

But even as Sora relishes his experiences aloft he finds himself longing for the pleasures down below on earth: “As rain clouds clear and sea gulls fly by … Sora dreams of digging in wet sand.” He thinks of napping in a bed of grass. And when he lands, he looks forward to telling his little sister about his new friend, the Cloud. She’ll want to hear all about it.

Release Party Photos

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:26:33 +0000

Just wanted to share some photos from the Book Release Party. Akiko-san, it was wonderful to have you by my side and dressed in such a stylish kimono! Thank you to JCCCNC and staff, Jennifer Hamamoto, Ryan Kimura, and Kim Nakamura for publicizing, organizing, and hosting yet another book release! Oliver Chin of Immedium for insuring that the books arrived in time for the event! To family, Mom, Dad, Terry, SooMee, Yoshi, Sora, Yume, relatives, friends both big and small, old and new (one still baking in the oven!), those who couldn’t make it, but expressed their well-wishes, and the entire community who came out to support Sora and the Cloud… ARIGATOU GOZAIMASHITA~!!!

Video – Crosswater Media

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:05:31 +0000

As showcased at the Book Release Party, I was extremely fortunate to have Crosswater Media produce a short video about my inspiration for Sora and the Cloud. In the true spirit of the book, there is a Japanese translated version of the video, too! Nice. \(^_^)/ Daisuke and Ryo Arigatou~

A Mother’s Wonder, A Child’s Adventure – Felicia Hoshino

director / camera / editor Ryo Matsumoto

interviewer / producer Daisuke Miyake

graphics Michaela Mitchell

View online at: Crosswater Media

Crosswater Media is an Oakland-based marketing and media production company that specializes in branding and video production. We believe every company – regardless of size or industry – has a unique and compelling story to tell. Our recipe for success includes listening, collaborating and strategy. Oh, and fun.

Little Friends on the Cloud

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:04:15 +0000

At the Book Release Party for Sora and the Cloud guests were invited to take a “ride” upon the Cloud. If you haven’t yet submitted a photo for posting, please email me! To see more photos from the event click here.

photo credit: Oliver Chin

Uta Octavio Gaspard Hisa, son of the book’s Japanese translator, Akiko Hisa. Click here for a little background story on our toothless grinning friend.

photo credit: Yoriko Hayes

Yume with preschool friend and co-pilot Hana-chan. So dreamy…

photo credit: Ari Salomon

Sora with Rena-chan, daughter of Yoriko and Ari, the felishino.com webmaster. Check out his site, fine art photography, and services at: helloari.com