ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT©GUYPORFIRIO 2019

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Just For Show...

I am in a state of euphoria, (which is, of course, just west of Arizona.) A huge weight has been lifted now that I've finished re-designing and uploading my web page. There is nothing harder for an artist to do than let one piece of art speak for him or herself, let alone design a whole web page. You know that old saying "A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client?" Well, in a way, it's the same thing here. I end up tweaking the minutest details as if they could make or break the whole piece. I tie myself into knots over something nobody will even notice. And I see it coming a mile away, yet I can't do anything about it. It's like trying to stop a train.


I put together a quick flyer announcing my new web page. This was much easier to do now that I'm pooped, creatively that is. I didn't care too much about the perfect design in this instance, save, that everything is spelled correctly. But a funny thing happened. After toying around with a couple of design ideas, I found one that I kind of liked and threw it together. When I sat back to get a fresh eye, I realized that my design looked a lot like something my dad would have hand painted and called a "showcard." My dad became a sign painter as a second career when I was still in art school. In fact, our buildings were less than a block away from each other on State Street in Chicago. We would meet for lunch once and a while. He still paints. Well, long story short, I decided to leave my design as is because it reminds me of my dads work. 

Thursday, March 24, 2011

New Web Site...

I finally finished and uploaded my new web page, http://guyporfirio.com/ . This design will be much easier to maintain and change as I add new content. Stay tuned...

Feeling Festive...

Always a great day at the Tucson Festival of Books. I had a lot of fun talking about writing and illustrating books with my friends and colleagues, Jennifer J. Stewart, Lynne Avril, and Gwen Harvey.













That's illustrator Lynne Avril to the right of me getting the paints ready for her demo. Jennifer Stewart is to my left. Jennifer Stewart writes seriously funny books... Seriously!














Gwen Harvey wrote Esperanza Means Hope. Gwen did an incredible job researching Tucson's history during the 1870s.














Don't quite know what the significance of this is but it made my good friend and writer Angela L. Fox very happy. That's Angela on the right with the camera, cell phone.


Saturday, March 12, 2011

Speaking of illustrating...

As it turns out I  have more to say on the subject of illustrating books. And this time I'm gonna say it in front of a live audience. The Tucson Festival of Books is lending me a microphone in hopes that I can wax eloquent on the subject of "Exploring Arizona Places and History in Books for Kids." (How much time do they have?) I, along with author Gwen Harvey will feature our book "Esperanza means Hope," a wonderful story set in Tucson during the 1870s. If this goes well I'm taking it on the road.


The cover painting and several interior black & white pieces.



My Blurb in the Tucson Festival of Books Author's line up.

Guy Porfirio

Porfirio is an illustrator for many well-known children’s book publishers as well as advertising and marketing companies. Books he’s illustrated include “Junk Man’s Daughter,” “Grandpa’s Little One” and “Happy Birthday, America!”

Exploring Arizona Places and History in Books for Kids
Two author-illustrator teams explore the rich cultural and natural heritage of Arizona. Author Gwen Harvey and Illustrator Guy Porfirio discuss how Tucson's unique history and sense of place is reflected in Esperanza Means Hope, set in 1876. Author Jennifer J. Stewart and Illustrator Lynne Avril take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of The 12 Days of Christmas in Arizona by sharing their process of sketches, edits, and fact checking, along with finding maps, history, and fun.

Workshop / Sun 2:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Education Building - Room 333



So, if you're looking for something to do this Sunday, stop on by and check it out.