Claudia McGehee Illustration

Claudia McGehee Illustration I'm an Illustrator-Writer living in a tallgrass prairie state. I find inspiration around every corner. Some days I write about pictures.

Some days I draw about words. It's about telling a story. Please visit http://www.claudia-mcgehee.com Commercial illustrator and author/illustrator of children's books

It’s Cannoli’s Gotcha Day Anniversary today, two years since we scooped her up when she needed a home. She truly is a he...
01/14/2025

It’s Cannoli’s Gotcha Day Anniversary today, two years since we scooped her up when she needed a home. She truly is a helping, loving presence in my studio and life. My heart goes out to those who are missing their pets and comforts at this time.

A tiny song bird feather from around world is magical to receive 🪶 …this was part of a package, a wonderful annual swap ...
01/10/2025

A tiny song bird feather from around world is magical to receive 🪶 …this was part of a package, a wonderful annual swap with an instagram friend who lives in Japan. For several years, Yoko and I have exchanged calendars, tea and tiny gestures of our mutual love of nature. Yoko carefully translates all the birds featured in the months to come. It’s a delight to learn about birds I don’t see here in the middle of the US! It feels essential to connect with others right now. Thank you, Yoko!

Pausing this morning to pay respects to a great person. Did you know Carter was an enthusiastic birder who added the unu...
01/09/2025

Pausing this morning to pay respects to a great person. Did you know Carter was an enthusiastic birder who added the unusual Painted Bunting to his life list at a sighting in his home state of Georgia? 💙 Thank you, President Carter. You were a man of true colors, without equal.

SoCA friends, we are anxious for you all
01/08/2025

SoCA friends, we are anxious for you all

Never forgetting.
01/06/2025

Never forgetting.

Choppy waters to navigate so early in the year…on top of the tragedy in New Orleans, a lost orca calf symbolizes environ...
01/02/2025

Choppy waters to navigate so early in the year…on top of the tragedy in New Orleans, a lost orca calf symbolizes environmental strains in our Web of Life. May we navigate together these challenges, look ahead and steer accordingly.

Whew weee, what a year. On this 365th day, I thank you for sharing your extraordinary words and work, brightening my wor...
12/31/2024

Whew weee, what a year. On this 365th day, I thank you for sharing your extraordinary words and work, brightening my world with inspirations, even offering solace and wisdoms at life’s most difficult junctures. I’m counting my blessings, leaning into the new year with resolve, and I’m happy we are all here together to connect and collect.

Season’s greetings from the Toblerone cardinal! Inspired by a six-bar gift package of Toblerone chocolate, I made Tobler...
12/24/2024

Season’s greetings from the Toblerone cardinal! Inspired by a six-bar gift package of Toblerone chocolate, I made Toblerone mousse and cookies for this year’s gatherings…nothing like the rhythms of baking (and chocolate) to soothe… 🍫

A big excited THANK YOU to the Wall Street Journal  for including “Counting Winter” among the beautiful winter titles in...
12/22/2024

A big excited THANK YOU to the Wall Street Journal for including “Counting Winter” among the beautiful winter titles in the children’s book review “Luminous Tales for the Shortest Days” this weekend! It was a lovely pick-me-up. Memories of my mom reading us “Mr Williby’s Christmas Tree” and “The Snowy Day” are personal reminders of how special seasonal titles can be! Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company The Wall Street Journal

At 3am (central USA time), we officially crossed over to the winter season. Fly forth in the next few months, find and g...
12/21/2024

At 3am (central USA time), we officially crossed over to the winter season. Fly forth in the next few months, find and give comfort and warmth, in community and your own cozy spaces…(image here, four of the nine owls featured in the latest picture book “Counting Winter”by Nancy White Carlstrom for your solstice time reading!

Happy to be included in some lovely winter book reading lists this year. I do love the snowy seasons, and to see “Counti...
12/18/2024

Happy to be included in some lovely winter book reading lists this year. I do love the snowy seasons, and to see “Counting Winter” in this collection of pictures books, well, it reminds me that each story is like a snowflake, no two alike! Thank you for the shout out ⛄️! Please check out Maria’s post for more info about each title here.

A quick note to announce that my Etsy shop will be open all today, December 16th, then I’ll button down the doors until ...
12/16/2024

A quick note to announce that my Etsy shop will be open all today, December 16th, then I’ll button down the doors until the New Year. Thank you all who supported the shop this year! It’s a privilege to send to you a little bit of my world 💫 🦉 🌕 (this image from “North Woods Girl” by .bissonette

Thank you for the notes about Mom this past few days. It’s felt like an extra blanket of warmth to read them. XClaudia
12/15/2024

Thank you for the notes about Mom this past few days. It’s felt like an extra blanket of warmth to read them. XClaudia

Happy St Lucia’s Day, in honor of St. Lucy and the many lovely Lucys I know ( ) 🕯️ St Lucia is the saint of light and vi...
12/13/2024

Happy St Lucia’s Day, in honor of St. Lucy and the many lovely Lucys I know ( ) 🕯️ St Lucia is the saint of light and vision. She had a gruesome journey into martyrdom, but more pleasant subject matter involves the Swedish tradition of first daughters delivering special cookies to neighbors and family, wearing a crown of candles. 🍪 🎂 I’ve always loved St. Lucia as a chance namesake for our daughter, who indeed brings light to us in many ways 💛(I could never get our Lucy as a kid to wear a crown of candles, but maybe she would have enjoyed riding a goat, as depicted in this charming turn of century illustration)

Sadness, as I post on the passing of my mom. She had a peaceful departure after a long and joyous life. Born near Newbur...
12/08/2024

Sadness, as I post on the passing of my mom. She had a peaceful departure after a long and joyous life. Born near Newbury, Berkshire, UK, mom met my American dad 🇬🇧 ♥️ 🇺🇸 and immigrated to the states in the 1950’s. She was such a nourishing mother, always there with the paint set or crayon box, digging in the garden, cooking, and sharing her love of nature with all. She was 96 years young, a good run. We will miss her dearly. I will miss her forever.

I’m saddened to say that my Frost Fair this weekend is cancelled, online and the in-person Prairie Lights Bookstore*  ev...
12/07/2024

I’m saddened to say that my Frost Fair this weekend is cancelled, online and the in-person Prairie Lights Bookstore* event, due to a family emergency💙 *there is a basket of tiny paper robins in the gift area of Orairie Lights for those shopping there Saturday and would like one.

I hope to reconnect soon. Thank you for your support and orders this holiday, I so appreciate it! XClaudia

It’s my 4th annual Frost Fair coming up this weekend! I am inspired by the ancient Frost Fairs held for centuries in Lon...
12/03/2024

It’s my 4th annual Frost Fair coming up this weekend! I am inspired by the ancient Frost Fairs held for centuries in London on the frozen Thames (when extremely frigid winters enabled merchants to set up stalls of wares and foods and event areas right on the solidly iced-over river). My own English ancestors could have taken part in them, either as artisans or attendee! The historical record supports that keepsakes from printmaker and illustrators were made at the fairs. The Thames is far away, but this summer, I visited its foreshores to a spot probably very close to where the fairs were set up! Now, the icy Iowa River is only a couple miles from my studio, and I honor its proximity this weekend (December 6-8). Please stop by my own fanciful Frost Fair, either online in my Etsy shop AND in person at Prairie Lights Books on Saturday December 7th, from 11am to 1pm! I’ll sign picture books (“Counting Winter”will be a perfect Frost Fair purchase!) and calendars. I’ll have small Frost Fair keepsake paper gifts for Fair Goers! (For Online Etsy orders only, over $100, I’ll throw in a free calendar ☃️). A thank you to the collection at the for this year’s Frost Fair postcard image “Frost Fair on the Thames”, painted by an unknown artist in 1684, and a 🙏 for Prairie Lights for hosting me Saturday! Hope to give you a Frost Fair hello soon! ☃️XClaudia Prairie Lights Bookstore

Hey! There’s lots of bird chatter out there this morning…It snowed last night! I know there are many of you that have al...
12/02/2024

Hey! There’s lots of bird chatter out there this morning…It snowed last night! I know there are many of you that have already had your fill of the white stuff, but I note it here locally for a general sense of seasonality. Two Ravens here, “raucously talking winter”, from the new picture book “Counting Winter”, words by Nancy White 🤍 Carlstrom, illustrations by me, Availableat your favorite booksellers! winter

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