October 2025

Words from your Houston SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator

Howdy Creatives,

David Hockney said," A drawing takes time. A line has time in it." What an amazing TIME we had at the mini conference in Austin! For some reason I had missed the little detail of "MFA" included in the title of the event until today while I was reflecting. I looked up the definition of MFA degree and it said, "- a graduate-level degree focused on hands-on creative expression and professional practice in fields like visual arts, writing, acting, or filmmaking". Considering how much I learned I feel like our Austin neighbors were spot on with their title! So many pages of notes! While listening to Tracy Shaw, art director for Little Brown Books for Young Readers, I was reminded about lines and the power of them. Even the slightest mark on a page has an emotional effect on the scene in an illustration. Vertical lines are grounding, curved lines are soothing and comforting, scattered slanted lines show falling and motion, and of course zig zag lines demonstrate energy. Sometimes that energy is chaotic and crazy, and sometimes that energy is PROGRESS, forward motion in its purest form. Paul Klee said, "A line is a dot that went for a walk." Well I think we are ALL on a WALK for this KidLit Journey and I am proud to be a part of SCBWI and doing it along side of you amazing people! Cheers to the power of LINES!!


Jennie Smith

Illustrator Coordinator

Houston-ic@scbwi.org


HOUSTON CHAPTER EVENTS

Critique Groups

About Us

Houston Events

We encourage you to view all of our events via our website.

Upcoming Meetings

Houston Chapter

Critique Group


MARK YOUR CALENDAR


Where: Online

When: October 6, 2025

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM CST

 

What: An informal critique group to meet before most of our chapter meetings.


Details: All written and illustrated works-in-progress intended for the children’s market are welcome.

Please view the group's guidelines prior to attending. Free to all.


Authors and Illustrators are welcome to come to the critique session!

November's Chapter Meeting

Fuel Your Craft

Sign up for our region's many activities below!

Houston Liftoff!


With the power of community, we are creating stories and illustrations in just 30 minutes! Join us on October 14th for the next community session. Remember, after the 30 minutes, we open the mics to share.

And maybe one of these stories or illustrations will be added to a Houston Lift-Off anthology.


October 16th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm



How does Illustrator Sketch Night work on ZOOM? We enjoy a quick visit and share for the first 10-15 minutes and then it is independent work time. I provide an optional drawing prompt in addition to the SCBWI #DrawThis option if you didn't come with a project of your own. When the timer stops, we share our progress! Just think, all the advantages of a group of creatives doing what creatives do, but without the drive in Houston traffic!


Sunday afternoon FIGURE DRAWING session, who wants to go?


Now that class is back in session, so are the figure drawing classes!


Come and play with us at

Art League Houston


The human figure has been the subject of art since the beginning of time. Every week, a live model is available for all to freely sketch, draw, or paint. Participants will be able to observe the model and explore different techniques of approaching the human form on paper or canvas. A proctor will be present during the class.

Open sessions are $20 per session for members or $25 per session for non-members and meet weekly on Thursday and Sunday from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, with all costs going directly back into the program. No pre-registration required – this is a drop-in program.


we will be going on...


Sunday, December 7th - 1:00 - 4:00pm



Click here to RSVP for Figure Drawing Field Trip!



Email Jennie for more information: houston-ic@scbwi.org

(limit of 10 people)

Stay In the Know

Keep an eye on our social media for

announcements about area socials!

A stronger community-together on Discord


This only works if we come together as a communitychecking in, sharing ideas, lifting each other up and being lifted up.

Space City Scribes Blog

FOLK WISDOM & OTHER THOUGHTS

By Jim Smolski

"It is the imperfections in a child's artwork that makes it perfect!"


“Determined”

I asked a friend for guidance.

Seems getting published was quite tough. 

She explained that sometimes just writing.

Never was enough.


There is a method to the reason,

others make the sale.

Keep at it more because 

The determined ones prevail.


Explaining something I had not thought.

The chance it’s not great writing.

It’s how often and the roads we take.

That make our work exciting.


So simple, that I gave her words.

Serious consideration.

I’m determined more than ever now.

To get my words in publication.

Have News? Share It With Us For

Our Members Corner Newsletter!

(published the 10th of each month)


Submit author & illustrator news for the next newsletter by the 5th of each month via this form. Event submissions for member book launches and signings can be added to our regional calendar! Please be sure to include the date, time, and location.


Make Your SCBWI Experience More Local:

Set Your Home Region


The SCBWI has introduced a new "Home Regions" feature that makes it easier than ever to stay connected to your local community.


Why choose a home region?


– Get updates on local events and opportunities

– Connect with your regional volunteers and help them better serve your area

– Strengthen your connection to the SCBWI community


Follow these simple steps to select your home region and follow others that interest you:


Log in and go to Member Home > My Profile > Edit My Profile. Scroll down the settings and click the arrow beside “Set your home region, and add others you’re interested in.”


Go to "Member Home" then click "My Awards" to find monthly opportunities!

SCBWI Regional Events

Remember to check out webinars hosted by SCBWI regions! See the Regional Virtual Events page to see what's coming up for novelists, picture book writers, illustrators, and more.

Our Volunteers

From left to right: Jacob Reynolds, Margaret Lea, Tiffany Obeng, Jennie Smith (above), Sabina Grey was webmaster, now retired (below), Annie Harmon (above) Lynne Kelly (below) Kaye Marc-Charles, and Jim Smolski. Missing: Cheryl McCosh, Sydney Dunlap, Sanyu Ntanda, Sam Kelty, Kemi Ogunyemi, Tonya Ellis and Theresa Villarreal.

Regional Team

Co-Regional Advisor:

Kaye Marc-Charles

Co-Regional Advisor:

Annie Roi Harmon

Asst. Regional Advisor:

Lynne Kelly Margaret Lea

Illustrators Coordinator:

Jennie Smith

Regional Advisor Emeritus:

Vicki Sansum


Chapter Volunteers

General Webmaster

OPEN!

Newsletter Editor

OPEN!

Critique Group Coordinator:

Jacob Reynolds

Newsletter Column Writer: 

Jim Smolski

Kidlit Correspondents


New Membership Coordinator

Sam Kelty

Programming Chair:

Tonya Ellis

Social Event Coordinator

Sanyu Ntanda

Local Event (Pod) Coordinators: 

OPENINGS!

PAL Coordinator

Sydney Dunlap

Self-Pub Coordinator

Tiffany Obeng

Social Media Crew

Theresa Villarreal 

Discord Moderator

Kemi Ogunyemi


OPEN Volunteer Positions

We want to create a chapter that is more involved, engaged, and active, and we need your help to do it!


Click here to apply.

Stay on top of the latest SCBWI News!

Join the conversation in Discord! Sign up here! 


Newsletter Tip: Be aware of message clipping! To make sure you're getting the full newsletter, by looking for this message at the bottom of the email:

"[Message clipped]  View entire message"


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Chapter Logo and Header Design by Marissa Valdez

Houston Liftoff Design by Jill Wegner


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News and other information may be passed on without attribution; original artwork and writing are the property of their creators and may be reproduced only with written permission.