Got a bunch of artwork done today in a couple hours. Two editorial cartoons, a bike drawing and the next Swampy’s Florida webcomic.

The folks at the Florida Bibliophile Society were too kind to take up an entire page of their publication with a story about me and the talk I gave about how I construct the Swampy’s Florida coloring books this past February 19th. That’s way too many pictures of me!

A couple corrections are that I’m not currently a member of the caricature group and that I’m Florida Chapter Chairman of the NCS. Something not shown were the stack of personal books I brought to explain was my extensive use of books to research for each of the Swampy’s Florida coloring books.

Good thing a group about physically published books puts out a physically published magazine! – and it’s extremely well done, too!

Here are a few pages from the new Swampy’s Florida Storybooks” Trilby’s Flower that I’m introducing at the 2012 Pine Castle Pioneer Days. Come out and say Hello! I’ll be drawing and painting live Saturday after 3pm and all day Sunday.

I gave a talk yesterday at the meeting of the Florida Bibliophile Society at the University of Tampa. Afterward I signed some Swampy coloring books.

It was a large group of all ages and I did my best to modify the talk to better fit the younger people there. Overall I spoke about using my library of Florida history along with my drawing abilities to create the whole Swampy business. That’s incredibly simplifying how Swampy came about, but I wanted to also get into how much I use social media to make connection with others who might enjoy learning more about our great state of Florida.

Added to the talk was a display of Florida memorabilia from my collection. I could have spoken for hours just about everything from a large Silver Springs matchbook to an action figure of the Crocket character from Miami Vice.

Of course, part of the Swampy goal is to get folks to shop locally, so I was glad that Terisa Glover was along for the talk so she could say a few words about working with local authors at her The General Store and her Authors and Illustrators Festival in Downtown Lakeland each October.

Hard at work on the next Swampy’s Florida Coloring Book and Guide.

Headed out to Brevard County on Saturday, December 10th, and got all sorts of things done! First, got to drop off some Christmas cards to folks in the area and visit and camp out over at, my friend, Jim Fern’s house (Thanks, Jim) the night before which better prepared me for this busy day.

Went up Merritt Island to it’s northern point for the Sams House Open House. The homes and area was well decorated for Christmas and activities for everyone were everywhere.

The Sams House is part of the Pine Island Conservation area and is the earliest still standing home in Brevard County. It’s pine log construction has withstood many a hurricane since it’s 1875 construction and be well maintained today. The Sams family built a newer home at the site in the 1950s. Both are open for touring with a guide or can be self guided with interpretive exhibits. Yes, this was a Swampy’s Florida stop for me. Thanks to Ray Osbourne, local Brevard County historic advocate, for giving me the heads up about this event!

My next stop was in Palm Bay at The Shack Restaurant where I met with Fay Brewer, her daughter and art teacher friend, Janene. Fay’s daughter had a school assignment to interview a cartoonist and I was the subject. At the end of the interview, I created a drawing illustrating things Fay’s daughter likes to do, which I’m holding in the photo above.

I wrapped the day drawing a plethora of individuals at a corporate event in Melbourne for five hours non-stop. See the photos below. I later returned to Jim Fern’s home ready for rest!!!

Just wrapped the 5th Swampy’s Florida coloring book: A Florida Cracker Christmas. It debuts Friday during First Friday in Downtown Lakeland at The General Store. Rob will be there to sign books from 6pm to 9pm to sign books. Rob will next be at the Christmas celebration at the Florida Pioneer Settlement in Dade City and their Christmas event also signing books.

I’ll be at the 2nd Annual Polk Authors & Illustrators Festival in Downtown Lakeland, Florida, this Saturday signing (& doodling in) Swampy’s Florida coloring books from 9am to 3pm. I’ll also be watercoloring a few Florida images there, too! If you’re in the area, stop by and say ‘Hi!’

Introduced the newest Swampy’s Florida coloring book Saturday at a back-to-school event in Marion County at our Springs Festival tables. This new coloring book features the springs in Marion County and illustrates how a spring operates. Over 500 coloring books were given out to young folks that came through the events. All in conjunction with promoting the upcoming Marion County Springs Festival, September 24th.

Above is me before the event started with a couple of helpers. Below is the organizer of our Springs Festival contribution, Lisa Saupp, with a coloring book  that I drew a drawing for her in.

Really, really busy getting the next Swampy’s Florida coloring book: Springs of Marion County. Thought I’d share a bit of artwork from it.

Here’s artwork for a Swampy’s Florida coloring book I just wrapped up a preliminary version of Gatorama , in south Florida. I’ll be showing this version at the Florida Historical Society meeting starting Thursday.