Get ready to be amazed… this studio is on wheels! Today, we’re visiting Stevie Lewis. For half the year, Stevie, her partner, and her dogs (Kiki and Tigger, seen smiling above) travel to hiking and rock climbing destinations. And Stevie takes her work with her in a sweet van she customized herself! An animator for four years, Stevie has also illustrated a number of beautiful picture books. Her newest releases, I Am Thinking My Life (Bala Kids), and We Are Better Together (Henry Holt) will be available in 2022.
Picture 1: Here’s a picture of my workspace, which I share with my partner while we’re on the road in our van. I built out the van (all by myself!) before I met him, and we travel as often as we can. I usually work from the road on my computer.
Picture 2: Having a van home makes traveling feel very comfortable. I can park anywhere, and gather endless inspiration from the outdoors. Here’s the van parked off a road in Moab, Utah, where I enjoyed painting and drawing in the desert.
Picture 3: Another view of the kitchen/studio/living room area. It’s so important to stay organized living in such a small space!
Picture 4: The trunk is where we keep our outdoor climbing, camping, and biking gear, as well as any art supplies I bring on the road with me.
Picture 5: Sometimes I”ll bring my art outside, and use traditional mediums like color pencil and gouache. I can’t bring too many supplies with me on the road, but I can manage a few paints and pencils! I’m looking forward to having a real, non-moving art studio someday!
Images courtesy of Stevie Lewis
Today, we’ll be visiting Barbara DiLorenzo, a New Jersey-based illustrator, writer, and teacher! Her books include Renato and the Lion (Viking Books, 2017) and Quincy: The Chameleon Who Couldn’t Blend In (Little Bee Books, 2018). In addition to this, Barbara has gone skydiving, hang gliding, surfing, and whitewater rafting. YES! In 2019, we were delighted to invite her to our library to read, make 
I sit at this desk and Zoom teach art classes – hence the big light and mic stands to hold cameras. I’m a messy artist, so I have to clean up frequently. Otherwise the clay and paint would be all over the keyboard and mouse.
This is another angle of this area – showing that one whole drafting table is covered in paint and other supplies. Even vitamins. Those are important!