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

Thank you for your inspiring words, written and voiced šŸ§”
09/04/2026

Thank you for your inspiring words, written and voiced šŸ§”

I look to September as my second New Year, accessing where I am, turning over new leaves, renewing good habits, ridding ...
09/02/2026

I look to September as my second New Year, accessing where I am, turning over new leaves, renewing good habits, ridding myself of unhelpful ones. Itā€™s also a good month to dig into big projects! Appropriately, Iā€™ve been working on a picture book about seeds, with beautiful, stirring words by Charlotte Gunnufson, fellow Iowan picture book maker! The title, ā€œSeeds Go, Seeds Growā€ hints at the theme, of the many ways seeds disperse and find their way to perfect habitats to grow. A parallel story note has a human family growing along with these leafy forest inhabitants. You know I work traditionally, so everything is hands on, hands smudgy at the board at this point. Iā€™m at the full scale, pencil rough stage now. Scroll to see the tiny dummy book of my simple thumbnail sketches. I refer to this for a quick check on flow and feel! May your September mark some new beginnings, with a touch of autumnal auld lang syne! šŸšŸ‚ā°

Thank you all the nice comments on the last post, indulging me on the National Gallery dress! It did bring home the fact...
08/31/2026

Thank you all the nice comments on the last post, indulging me on the National Gallery dress! It did bring home the fact that a little dress-up can highlight life:) Back to the studio jeans, the Midwest, and the last day of August. This piece is part of the scratchboard Tallgrass Prairie series, a nod to that part of the summer when the sun is almost white (maybe it just worn out the sky this year). I call this Tallgrass Midday.

On a lighter note to end the weekā€¦some have kindly asked for photos of the long gown that was part of my illustration su...
08/28/2026

On a lighter note to end the weekā€¦some have kindly asked for photos of the long gown that was part of my illustration suitcase to London šŸ‘—Here are some details that evening at the conference event held at the National Gallery that Dan and I attended. My dress had a chambray prairie hemline, shimmery champagne colored fabric, and I paired a lapis lazuli bolo to make it my own (and a shout out to friends who gave me shawl and clutch options!). Dan wore the classic tux (tricky silk bow tie, with authentic skew!), and had a James Bond appeal for his date;) The painting behind us is an Edouard Manet (ā€œPortrait of Eva Gonzalesā€, an artist herself!). We had a short, after hours tour of the wing the dinner was held in. Pretty magical. I was overwhelmed to eat cheesecake within yards of a Turner and a Caravaggio. ā€œThe Ex*****on of Lady Jane Greyā€ (eeekks!) is such a devastation, a masterpiece. A reminder to myself, getting gussied up is nice every once in awhile! An extraordinary venue.

The sounds of summer are still loud and strong here in the Midwest, with the cicada still thrumming away at their little...
08/27/2026

The sounds of summer are still loud and strong here in the Midwest, with the cicada still thrumming away at their little tummy muscles! For the picture book ā€œRings of Heartwoodā€ MNHS Press Molly Beth Griffin, I was challenged to illustratively guide readers through this beloved insectā€™s life cycle, as Molly Bethā€™s words described. Who says larva canā€™t be cute! Scroll for the finished design with text. And enjoy the season of sun for a few more weeks! Donā€™t let your grocery store candy aisle lure you into thinking itā€™s Halloween!! šŸ‘»

The state bird of Tennessee for Dolly Parton, who flew ahead today. Thank you for your music, wit, humor, your beauty an...
08/25/2026

The state bird of Tennessee for Dolly Parton, who flew ahead today. Thank you for your music, wit, humor, your beauty and grace, your generosity, your gifts to humanity.

Itā€™s the 110th birthday of the National Parks Service today. Iā€™ve felt most proudly American while visiting our parks, m...
08/25/2026

Itā€™s the 110th birthday of the National Parks Service today. Iā€™ve felt most proudly American while visiting our parks, monuments, and seashores. Thatā€™s why Iā€™m taking a stand in the nationwide Day of Action today, to protest so many threats aimed at our public lands right now- most pointedly staffing and funding slashes and development policies- under the Trump administration. Help support, protect and preserve these sacred nature spaces for now and for generations; keep aware of the current issues and what is at stake.

I detected autumn notes on my walk in Hickory Hill Park yesterday; a few falling leaves, the changing insect song, the d...
08/20/2026

I detected autumn notes on my walk in Hickory Hill Park yesterday; a few falling leaves, the changing insect song, the deepening earthen scent ... Even though I love the fall, itā€™s always bittersweet to say good bye to summer. I passed a large stand of thistles, and spied a large black swallowtail. She was awesome. Her body was robust and she was flitting energetically to each thistle, but her wings were so tattered. She really moved me. She represented to me the ephemeral beauty of each season, without sadness but with gratitude of a life worn, and well experienced. Scroll for a couple photos of the swallowtail enjoying her late August afternoon.

08/13/2026

More to share of the travels, but work impatiently beckons, with the re-issued classic, ā€œIowa Interiorsā€ by author Ruth Suckow, just put to ā€œbedā€. I illustrated the new cover, a sunsetting farmhouse scene. Because the author loved kitties, we decided to add one to the window, and I caught the moment that someone turned the window behind Kitty, to share with you! šŸˆā€ā¬›.

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