1. I fell in love with India in the late 1970s after being introduced to Indian thought and philosophy from a Psychology Prof in my first year at Architecture school in Ottawa. In 1979 I came on my first trip, met many friends, saw a lot of the country and finally met the meditation/yoga teacher that I was seeking. I have made at least a dozen trips since then…throughout maintaining a career as a free-lance illustrator…and a meditator.
    India has been good to me, wonderful people and culture. We in the western world have much to learn from such ancient wisdom. Our society is so young and, in many ways, so naïve. One day I came home and these fellows (below) were working the street outside my studio. The charmer with the Beem (gourd-flute) was excellent (it is very difficult to play) and they were gathering quite a crowd alongside the highway. They stayed long enough for me to do a quick sketch that later developed into this painting. It is the cover image for a book I co-wrote called The Cobra's Gift which is currently seeking a publishing house.
    1

    View comments


  2. Here are some pics of the view towards the north from my studio window
    during Monsoon season.



    4

    View comments

About Me
About Me
My Photo
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
I am a Canadian author/illustrator of fiction and non-fiction for both trade and educational publishers in Canada, the US, and abroad. I have written 4 trade books for Orca books, illustrated and written over 2 dozen picture books and am coauthor/illustrator of an environmental middle-grade fiction series for Harper Collins Children's Books in India. Email: steve@stephenaitken.com
Logo
Logo
My Website
Studio tour video
Interviews
Blog Archive
Writer Blog Roll
Artist's Blogs
Artist's Blogs
  • "Just Grace" Illustrator Sharon Lane Holm and Author Kathleen Bookbinder display the cover of their book "Just Grace". A collaboration that was created in support of t...

    11 years ago
PUBLISHED BOOKS
PUBLISHED BOOKS
PUBLISHED BOOKS
Sonu & the Metal Elephant
What a Tree Has Seen
What a Tree Has Seen
What a Tree Has Seen
Santillana USA
Loading