Galette des rois MMXVI

After the holidays, right when I thought I consumed enough foie gras to shut down the State of California, it is on to January’s flavor of the month. The galette des rois, or king’s cake, is as ubiquitous in France as New Year’s resolutions. There’s another French paradox for the list. Nonetheless, two layers of buttery puff pastry hide a rich layer of almond paste or apple compote. Buried in the cake is a teeny tiny charm. In the spirit of Epiphany, whoever wins it is crowned king or queen for the day. Although galettes are found in abundance at any boulangerie and social event in the month of January, they are a cinch to make at home. Mine includes an apple compote with a Yankee Doodle dose of cinnamon and plenty of vanilla bean. So hold onto your teeth. You may be king or queen today!

For much more coloring fun, please preorder my forthcoming book Amazon.com: Edible Paradise: A Coloring Book of Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables (Rizzoli’s Universe Imprint), March 15th, 2016. It sets its readers on an enchanting journey, discovering the seasonal delicacies and creatures found in forests, fields, gardens, and urban farmer’s markets. This charming, elegantly designed volume of freehand illustrations is a treat for the senses, guaranteed to inspire food lovers, nature enthusiasts, gardeners, and parents wanting to encourage their children to appreciate the wonders of nature’s edible bounty. Preorder here.

Color Me Seasonal: January!

Phew, 2016! 2015 wrapped up into a very fine year for me. It was the first year where I can proudly say I was making it as a bona fide full-time living artist, a big feat for a professional fruit & veg doodler. But the biggest news of 2015 was that I nailed my first US book deal with Rizzoli New York. But I promise to share the process and all the juicy details very soon…

Fast forward to 2016, and said book will be released March 15th, 2016, Edible Paradise: A Coloring Book of Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables (Rizzoli’s Universe Imprint). Coloring books found a bit of a renaissance in 2015, promising to re spark everyday creativity and hit the overloaded mind’s refresh button. But Edible Paradise is more than just your kid’s chicken-scratched Frozen activity book. It sets its readers of all ages on an enchanted journey, discovering the seasonal delicacies and creatures found in forests, fields, gardens, and urban farmer’s markets all in richly detailed freehand drawings. But in the humble opinion of its creator, the true beauty of the book lies in the hands of whoever colors it in.

You may be asking yourself, “I still can’t even write ‘2016’. Why should I preorder a book that comes out in March?” The truth is, although I would love that you picked it up at your local mom & pop bookshop, in the current Amazon economy, the success of book sales are dependent on preorders. Ever wonder how a new release is already a New York Times Bestseller the day it comes out? Preordering largely determines that. Ordering now not only promises you can attack it with your colored pencils ASAP, but it gives my editor a little vote of confidence. It also increases the chances I can publish more passion projects like this one in the future. Preorder here.

In any case, I wish you joy and balance in 2015! And thanks for your support in making this another Technicolor New Year!

–jkw

Color Me Seasonal, November!

In anticipation of my forthcoming coloring book Edible Paradise (Rizzoli’s Universe Imprint), Color Me Seasonal will be back the first of every month until the book launch, February 9th, 2016. November flaunts the thick-skinned pumpkin and all of her kissing cousins. Print it out, color it in, share and tag with #colormeseasonal. And for loads more coloring fun preorder a copy of Edible Paradise here today.

APRIL color me seasonal

APRIL FOOLS!

Print it out. Color it in. Hashtag it #colormeseasonal.

Sharpened your colored pencils? Buy my coloring book here.

Color Me Seasonal!

Although the month of March promises a season changed for the better, its produce does not vary much from the thick of the winter months. I am as fatigued by potatoes and beets as the next locavore, roasting away Earth tones into an oblivion. But if my Spring predictor serves me right, when charming little bouquets of daffodils are slung on the streets of Paris, then printemps is just around the corner. So color this in with patience. The coloring and eating will get very good very soon.

Want to color more? Click here to purchase my new coloring book.

#colormeseasonal