In my interview of Carolyn McWilliams Brown, author of  the children’s picture book, All You Want and Then Some, I learned about illustrating  the book ,as well as writing it and how her family inspired the project.  The story evolved from a family challenge and Carolyn’s children inspired the illustrations

I’ve continued the interview here:

Mary Emma: Were your children involved in writing the book?

Carolyn: They were!  They were involved in making the illustrations come to life.  By the time I got around to writing the story, several years had passed; Katie had grown, and that created a challenge for the illustrator.  So little brother Cash posed as Katie during the photo shoot to capture the emotions Katie feels throughout the book.

Katie, on the other hand, posed for all the shots that didn’t show her full face. The artwork shown in the book - on the refrigerator, the Gallery, and on the final page - are all actual pieces by Katie that were scanned into the illustration.

Mary Emma: The illustrations are wonderful.  Tell us about the artist.

Carolyn: Deb Hoeffner created a magnificent fusion of color and breathed life into the books’s characters, making the illustration amazingly lifelike.  [Using some of the processes described above]

Deb has had a twenty-five year professional career, and her paintings and drawings are in many private collections.  She describes her unique style of “soft realism” as a layering of thought, paint, and possibilities. Deb’s studio is located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Mary Emma: Readers will find the illustrations charming and likely be enchanted by them.  You’ll find yourself looking for more of Deb Hoeffner’s work.

I consider myself primarily an author, but I’ve done some illustrating of my stories.  The more I do, the more I enjoy it and find this another way to branch out into the art world even more.

More about Carolyn McWilliams Brown.

(Amazon image)

Have you visited author Jan Brett’s web site?  Hers is one of the most enjoyable online places for finding projects for youngsters, in addition to information about her books and art.

Jan is a children’s author/illustrator whose art fascinates young and older.  Many of the primary grade teachers, in schools where I substitute teach, print off Jan’s coloring sheets, art hints, games and other activities.  There are even videos with drawing instruction.

Her mascot, Hedgie, the hedgehog, becomes involved in much of this and creates added fascination for the youngsters.

You also can subscribe to Hedgie’s free e-newsletter so that you receive updates and links to Hedgie and Jan’s projects.

Are any of you using Jan’s books and materials as a parent, home schooling parent or classroom teacher?

I must get out my art materials again and rediscover painting. At one point in my life I did quite a bit of art work.  Even though I’m primarily a writer, I have illustrated three of my books and designed cards and notepaper.

I took several painting courses and explored various medium.  I’m amazed at all the different types available today…those I see my daughter use for her fabric art and even pencils and inks youngsters bring to school where I substitute teach.

Image: sxc.hu

Do you have an urge to draw and paint?

• Keep a sketchbook with you, even a small one, so you can jot down sights and textures you come across.
• Check out the various types of pencils, paints, and inks available for artwork nowadays.
• Take an art class, perhaps at an adult education facility or one at the local parks and recreation.  Join your children in a class and have fun together.
• Design and sketch greeting cards and post cards.  Nowadays, you simply make one master, then scan it into the computer for printing out.
• Try painting on larger canvas or  board.

After painting for your own enjoyment, you may even have someone ask to purchase your work, as I did.

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com

 The recent announcement of Tasha Tudor’s death, at age 92, brought back memories of my meeting with her years ago.  Perhaps some of you have her enchantingly illustrated books, have read them yourself or to your children.

Apparently Tasha didn’t make many quilts, yet her lifestyle was condusive to it.  She was involved constantly in the crafts of days ago and lived her life midst them.  The cover of the book jacket on Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts, (at least the edition I have) consists of a photo of Tasha working on  a quilt in her rocking chair before the fireplace.

Within the book, there are more photos of Tasha with this quilt she called Yankee Pride.  It’s one she worked on for years and intended to finish “before I leave this earth.”  The photo reminds me of my grandmother sitting before the kitchen woodstove piecing quilts by hand.

Tea Party Memories

My memory consists, not of quilts, but of a tea party with Tasha, when I was an aspiring children’s author just out of college.  I studied her art and writing in a children’s literature class and was fascinated by her work.  When I had an opportunity to visit at her farmhouse in New Hampshire (the state where I’d moved after college graduation and marriage), I was thrilled.

We spent a quiet afternoon before her fireplace, where she made tea and toast and talked with me about writing.  I’d had nothing published yet, and she warned me it wasn’t easy, getting started as a children’s writer and illustrator. 

Over the years, I often thought of her and followed her career and move to Vermont.  She inspired me to continue as a children’s writer, although my career has branched in many directions.  I was pleased when a librarian remarked, upon seeing my illustrations in Tales of Adventure and Discovery, that their delicacy reminded her of Tasha Tudor. (I’d had my doubts that my drawing was very good.)

 I like to think that even though we hadn’t met in person again, Tasha Tudor continued inspiring me.  Now I see that she also was involved in quiltmaking midst her other crafts of yesteryear.

Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts was written by Tovah Martin with photographs by Richard W. Brown.

Additional information about Tasha Tudor:

http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/news.html

(Amazon image; click on cover for details)

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen