|
I have always loved children's books. In fifth grade I was excited when our teacher told us we were going to create one. I sat down and wrote a story about a string bean that married a celery stalk and had lots of little celery strings.
I'm not sure if it was the pictures, the story, or just the goofy way my ten year old mind worked, but the teacher liked it so much she asked me to read it to the principal. I was scared to death but dutifully read my book glancing up from time to time at the lady on the other side of a vast expanse of desk. Humble beginnings, but a spark was ignited.
In college, I majored in Art Education, then taught Art to 700 kids a week in three different schools.
With the goal of helping them feel creative and excited about Art, I used a lion puppet that I named Leonardo to help me communicate from the front of the room. Leonardo shook paws, showed interest, and clapped when the children cleaned up on time. He became a bit of a 'school mascot,' receiving cards, gifts, and much affection from the kids.
I left teaching to attend graduate school where I took courses in Illustration. That tiny fifth grade spark began to burn more brightly. I went on to work on the art staff of Hallmark Cards, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri and felt privileged to work with artists from all over the world.
When I married a physics teacher from Pennsylvania, I left Hallmark and set up a studio in our new home. My first published book featured art projects for children -- it was a subject I felt I knew well. My other books have been about things such as Ukrainian Easter Eggs and the Christmas Star -- none, however, have been about string beans.
Along with my work in Illustration, I'm an adjunct instructor at Cabrini College. In one of my classes, designed for future teachers, I teach my students the art of puppet making. My hope is that they will experience the same joy with their kids I used to have with Leonardo. My Picture Book class allows me to share my love for children's books and acquaint my students with the wonderfully imaginative stories and pictures found between their covers.
|
