01 May Member Spotlight: Children’s Book Illustrators
Since most of the country has been sheltering at home, those with children have found themselves taking on extra duties as an educator, kid wrangler, entertainers, and 24/7 kitchen staff. That means May is the perfect month to honor those professionals who more than once have saved the sanity of overwhelmed parents: children’s illustrators!
We contacted several of our Graphic Artist Guild members who work in children’s illustration, creating children’s books, craft books, video art, and even art for live performances. We asked each set of questions to find out how they got their start, and what keeps them going:
- Why did you become a children’s illustrator?
- What project are you most proud of? What do children learn or understand from it? Why is that important?
- What are you itching to draw or illustrate next?
- Tell us about your latest project. Where can it be purchased?
Check out their answers by clicking onto their profiles below.
Chelsea Iris Granger
Chelsea Iris Granger’s sees her paintings as medicine. Her art is inspired by the overlap of earth/spirit dimensions, and woods as church.
Jim Kopp
Jim Kopp of Kopp Illustration, specializing in vector technical Illustration, has created illustrated books of children’s craft projects.
Jody Wheeler
Jody Wheeler is a freelance illustrator who has worked on picture books based on the Little House series, as well as the Corduroy Bear books.
Liz DiFiore
Liz DiFiore’s favorite projects create empathetic characters, encourage relationships, and inspire kids to imagine the “what ifs.”
Margaret Zaleski
Jody Wheeler is a freelance illustrator who has worked on picture books based on the Little House series, as well as the Corduroy Bear books.
R. W. Alley
R.W. Alley is a children’s book artist and author, a recipient of a Geisel Honor, a sometime editorial cartoonist and hopeful landscape painter.
Robert James Hutchinson
Robert James Hutchinson self publishes his children’s books, which he writes and illustrates, through his own publishing company.
Sarah Nettuno
Sarah Nettuno has a passion for all things fun and whimsical, which is why the main goal of Nettuno Illustrations is to bring a smile
Sommer Maxwell
Sommer Maxwell’s whimsical collage artwork is inspired by her daily life, and is created to share, inspire joy and encourage connection.
Tobias Berblinger
Tobias Berblinger recently branched into children's Illustration through his first project for children, for SMART Reading Oregon.