Introduction

Hello, l am a final year BA (Hons) Illustration student, studying with the University of Hertfordshire. I live in Yorkshire with my husband and six boys (actually this is technically five now as one has gone to university...) aged between 11 and 20.  I am 41 years old and always loved drawing, painting and writing, though l did have a large gap of around 18 years where l couldn't engage in these activities due to bringing up a large family and following various types of employment.  However l have always found something creative to do, and once my youngest son began full time education l became immersed in teaching myself image making using a variety of techniques and mediums, as well as completing portrait and other art commissions.  A few years later l embarked upon studying for my illustration degree and l can't believe l am almost reaching the end of such a challenging road!

I have completed commissioned work for children's book illustrations already but upon graduation l hope to become more engaged in this genre as well as producing my own books.  Although l write stories l have a particular interest in wordless books; picture books or graphic novels.  I am particularly interested in true life tales using real characters, as opposed to the fantasy based stories which seem so prevalent today.  I feel quite strongly that children are just little people with their own ideas, experiences and problems, as opposed to children who should be hidden away from the realities of society, and l hope to produce books which deal with these issues in a sensitive and inspirational manner.  As writer / illustrator Maurice Sendak and many others agree, children's books shouldn't just be written for children, but for the wider audience to appreciate, while at the same time being sensitive and aware of the young viewer.  Children should be given more credit for their understanding of real life issues which so many of them face, and books covering issues like the ones l envisage would enable them to develop their skills in building empathy and understanding, as well as thinking of solutions to problems; all emotions they are beginning to develop by the age of around four.

Some books l find inspiring and are either similar in tone to the books l intend to produce myself, or follow the same format of wordless picture book or graphic novel include:

'Footpath Flowers' by Jon Arno Lawson (Illustrated by Sydney Smith)
Henry's Freedom Box' by Ellen Levine (Illustrated by Kadir Nelson)
'Hurricane' by David Wiesner
Here l am' by Patti Kim (Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez)
'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan
'Flood' by Alvaro F. Villa
'Rainstorm' by Barbara Lehman
'Jane, the Fox and Me' by Fanny Britt (Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault)

Sendak is a great inspiration to me and an article l read in the Guardian reflects his attitude towards what can be sometimes accused of 'dark' (though reflective of real life problems to a large extent) subject matter.  "If he had come from a happy home, says Sendak, he would never have become an artist, at least not the kind of artist he is.  Sendak's picture books acknowledge the terrors of childhood, how vicious and lonely it can be." (Brockes, 2011).  I also hope to be able to successfully convey similar emotions in my own books for children as l move through the final modules of my degree and subsequent graduation, with a view to appeal to both adults and children alike.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Britt, F., Arsenault, I, 2014, 'Jane, the Fox and Me', London:  Walker Books
Brockes, E., 2011, Maurice Sendak:  I refuse to lie to children', [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/02/maurice-sendak-interview [Accessed 13 June 2016]
Kim, P., Sanchez, S., 2014, 'Here l am', London:  Curious Fox
Lawson, J, Smith, S., 2016, 'Footpath Flowers', London:  Walker Books
Lehman, B., 2007, 'Rainstorm', New York:  Houghton Mifflin Company Boston
Levine, E, Nelson, K., 2002, 'Henry's Freedom Box', New York:  Scholastic Press
Tan, S., 2014, 'The Arrival', Sydney:  Lothian Books
Villa, A, 2013, 'Flood', London:  Curious Fox
Wiesner, D., 1990, 'Hurricane', New York:  Clarion Books