(Photo credit: Kara Gingras. www.kgingrasphotography.com)
WHY PICTURE BOOKS:
When I was younger I always loved to draw and make things. Years later, I went to Mass Art in Boston to study animation. I've always had a strong pull toward characters, stories, and design.
Soon after I graduated I did a freelance picture book project and that was my “ah-ha!” moment to get into the #kidlit world.
It is everything I love combined into paper form.
When I was younger I always loved to draw and make things. Years later, I went to Mass Art in Boston to study animation. I've always had a strong pull toward characters, stories, and design.
Soon after I graduated I did a freelance picture book project and that was my “ah-ha!” moment to get into the #kidlit world.
It is everything I love combined into paper form.
ART:
I've worked on a variety of books and so I've developed a variety of styles. Certain books call for certain art and I love exploring that process with every project. I work in a combination of digital and mixed media. I make my own textures with paint or whatever is on my desk and scan those in. These "swatches" are kept in a very disorganized archive in my computer. Sometimes I digitally cut out pieces to layer together and sometimes I just paint with digital brushes. Sometimes I combine the two.
I've worked on a variety of books and so I've developed a variety of styles. Certain books call for certain art and I love exploring that process with every project. I work in a combination of digital and mixed media. I make my own textures with paint or whatever is on my desk and scan those in. These "swatches" are kept in a very disorganized archive in my computer. Sometimes I digitally cut out pieces to layer together and sometimes I just paint with digital brushes. Sometimes I combine the two.
WRITING:
For me, writing picture books is a way to make the art I want to make and create the characters living in my brain (there are a lot of them!). The clearer the personality of the character, the easier it is for me to think of a plot. I like to play with a couple stories at once because I find that when I get stuck on one, I can tinker with the other. Sometimes that helps open roadblocks when I go back. Sometimes it doesn't. Writing is REALLY hard.
I think I've always liked to write. I've kept journals my entire life and I still have all of them. In fact, here is a riveting journal entry from when I was 10. Get excited.
“Wednesday July 15 1998, TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!! I am so excited because today is the big day and I can’t wait to see what I got for presents. It’s about 10:00 am and I having my party at 12:30 am so I have to wait a couple hours but that’s ok. I realy tern 10 on July 29 but I am selibrating it on the 15 of July. I only have two friends coming to the pool party but only 1 can sleep over.”
As you can see I loved being positive, I loved details, and I loved being honest (nothing has changed!). But seriously, journals are the best. They just listen to whatever you write and never judge or tell you how many words you misspelled. They are the safest place to write for the love of writing.
SMALLER ME:
I was a funky little thing. I loved Little Mermaid and Zorro and Power Rangers and orca whales.
I was tomboy-ish but also extremely sensitive. I think I cried at least every day in elementary school. One time in second grade, I cried for accidentally getting my pencil stuck in the pencil sharpener. I didn’t want ANYONE to think negatively of me. I still have that issue now, although I’m trying hard to care less. I make sure to be kind and let the rest go, pencil sharpeners and all.
I also loved backpacks and putting things in them. I have this distinct memory of putting a clunky, tan colored rotary phone in my TROLL backpack and riding into the sunset with it on my back. Or just to the stop sign at the end of my block. But I liked to think I was going somewhere important.
I was a funky little thing. I loved Little Mermaid and Zorro and Power Rangers and orca whales.
I was tomboy-ish but also extremely sensitive. I think I cried at least every day in elementary school. One time in second grade, I cried for accidentally getting my pencil stuck in the pencil sharpener. I didn’t want ANYONE to think negatively of me. I still have that issue now, although I’m trying hard to care less. I make sure to be kind and let the rest go, pencil sharpeners and all.
I also loved backpacks and putting things in them. I have this distinct memory of putting a clunky, tan colored rotary phone in my TROLL backpack and riding into the sunset with it on my back. Or just to the stop sign at the end of my block. But I liked to think I was going somewhere important.
RANDOM FACTS JUST BECAUSE:
*Yoga is my jam.
*I used to be an elementary, middle school, high school, and adult art teacher. It was the best. But being an artist (ya know, for money) was always my little heart's calling. I heard you LOUD AND CLEAR, Little Heart!
*One time I worked as a hostess at a restaurant and sat Steven Spielberg and George Lucas together at a table. I like to think the way I gracefully handed out the menus inspired their next film.
*My favorite food is potato chips. Any kind. Any flavor. I love them. The end.
*My husband is not related to Robert Frost. Although he does write nice birthday cards.
*My full name is Madison. I was named after the mermaid Daryl Hannah plays in the movie Splash. Yeah, 80's!
*In my next life I know I will be a marine biologist (must be the mermaid thing).
*In this life, I live with my husband and dog outside of Boston, MA.