Do you sometimes suffer from artist’s block?
Yes. I believe every artist does. It comes and goes, but mainly I just push through by resting, running, reading good books, looking at good art, eating chocolate, or just working on through it.
Let's talk about the artist's temperament. In Kate Chopin's classic The Awakening, Emma is told that an artist must possess "the courageous soul... the brave soul... the soul that dares and defies." Do you think this is true for illustrators as well?
It is most certainly true, and if one can break past fear and push forward, not focusing on pleasing others, but being true to one’s vision and voice, the fear fades, and the images are all the stronger for it.
Do you have a website where readers may learn more about you and see samples of your work?
Yes. I have a website and I also have a blog about the business of illustrating for children.
What advice would you give to aspiring illustrators?
Don’t fear hard work. Continue to learn about painting, writing, and anything that captures your attention. Draw as much as possible to keep a keener sense of what things look like and how they work, but if you can’t draw or create art as much as you’d like, don’t despair. Read! Read more.
In the midst of marketing your work and attempting to succeed as an illustrator, don’t lose sight of the love of painting and creating images. Create what you love most, not what others want. If your illustrators come from your heart and what you enjoy drawing, others will see it in the art and be drawn to it. They’ll be knocking at your door soon.
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