October 28–December 30, 2022
Celebrating contemporary children’s picturebook illustrators of the greater Seacoast Region
Carey Armstrong Ellis • Jeannie Brett • Jane Cowen-Fletcher • Ken Daley • Rebecca Dudley • Timothy Basil Ering • Kim Ferreira • Josie James • Marty Kelley • Scott Magoon • David McPhail • Hazel Mitchell • Ryan O’Rourke • Gina Perry • AJ Smith • Susan Spellman • Robert Squier • Nicole Tadgell • Jill Weber • Teri Weidner
Armstrong-Ellis, Carey. I Love You More than Moldy Ham. New York, Abrams Books For Young Readers, 2015.
Carey Armstrong-Ellis
“I Love You More than Moldy Ham started out as a Mother’s Day story. My editor at Abrams suggested that I write something gross and icky that would appeal to boys as well as girls. ‘I can do that!’ I said.”
Jeannie Brett
“When I illustrate a book, I have a process of getting to know as much as I can about my subject before digging into the art in depth.”
Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, and Jeannie Brett. Decorated Horses. Watertown, Ma, Charlesbridge, 2015.
Cowen-Fletcher, Jane. Baby Be Kind. Somerville, Ma, Candlewick Press, 2013.
Jane Cowen-Fletcher
“A picture book, especially a board book, is for the newest humans. I wanted to provide an appealing guide for them that showed what kindness is and that it feels good to give.”
Ken Daley
“Joseph’s memories of dancing with his grandma and the sights, sounds and smells of his home in East Africa reminds me of my travel to Dominica to connect with our family and culture.”
Farish, Terry and OD Bonny. Feast for Joseph. Groundwood Books Ltd, 2021.
Dudley, Rebecca. Hank Finds an Egg. White Plains, New York, Peter Pauper Press, Inc, 2013.
Rebecca Dudley
“Like most illustrators, I start with an image in my head and make sketches. Unlike most illustrators, I then build a place for my idea to live.”
Timothy Basil Ering
“My passions for creating images, fishing, the ocean, outdoors hunting and gathering, and making time to experience people, places, and things are so great, and feel so good when I share it all with others.”
Kim Ferreira
Kim calls this series “Joie de Vivre”, the French term used to describe the exuberant enjoyment of life.
Josie James
“The moment I stumbled upon the story of Marie Tharp I was fascinated. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t know anything about her discovery of the Mid-Ocean Ridge and Rift Valley. I grabbed my notebook and pen and dove into months of research.”
James, Josie. Marie’s Ocean : Marie Tharp Maps the Mountains under the Sea. New York, Henry Holt And Company, 2020.
Kelley, Marty. Experiment #256. Ann Arbor, Mi, Sleeping Bear Press, 2019.
Marty Kelley
“I‘ve been told I’m young at heart, which I suspect is a polite way of saying ‘immature’. I write things that I think are funny. Generally, there is a pretty wide overlap between my sense of humor and that of the average kid.”
Scott Magoon
“I love putting words and pictures together to tell stories for young readers that may be slightly edgy, funny, or about serious topics difficult to face. But all of them have a singular core message: hope that all will be well.”
Magoon, Scott. Linus the Little Yellow Pencil. Los Angeles ; New York, Disney Hyperion, 2019.
Mcphail, David. I Feel Safe. New York, Holiday House, 2022.
David McPhail
“I was inspired to write this story from my wife’s childhood experience with thunderstorms. She was deeply afraid until her father comforted her and convinced her to join him on the front porch. Sitting on her father’s lap, her fear lessened and became a fascination with the wonders of thunder and lightning”
Hazel Mitchell
“The most wonderful thing happened after the book had been published. I received photographs of children from a Maasai tribe reading the book. They looked and dressed just like Imani!”
Brown-Wood, Janay, et al. Imani’s Moon. Solon, Ohio, Findaway World, Llc, 2019.
Julia Marie Richardson, and Ryan O’rourke. Let’s Build a Little Train. Ann Arbor, Mi, Sleeping Bear Press, 2022.
Ryan O’Rourke
“Creating a book is a highly collaborative effort that involves multiple people sharing their expertise. This process is mirrored by the team in Let’s Build a Little Train that comes together to build the stream engine.”
Gina Perry
“I acknowledge that I am mostly a Moe. I like a tidy workspace, quiet games, and orderly rows of toy cars. However, when I sit down to make art I channel the colorful energy and fun of Peanut.”
Perry, Gina. Too Much! Not Enough! Toronto, Tundra Books, An Imprint Of Penguin Random House, 2018.
Smith, A J. Tea Time for Dinosaurs. Sourcebooks, Incorporated, 2022.
AJ Smith
“I love telling stories about dinosaurs just as much as drawing them!”
Susan Spellman
“Before creating the illustrations for Satchi and Little Star, I traveled to the island of Grand Turk where the story takes place,.It was wonderful to see firsthand the many horses, donkeys, and dogs that freely roam the island.”
Donna Marie Seim, and Susan Spellman. Satchi and Little Star. Portsmouth, Nh Peter Randall Pub, 2011.
Robert Squier, Lil’ Library, 2018. Digital.
Robert Squier
“I am an illustrator of dinosaurs and things that are not dinosaurs. I’ve illustrated several nonfiction chapter books (among other books) and I enjoy drawing whimsical creatures getting in—or out of—trouble.”
Nicole Tadgell
“I want readers to take away from this story is a sense of connection with the past―to appreciate that kids are kids, no matter the time period. There is always kindness, connection, and empathy.”
Trinka Hakes Noble, and Nicole Tadgell. A Fist for Joe Louis and Me. Ann Arbor, Mi, Sleeping Bear Press, 2019.
Salamon, Julie, and Jill Weber. Cat in the City. New York, Dial Books For Young Readers, An Imprint Of Penguin Group (Usa) Llc, 2014.
Jill Weber
“Cat in the City was a wonderful project that grew from an article in the Village Voice about a feisty stray cat who won everyone’s heart, and in doing so brought together an entire neighborhood.”
Teri Weidner
“During my childhood in Fairport, New York, I was always the kid hunched over my desk with a big mess of crayons. The apex of my artistic career came early, when at 9 years, I won both first and third prize in an Easter egg decorating contest judged by my classmates.”
Weidner, Teri. Always Twins. New York, Holiday House, 2015.
I’m so excited to meet some of these illustrators, and greet others I’ve met. When is the reception and how do I get invited, pretty please with sugar on top?
The opening reception will be on Thursday, October 27 at 6 pm. We hope to see you there.
Your last exhibit of Children’s Book Illustrators was without a doubt one of your very best exhibits. In fact it was one of the best exhibits we have been to in a while. I told so many people about it and I know some of them attended and agreed with me.
Thank you for the kind words. We hope that you also enjoy this related exhibit.
Tell me, please — WHAT DAY AND TIME IS THE OPENING RECEPTION?
The opening reception will be on Thursday, October 27 at 6 pm
This looks GREAT!! Will the books be for sale? Thanks!
We have a majority of the book available for sale in our gift shop. Make sure to check out our events calendar as we will be having a number of the artists featured stop by for workshops, lectures, or signing events over the next two months.