Sunday, November 11, 2012

The DMS Wants to Know! Where is Your New World?


Our Saturday post is on Sunday this week! Yesterday, we were lucky enough to attend the UCONN Children's Book Fair. It was awesome, and we were excited to meet some really amazing authors and illustrators.

Monday's Riddle set us on course for the New World, and Lizzy's review of Blood on the River: 1607 James Town by Elisa Carbone took us back into the scene. We told you about a couple of our favorite stories regarding the early settlers and Native Americans on Top of the Heap. And Friday, Matthew Cody came by to chat about his middle grade book Powerless- and, there's still time to enter the book giveaway for a signed copy of Powerless- this giveaway runs until Sunday, November 25th!

UCONN Children's Book Fair 2012: Walking into worlds of stories...
Listening to the authors and illustrators speak about their experiences was really inspiring, and hearing about how their worlds opened up to their dreams was fascinating.

Next Sunday, we will be featuring some of the other wonderful authors we were able to meet, including Jerry Spinelli and Leslea Newman, so be sure to check back!

Barbara McClintock
Barbara McClintock told us about how, when she was nineteen and wanted nothing more than to be a children's illustrator, she called up Maurice Sendak to ask his advice. At the time, she lived in a very small town in North Dakota and had no idea how to go about becoming an illustrator. She dialed up Maurice, who lived in Connecticut, and asked him what she should do. How brave! His advice to her was to move to New York and start bringing her portfolio around to art directors. So, she did! Talk about embarking upon a new world! She took only a few possessions and went into the city. Once there, she piled all of her work into a basket and started knocking on the doors of art directors. After awhile, people started to recognize her as the basket lady, and she found some interest in her work. The rest is, of course, history!


Leave Your Sleep

Bryan Collier spoke about his life growing up with his brothers, and how all he wanted was to be a basketball player. Until, one day, he found himself in an art class and realized that that was his purpose. He moved into his grandmother's house and worked on his art projects. While living there, he noticed that she made these beautiful quilts that had landscapes and pictures sewn into them. He didn't understand why he wanted to make the art that he was doing- it just felt right. He moved away from his family and embarked upon the adventure of finding someone who wanted to work with him. Bryan said that he went one day a week for seven years knocking on doors, until someone answered. Again, the rest is history.

Stephanie Robinson & Bryan Collier
Bryan spoke about the book, Dave the Potter by Laban Carrik Hill, which he did the illustrations for. Dave was a slave that lived 200 years ago and made over 40,000 clay pots. What was so special about Dave? He wrote poems on the pots that he crafted, signed and dated them- which, at the time, was forbidden and could have cost him his life.


Bryan spoke about the "silent gift" that was passed on to him by his grandmother, and talked about how these "silent gifts" are the foundations of how we craft our own worlds, and navigate towards the new worlds that are out there, just waiting for us to explore!

Dave the Potter

The DMS wants to know: What new world would you like to settle into? 

We'll tell you ours, if you tell us yours! 

Here are a few shots of these artists at work : ) 
 


Barbara McClintock sketches Top Cat
Bryan Collier talks about his art- Original piece from the book Barack Obama


This Hedgehog is for you Petty : )

35 comments:

  1. What a cool event. I often think illustrators get overlooked sometimes so it was nice you celebrated them a bit.

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    1. Hi Lisa, it was a great time! I also love to spotlight the artists and illustrators- sometimes they get overlooked- yet they add so much to the story! Thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F

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  2. How much fun this must have been! And all the authors and illustrators you got to meet.

    It was a bit like being in an ideal new world, wasn't it?

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    1. Hi Donna, It was certainly fun! We love books and it was great to get to meet some of the amazing authors and illustrators that were there. Completely, to answer your question : ) ~ F

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  3. When I was young I would have loved to have become an illustrator of children's stories but in the world of my youth that was never seen as an option - we had to be 'realistic' and 'get a proper job'. I think its wonderful that you were able to celebrate (and share) the work of these amazing people. If dreams could come true I would be able to give up my day job and become a writer or full time artist!

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    1. Hi Sharon, Being realistic can be so dull sometimes- lol! I think everyone is cut out to do something special, and if you can do what you love here and now- what could possibly be better than that- you've already succeeded. Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts with us! Lovely to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  4. Ah, a world of books - what a wonderful event! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Hi Cate, You are welcome! We were excited to go to this event again- last year we were able to meet with Grace Lin and Sarah Weeks- this year was just as interesting, and meeting Jerry Spinelli in person was really cool! Thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F

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  5. Oh my goodness!! How FUN!! Congratulations on getting to attend such a wonderful event, and thank you so much for sharing the day with us. I love the pictures - Stephanie, you're gorgeous! Happy Reading, lovely ladies!

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    1. Hi Cheles Bells, Thanks so much for stopping by! It was a fun event and we were able to chat with some pretty amazing authors and illustrators.

      About Stephanie, isn't she just fabulous! : ) Lovely to hear from you! ~ F

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  6. SO LUCKY! Jerry Spinelli! Even more lucky.
    You girls must have had a great time.
    New world? Hmm... I honestly don't know. I don't mind my world right now... if only there were superheroes and I was one of them!

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    1. Hi Adriana,
      It was awesome to meet with Jerry Spinelli, and we will be interviewing him sometime soon- so be sure to keep an eye out for it! LOL- I would love to have superpowers, I sort of think that I do- I just can't remember how to make them work : ) ~ F

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  7. Ever since I was young, I've been strongly attracted to illustrations - and it is SUCH a pleasure to read the above inspirations; what a difference location & determination can often make. THANK YOU for sharing! <3

    That said, MY ideal world would be an artist/artisan *commune* located in a snug & cozy little corner of the north west. Hopefully, I'd also have oodles of talent/$$$ in my fantasy lol

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    1. Hi MAD, I loved their stories too! It's always so interesting to hear how people were able to follow their dream.

      Send me the address and I'm there!
      Always fabulous to hear from you my friend : ) ~ F

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  8. Barbara McClintock is one seriously brave lady.

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    1. Hi Libby, Isn't she, though? LOL- she was funny talking about it- going through how she looked him up in the directory and then took a deep breath and dialed. Great story- she is a cool lady : ) Thanks so much for stopping by! ~ F

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  9. I have such admiration for illustrators. They are amazing story tellers with their gift for creating images that capture the essence of a book.

    I loved the story about Barbara McClintock calling Mr. Sendak. Just pick up the phone and ask the expert!

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    1. Hi cleemckenzi, Barbara McClintock was the highlight of my day- her stories were great and she was so rosy-cheeked and fun. I love hearing illustrators talk about their experiences, they so often get overlooked. Lovely to hear from you! Thanks so much for popping over : ) ~ F

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  10. How energizing to be around such talent. Wow, dialing up Maurice Sendak - now there's gumption.

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    1. Hi Leslie, There sure was a lot of talent there this year! We also met with Patricia Maclachlan, Jerry Spinelli, and Leslea Newman- it was a great time! Barbara McClintock was very brave! Lovely to hear from you- thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F

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  11. my kids all read Jerry Spinelli.
    wow..lucky you..what an event!

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    1. Hi Annmarie, Jerry Spinelli is an excellent author- it was a fabulous event, and we were thrilled to be able to attend. Thanks so much for stopping by : ) ~ F

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  12. Oh how I envy you guys! Thank you so much for sharing these fantastic stories. I'm looking forward to reading more about Jerry Spinelli next week. I read Milkweed when my daughter had to read it for school a few years back.

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    1. Hi Angela, We were excited to share the event with all of you! Thanks for stopping by- we will also be interviewing Jerry Spinelli soon! Great to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  13. What a cool event! I never get tired of listening to artist explain their process and journey. As you say, very inspiring. Loved the reacap, and thanks for sharing it! :-)

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    1. Hi E.J., I can listen to them all day long too! Fascinating : ) Thanks so much for popping over to visit us : ) ~ F

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  14. So exciting, what an amazing event ..... What I would give to attend something like this. Thanks for making my day anyway, that hedgehog is so cute.

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    1. Hi Petty, It was truly a fun event and we would recommend it for anyone who loves to read- and, it's free! Doesn't get much better than that! The Hedgehog was so cute, we had to get a shot of him for you : ) ~ F

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  15. How much fun would this have been! I know you had an awesome time!

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    1. Hi Patty, It was a great time! Thanks so much for popping over to visit us : ) ~ F

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  16. This sounds like an awesome event! I just got back from the 2012 Lititz Kid-Lit Festival! My "New World" is my imaginary world, Creaton, where all you have to be to get in is creative ;) )!

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    1. This Kid Reviews Books- It was a fun event! The 2012 Lititz Kid- Lit Festival sounds like a blast and I love your new world. :) ~L

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  17. I love event's like these - you must have had so much fun.

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    1. Hi Barbara, It was a great event- educational and inspiring! Thanks so much for stopping by : ) ~ F

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  18. For me, the world I want to settle into is a peaceful one filled with stories and lovely art- this I know for sure! ~ F

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Thank you for stopping by and commenting. We love to hear your thoughts! We had to turn on comment moderation due to a high volume of spam. Fairday's Blog is no longer accepting awards. We appreciate all the nominations that we have received and are honored to have been mentioned! Happy Reading!

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