When my sister and I were in junior high we discovered an illustrator of children's books named Trina Schart Hyman and were immediately enthralled by her. I think we must've checked out those few books our microscopic school library had at least 20 times during our years there. And the county library had few more; our names were written (yes, they wrote on the library cards then!) over and over on the little book cards pasted inside the front cover. Although we picked at her sometimes anatomical impossibilities and imperfections, we kept copying and copying her even partially into college when we worked on our own illustrations. I still love and admire the books she's done, and feel about 12 whenever I come across her work.
I did tonight, just by accident, stumble on an interview and other articles on her via this Alaskan artist's website. I wish the pictures of her work were larger... the joy of her style is in the detail: minute, charming, intricate.
And a good story only added to the fascination! Some of our favorites were St. George and the Dragon, The Water of Life, Snow White, Rapunzel, and, though I can't seem to find evidence of it, a version of Aïda. Later on in her life she branched off from European style tales, including many other cultures and races, all impeccably rendered.
A nice little trip through memory lane tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment