Sue and I attended the Society for Illustrators Best Children’s Books Illustration Show before the new year and I am just getting around to posting about it. But that is NOT because the illustrations I saw did not stick in my mind!
The exhibit was strange because of the pandemic: the illustrations were high quality digital reproductions instead of the real thing, and all framed uniformly by the Society for Illustrators. We had to get timed tickets to enter to avoid crowding in the venue, but we ended up being the only two people in the whole brownstone that houses the Society. Also, there were no books to look at–usually there are all the books represented in the show available to look at, and chairs to sit in while you do. We wandered and looked and talked. I took 70 photos! But these were the highlights for me–what inspired me, or stuck in my mind.
I keep thinking about the way Bryan Collier painted the shadow s of the venetian blinds on this child’s face–I love that, and also the stencil texture behind the text. Beautiful.
I love the Thing-ness of this illustration–almost like you could set it up and play in it, or make more illustrations to go with it–like a map or another photo to tape in. 🙂
This piece stuck in my mind, too–I love the monotone with one color–reminds me of Sidewalk Flowers.
This book by Peter Van Denn Ende was in the gift shop, and I looked and looked at it. Fantastic. I left that book there, and thought about it since–a wordless picture book, a wonderful, strange voyage, all in black and white. So I ordered one for myself!
Steve Jenkins is always inspiring. These frogs are in my brain forever. I love the simplicity of Steve and Robin’s science collaborations.
And finally, this piece by Sophie Blackall. How beautiful. Made me think of Persian miniature paintings. Inspiring.
