the very hungry doodler
Last night I went to Town Hall and heard Eric Carle speak. He is a bit forgetful, very endearing, and surprisingly messy. I am getting over a cold and my brain is full of snot and I didn't have the foresight or intelligence to bring a notebook. My wonderful friend, Kelly, did, so maybe she'll do a guest blog on the finer details of Eric's talk.
Some amazing things:
Eric is very tuned in to childhood and children. He assumes most adults have lost 90% of their childhood/memories and HE has only lost 89%.
That Bill Martin Jr. didn't learn to read until he was about 20? And that he learned to read in rhythm. So when he was working on a picture book manuscript he would work out the rhythm first--da dum da dum da da da dum--instead of actual words?!?! And Eric learned immensely from this process.
Eric still considers himself to be very selfish when art and book making--he does it for himself. No market, no average child. I am so glad to hear this.
Eric and his wife, Bobbie, visited Japan a number of years ago and were blown away by the Japanese appreciation of children's book artists. There are TWENTY museums dedicated to the picture book in Japan. Bobbie and Eric set out to make one in America and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art was born. They showed some slides of it and it looks like the MOST amazing place. There are permanent and limited exhibits there--a recent one I missed (and am so sad because of it) was an exhibit of Alice and Martin Provensen's art.
The museum is family friendly and even has a café. I'm there! Too bad it isn't on the West Coast.
Eric finished the evening by reading his newest book, Ten Little Rubber Ducks. To hear him read and see the pictures was truly magical. I hope the Seattle Arts & Lecture Series picks up more children's book people.
Earlier in the day I was with a group of SCBWI people and we were talking about our exciting upcoming 2007 conference and retreat. Paul O Zelinsky is our headlining illustrator. He's got a bazillion great books. One that is particularly fun is Doodler Doodling.
Seeing Eric and thinking about Paul coming to the 2007 illustrator retreat makes me hungry to doodle. To make great books and art that please me and hopefully could someday please kids.
Being sick is never fun. I've been dragging at my work these past weeks. But I'm ready to follow all the good author advice out there and glue my bottom to my chair. It is SO easy for me to get wrapped up in the excitement of a new project. But I have a few that need finishing and now is the time to sit and work and work and work and doodle.
Jaime
