Robert's Snow: Paul Brewer

Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure : Seven Impossible Things... has a full explanation, including all posts to date.

The auctions start in November and continue until December. Go here to look at the artwork, and to bid once the auction goes "live."

Please consider bidding on a snowflake, and letting other art lovers know about the auction and this opportunity to own a unique work of art. And now, on to the featured artist of the day!

Paul Brewer has illustrated everything from chapter books to picture books. An assortment of his works can be found here. If you want to look at more of his artwork, here is an online gallery. Here is Paul's snowflake for the auction.

Paul agreed to answer some questions about his work and his and his snowflake.

Liz B:What children's book or children's book illustrator has most inspired you?

Paul: I was not a big reader as a child (I preferred doodling over reading) but do remember being drawn to the Dr. Seuss and Babar the Elephant books in particular. The illustrators that influence me the most these days are David Shannon, Henrik Drescher, David Diaz, Kathy Hewitt, Boris Kulikov, just to name a few. Their styles are all different, but they each have something in their art that helps to influence the direction I would like to see my work go in. Looking closely at other people's art to see exactly how they achieved the end result has always been huge in helping me to create my own style.

Liz B: How did you get involved with Robert's Snow?

Paul: I heard about Robert's Snow a couple of years ago and even followed the eBay auction they had to sell all the snowflakes. I thought it was a brilliant way to help out a charity, plus the opportunity to own an original piece of art from a children's book illustrator. A few months ago Grace Lin and Lauren Nash, from Robert's Snow, sent out a mass email to illustrators asking if we would like to be involved with the project. I said yes, and painted my "very cool" snowflake.

Liz B: What inspired your snowflake?

Paul: Two things. I am the illustrator for Barbara Seuling's "Robert series" of chapter books published by Cricket Books in hardcover (11 titles), and in paperback by Scholastic (20 titles). The first book was "Oh No, It's Robert" followed by many others; "Robert and the Attack of the Giant Tarantula," "Robert and the Great Pepperoni," "Robert and the Happy Endings," "Robert and the Practical Jokes," to name a few.

I have also written and illustrated three joke books for kids over the last ten years. My first was "The Grossest Joke Book Ever" followed by "You Must Be Joking!" and the newly released sequel "You Must Be Joking, Two!"

So my snowflake has Robert Dorfman and his friends from the series, laughing around a joke book. These are the two things that inspired my snowflake, which is appropriately titled "Joking Around."

Liz B: Could you tell us something about your most recent books, You Must Be Joking, Two and Robert Goes To Camp?

Liz B: The complete title of the first book is You Must Be Joking, Two! Even Cooler Jokes, Plus 11-1/2 Tips for Laughing Yourself into Your Own Stand-Up
Comedy Routine. It has 239 jokes (I just counted!) in it, plus the tips chapter for kids who might want to learn to tell a bunch of jokes (with the help of the first book You Must Be Joking! Lots of Cool Jokes, Plus 17-1/2 Tips for Remembering, Telling, and Making Up Your Own Jokes) and then put on a stand-up comedy show at home or at the school talent show or wherever they want. In other words, basic training for kids on how to be funny. It was just released last month.

Robert Goes to Camp is the final book (just released) in the Robert series. This one has Robert off to summer day camp where he meets Zach, a prankster who proceeds to get Robert into trouble. He and his friend, Lester, get sprayed by a skunk, and Lester saves Robert from nearly drowning in a swimming pool. Robert Dorfman is always getting himself in some kind of fix, but almost always in a humorous way. I know I can relate to the problems Robert gets himself into, and I think many young readers can too.

I love illustrating funny stories, and Barbara's are brilliant. This series began in 1999, and I will definitely miss working on it.

Liz B: What is your "pop culture" area of expertise?

Paul: As for pop culture, my two greatest interests are music and humor. My wife and I continually listen to a broad range of music from several sound sources around the house. Funny books (I have a big collection of joke books in one of our bathrooms, along with a bunch of humorous toilet related stuff) funny movies and funny TV shows are a big hit around here, as well.

Next year they intersect in my new book, "Fartiste," about a famous French performance artist whose specialty was farting tunes - co-written with my wife Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Boris Kulikov and published by Simon & Schuster.

Liz B: Thank you!

Robert's Snow: Diana Magnuson

Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure : Seven Impossible Things... has a full explanation, including all posts to date.

The auctions start in November and continue until December. Go here to look at the artwork, and to bid once the auction goes "live."Please consider bidding on a snowflake, and letting other art lovers know about the auction and this opportunity to own a unique work of art. And now, on to the featured artist of the day!

And now, on to the featured artist of the day!

Diana Magnuson is today's Snowflake Artist. Go here to look at the artwork, and to bid once the auction goes "live." Diana Magnuson's snowflake is part of Robert's Snow Auction 3: December 3 to 7, 2007 and is called "Woodland Flower Spirit" by Diana Magnuson.


You know the problem with all these snowflakes? It's like books. Every time I look at a new one, I go, "oh, THIS one is my favorite! This is the one I must own!" I love this three dimensional flake; click on it to enlarge it, to get a full picture of just how creative this is. Plus there is just something so haunting and compelling about this flower spirit, and the idea of flowers in snow being a miracle, and how Robert's Snow is about the hope that sometimes, miracles happen, if we help.

Diana's website is chock full of information; as can be guessed from her Woodland Flower Spirit snowflake, "the half of me that’s Celtic dominates."

Again from Diana's website, here is what she says about illustrating children's books: "These bring me into the world I’m painting: the textures, the characters –I’m there. It’s an intimacy. I smell the forest, touch the beaver and run with the wolves. I can sense their thoughts. I fly and swim under the sea. The bear’s teeth, lizards skin, the bark on a tree, my fingertips know. It’s a desired richness. Sometimes the image draws itself. Sometimes we argue –a lot. If the character is to be happy, I think and imagine happiness. If it’s sad, I feel it too. Good thing no one is watching."

Diana's work includes 2007's Home on the Range, written by Barbie H. Schwaeber, and is the story behind Home on the Range. Her full online portfolio is here.

I love her use of color. I love the detailed worlds she creates, without using a single word.

Edited to add: Go here for an interview with Diana Magnuson about this snowflake!

Robert's Snow: Bill Carman

Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure : Seven Impossible Things... has a full explanation, including all posts to date.

The auctions start in November and continue until December. Go here to look at the artwork, and to bid once the auction goes "live."

Please consider bidding on a snowflake, and letting other art lovers know about the auction and this opportunity to own a unique work of art.

And now, on to the featured artist of the day!

Bill Carman's snowflake is featured during the auction that runs December 3 to 7, 2007. It is called "Rabbit Warrior" by Bill Carman.

The little guy on the reverse says, "I want to be a rabbit warrior." Who doesn't? And there on the front, in all his glory and full armor: the rabbit warrior. What better testament to dreams and wishes?

From his website, Carman includes one of the best descriptions of college I've read: "kind of a harder high school." He got his MFA from Brigham Young University, currently teaches at Boise State University; and his artwork runs the gamut from art for Opera Idaho to the children's book, What's that Noise.


Bill's website includes many examples of his work; go, visit, and you'll find yourself lost in the pictures for hours. Holy Hannah, he can turn an Altoid tin into a work of art!


Here's a close up of the snowflake:


All images used with permission.

Robert's Snow: Ashley Wolff

Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure : Seven Impossible Things... has a full explanation, including all posts to date.

The auctions start in November and continue until December. Go here to look at the artwork, and to bid once the auction goes "live."

Please consider bidding on a snowflake, and letting other art lovers know about the auction and this opportunity to own a unique work of art.

And now, on to the featured artist of the day!

Ashley Wolff's Snowflake is part of Auction 2: November 26-30 and is called "Kachinas Bearing Gifts" by Ashley Wolff.

Ashley's website shows her life as an artist, starting as a child who knew she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. She has illustrated more books than I can count, including the marvelous Miss Bindergarten series.

Ashley kindly agreed to an interview.

Liz B: I blog not just about books; but about how important story is in our lives. What children's book or children's book illustrator has most inspired you?

Ashley: If I had to choose a favorite from among many I admire it would be Barbara Cooney. She died in 2000 at the age of 83 and worked right up to the end. She wrote and illustrated over 200 books, AND married and raised a family. She illustrated one of my favorite books of all time: The Ox Cart Man, written by the poet Donald Hall. I think it is a perfect book. But all her books are beautiful. When she began her career illustrators were working mainly in black and white. The strength and delicacy of her line stood out in those early days. When everything switched to full color in the late 70s she began making wonderful gouache paintings.

Liz B: How did you get involved with Robert's Snow?

Ashley: My connection to Robert's Snow is through my editor and friend Alvina Ling. Alvina is a good friend of Grace Lin and when she told me the story of Robert's illness and this project I was eager to be involved.

Liz B: What inspired your snowflake?

Ashley: I drew my inspiration for this snowflake from the most recent book I did with Alvina called The 12 Days of Christmas/A Pinata for the Pinon Tree. The book and the snowflake are both dedicated to the author Philemon Sturges who died in 2005.

Liz B: Could you tell us something about The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Pinata for the Pinon Tree?

Ashley: Philemon Sturges and I met when I was in college and he was an architect, married to my favorite RISD professor Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges. He began writing children's books in the 90s and in 2000 we worked together on Who Took the Cookies From the Cookie Jar. It was my choice to set that book in the American Southwest because I had just returned from my first visit to the Grand Canyon and I was in love with the landscape, flora and fauna. We changed one name in his manuscript. The word "Robin" became "Raven."

The book's southwestern setting was so much fun that we went on to do She'll be Comin' 'Round the Mountain in the same landscape for cactus and canyon. For that book I invented the little town of Reederville, where everyone always has a book in hand.

For our 3rd book we did the 12 Days of Christmas. It is set in Reederville and features characters from both of the 1st 2 books. The "me" character who receives all the gifts is a badger who makes the enchiladas in Comin' 'Round the Mountain and the band of Mariachis is led by a collared lizard who appears in both previous books.

The hardest part of this book for me was finishing it after Philemon's death and without his jolly suggestions and the glee he took in what my pictures brought to his words. To honor his memory I collaged a favorite photo of him into a small, painted shrine in the opening spread. It was taken by Judy Sue at my mother's home in Vermont.

Liz B: I also blog about pop culture. What is your "pop culture" area of expertise?

Ashley: I don't know if I have one. I have two teenage sons and I know more than I want to about Halo 3, warhammer, world of warcraft and other mmp games. My husband writes about AIDS and infectious disease for the SF Chronicle, so I know a lot about those subjects and I pay attention to theater and movies. However, except for having a substantial pelvic region, I am not hip in any sense of the word!

Liz B: Thank you, Ashley! And I'm only hip enough to recognize the names of those games.

Here is a close up of Ashley's snowflake. Please consider bidding on a snowflake this year!


Images used with permission.

Robert's Snow: Rebecca Doughty

As a short reminder, Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure is an auction where you can "own a piece of art from your favorite children's book illustrator while helping to fight cancer. Participate in Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure, a unique fundraiser for cancer research. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for Dana-Farber, and with your help, we can continue this holiday tradition in 2007." The artwork is a five inch wooden snowflake, decorated by a children's book illustrator.

Robert's Snow was first a children's book, written by Grace Lin and inspired by her husband, Robert Mercer. More information on the project is here. Grace is one of the Blue Rose Girls bloggers, and Jules and Eisha explain at Seven Impossible Things... how we bloggers got involved in the project. I am highlighting five of the illustrators who have contributed snowflakes. This year, there are several auctions, starting in November and ending in December, with hundreds of illustrators donating time and talents to produce the snowflake art. Go here to look at the artwork, and to bid once the auction goes "live." Please note that not all the illustrators are being highlighted by bloggers.




And now, here's Rebecca Doughty.

Doughty is the illustrator of several books, including Halloween has Boo and One of Those Days;



Some Helpful Tips for a Better World and a Happier Life will be published April 2008.

Doughty's snowflake is part of Auction 3: December 3 - 7 , and is called "Flake With Holes" by Rebecca Doughty. More information about Doughty and her work can be found at The Schoolhouse Gallery.

Liz B: I blog not just about books; but about how important story is in our lives. What children's book or children's book illustrator has most inspired you?

Rebecca: Tough question... so many! One special favorite was: Boats Finds a House by Mary Chalmers, a poignant story about a little wandering cat in search of a house, and what makes a house a home. I was also a huge Dr. Seuss fan. His books gave me a love for the music and play of language. I often gravitated toward pared-down artwork, deceptively simple drawing that left much to the imagination. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson comes to mind. And I've always been partial to black and white. I adored my storybooks, but I was also absorbing all the pop culture of the time, (the 60's that is) comics and funnies, TV cartoons, Mad Magazine, and cartoonists like Charles Addams. Edward Gorey was another favorite. At an early age I was intrigued by humor and satire, and stories with deeper, darker subtexts.

Liz B: How did you get involved with Robert's Snow?

Rebecca: I met Grace and Robert in the spring at an exhibition at The New Art Center in Newton. I then became more familiar with Grace's work and the Robert's Snow project. When my agent Rebecca Sherman spread the word about this years' auction, I threw my name in the hat. There are many worthy fundraisers, and artists are often asked to contribute their art, but it becomes much more meaningful to participate when you're creating something especially for a project, and something outside the way you'd ordinarily work. Making a flake for Robert's Snow was like that, I felt more connected to the cause, and that was particularly satisfying.

Liz B: What inspired your snowflake?

Rebecca: In recent years I've been working on paintings using a group of odd little animal characters in psychologically charged narratives. Rabbits and holes appear often in the work. They're very small paintings but suggest vast landscapes, often with something disappearing off the edges of the painting. I thought this would translate nicely onto a snowflake. I imagined the flake as a tiny window to the snowy field, with many bunnies and holes beyond.

Liz B: Could you tell us something about your upcoming book, "Some Helpful Tips for a Better World and a Happier Life"?

Rebecca: I often listen to public radio while I'm working, and I also live in a busy city, so I'm too often reminded of how messed up the world is, how rotten people treat each other, and themselves, and the planet. So, instead of continuing to complain, I thought it might be time to make a positive contribution in some small way. I figure the best way I can do that is through my work, and with humor, so this is a funny book about spreading a little happiness and kindness around.

Liz B: Thank you so much!

Rebecca: Thanks again Liz!

Thank you, Rebecca!

And here, once again, is her lovely snowflake:


All images used with permission.