Featured Illustrator Basya Cohen

MEET BASYA

This questionnaire goes back to a popular parlor game in the early 1900s. Marcel Proust filled it out twice. Some of our questions were altered from the original to gain more insight into the hearts and minds of our illustrators. We hope you enjoy this way of getting to know everybody.

1. Your present state of mind?

Slightly anxious but hopeful.

2. What do you do best?

Procrastinate. Besides that, draw and paint and hibernate, according to my 9-year-old brother.

3. Where would you like to live?

Imladris. More realistically, Birmingham, MI.

4. Your favorite color?

Blue. Specifically, turquoise. Also Alizarin Crimson.

5. Three of your own illustrations:

6. Your music?

I tend to go through stages. Lately I’ve been listening to Imagine Dragons, The Vamps, and Nina Simone. While doing work that requires reading, research, or more brainpower, I usually listen to instrumental music like Classical (especially Debussy), New Age Piano or Celtic.

7. Your biggest achievement?

My MFA. Boy, that was hard!

8. Your biggest mistake?

Not quoting a price before I did a project. Total disaster.

9. Your favorite children's book when you were a child?

How can I choose just one?

Goodnight Moon. Harold and the Purple Crayon. The Little House Books. Number the Stars. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

10. Your main character trait?

Honesty.

11. What do you appreciate most in a friend?

Someone who’ll listen and empathize but isn’t afraid of having a passionate discussion.

12. What mistakes are you most willing to forgive?

Ones that are easily fixed. Ones that don’t have big repercussions.

13. Your favorite children's book hero?

Harry Potter. Eugenides (from the King of Attolia series).

14. What moves you forward?

Hope. Encouragement. Belief in myself. That elusive moment when everything falls into place and I feel chills because I know I’ve created something magical.

15. What holds you back?

Fear. Fear of failure. Fear that I’m not good enough.

16. Your dream of happiness?

Painting in a beautiful art studio with sunlight streaming through the wall to ceiling windows that look out on a wood with a bubbling brook and mountains in the distance.

17. The painter/illustrator you admire most?

Another impossible choice. Here are a few of my favorites:

Past: William Adolphe Bouguereau, Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, John Singer Sargent 

Current: Robert Papp, Jim Daly, P.J. Lynch

18. What super power would you like to have?

Time travel or flying.

19. Your motto?

“Bored is Good” and “Find joy in simple things” (like a good coffee:)

20. Your social media?

My newfound love is Instagram. We’ll have to see if the relationship lasts.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basyacohen/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/basyacohenart/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WBouguereau