Writer/Illustrator Spotlight: Kirbi Fagan

Sagebrush, PICC, Grandma Trades, Dan Dos Santos, moving, and horses: Author/illustrator Kirbi Fagan

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet debut author/illustrator Kirbi Fagan.

Your debut picture book, written and illustrated by you, received glowing reviews for the art. You’d never written a picture book manuscript before, yet The Big Empty received starred reviews with critics noting the “poetic” and “lyrical” and “lilting” text.

Have you been a secret writer all this time? How many drafts did it take to get to where it needed to be? How did you decide your unique POV?

A professor took my short story from class and it ended up published in an anthology my first semester at community college. After that boost, I continued to pursue and enjoy writing classes. 

My obsession with painting and composing images was insatiable and in my twenties I often fought the urge to write and focused on my art instead.

Like many stories, The Big Empty had a different subject and even went out on submission - with no luck. I kept a lot of the original imagery and the theme of resilience but I rewrote it with sagebrush at the center. 

Sagebrush after all was my original visual inspiration and was everywhere in my sketchbook. Kayla Cichello sailed it straight back into the market and it was warmly embraced by Carol Hinz without much fuss.

I’ve known you for many years, and you don’t seem to age. You present as the picture of youth and vigor, yet you’ve been beset since a young age with chronic illness. How has this contradiction of appearance vs. reality shaped your life?

When the flesh fails, my identity becomes more rooted. The challenges I’ve walked though have made me acutely aware of my ferocity inside and I’ve come to wear that on the outside. I think it kind of beams out of me unknowingly. 

When illustrating, We Are The Scrappy Ones, (authored by Rebekah Taussig) I got to put on paper what it looks like to have one foot in grief and the other in joy. 

Earlier in my life,  I would feel that I had to let my scars show, let a PICC line hang out or whatever other medical device I was slinging that week to feel like my authentic self. With a lot of help over the years, I’m more secure than ever with being completely misunderstood. 

When did young Kirbi first embrace her artistic side? Were you lauded for your art in high school?

I wanted to dance, sing, ice skate and perform! Crohn’s would not comply. Each time I took on an activity like that, it quickly came to an end so I learned every craft imaginable. 

In middle school at one point I was selling handmade jewelry at my infusions. By high school, I was a Jack-of-All-Grandma-Trades. 

At that time, I tried one more time to dance, that time on the Plymouth-Canton Color Guard but it wasn’t long until I couldn't keep up. So I traded my flag for a sketchbook and never looked back. 

While I would have loved to be known for my creativity, I was more known for being MIA for long stretches of time. 

What early influences guided you on your path to illustration?

In my art school’s library, I found the illustration annuals from the 50s and 60s… obsessed would be putting it mildly. They were rare, fragile copies, so they were not allowed to be checked out. I’d have to pour over them on the floor and take photos of the images to study and google later.

After art school, the Illustration Master Class set me on fire. The science fiction-fantasy artist community has the most experienced and highly skilled traditional illustrators in my opinion. 

There is a rich history of mentorship throughout the generations that I found trace all the way back to those illustration annuals. Dan Dos Santos in particular, taught me the illustration process and helped me bring my out-of-art-school-portfolio to industry ready. 

You had two great art schools to choose from. How did Kendall win out over CCS?

Before KCAD, while at Community College, I met Anne Garavaglia, a treasured mentor and friend. Anne and I have a supernatural connection that is difficult to describe. At one point she asked me “have you thought about Kendall?” When I visited the school, Grand Rapids felt like a micro Chicago and great hospitals within walking distance.

A lot of artwork was on display and I was impressed with how well all the students drew. Draftsmanship was my focus. Anne told me if I can learn to draw anything, I can apply those skills to anything I wanted to create. So I went there, focused on technique and was very disciplined about that.

https://www.annegaravaglia.com/

Eventually I did end up on “Kirby St." teaching at CCS but I found teaching with a faulty immune system too challenging. Teaching boosted me financially for a time and that’s when I had a bit of wiggle room to pivot and chase writing dreams. 

You devoted a whole floor at your house for a work space for yourself and your artist partner. What are some of the essential parts of your studio?

When Illustrating a Horse Name Sky, we were moving - I didn’t know how I would be able to create that book. My entire studio was packed up except the things I needed: desktop, scanner, pencils, paper, reference material - a few anatomy books and printed reference photos I took. This minimalistic approach changed my life.

Nowadays, what’s in my studio is only the projects I’m in the midst of. All materials are stored neatly away in cabinets in the basement. When I gather materials, it feels like shopping at an art supply store. 

You were co-Illustrator Coordinator with Deb Pilutti for SCBWI-MI? What is involved in coordinating illustrators?

I had the best time with Deb working for the illustrators in Michigan. We planned and coordinated conferences, events and programs. As the visual people on the team we were responsible for a lot of the visual media SCBWI used. 

I very much enjoyed working behind the scenes and meeting many industry guests, including my agent. I think volunteering was the best way to throw myself into the mix, even if my knees were knocking.

What’s next for Kirbi Fagan?

God willing, I hope to keep illustrating and writing for kids. A new series written by Terri Farley is coming out in January that I illustrated. My horse girl era is only getting started. 

Please share any social media platforms:

The best way to learn about my work is to visit my website, www.KirbiFagan.com. 

Thanks to Kirbi for examples of recent art: