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 Named 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:

Book Birthday Blog with Kirbi Fagan

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Kirbi Fagan on the release of We Are the Scrappy Ones

 

You've created cover art for adult, YA, MG fiction and comic books, the picture book, The Summer of the Tree Army, and the middle grade novel, A Horse Named Sky. Describe your creative process and what inspires you. 

We Are the Scrappy Ones was a unique project. Living with an invisible illness since I was little, I knew first hand that capturing the heart of the scrappy ones is more than symptoms, diagnoses and wheelchairs. Inspiration for the illustrations came from every direction, the scrappy friends I've made along my journey, the team at Lerner and everyone involved in the making of the book. I hope my interpretations challenge the reader's assumptions about disability in every page turn.

What was the most challenging part of illustrating the book? 

The book is illustrated in a lot of different mediums. Pastel, crayons, colored pencils. There was a tremendous amount of scanning and digitally collaging involved to make the pages. Some areas of the text were also illustrated. The technical side of working traditionally is always an effort, but the overall scrappy style feels worth it in the end.  

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

I hope this book has the power to stir classrooms and bring new language to readers. The historical and impactful heroes is a great place of inspiration for readers to dig in.  

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

Scrappy Ones will be sold wherever books are sold! Check my website and facebook for videos and scrappy bonus material.  

What's next for you? 

This fall I'm going to be celebrating a new book with Lerner again but this time as an author-illustrator. The title is called, The Big Empty: A Sagebrush Survival Story.



People passing by call this land the big empty. / But I call it home.



In spare, poetic text written from the point of view of big sagebrush, readers are transported to the vast landscape of western North America. This incredibly resilient plant, which can live as long as one hundred years, provides food and shelter as well as shadows to conceal both predators and prey. After a wildfire passes through, it grows again and will thrive once more. Author and illustrator Kirbi Fagan captures the beauty of this essential plant in her lyrical words and richly detailed illustrations.

More about the book . . . 

We are the scrappy ones. / We live, we adapt, we defy. / Made of stardust and grit, we are spectacular.

Children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn’t always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair—and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness.

Author and disability advocate Rebekah Taussig has written a groundbreaking anthem of belonging that celebrates the wide range of disabled children and affirms their worth, just as they are. Luminous illustrations by Kirbi Fagan portray a diverse cast of characters living, learning, and playing. A warm, joy-filled book for disabled and non-disabled readers alike.

Publisher: Lerner/Carolrhoda

More about the author . . . 

Kirbi Fagan is a Michigan based, New York Best Selling illustrator. Her work includes the picture book The Summer of the Tree Army by Gloria Whelan (2021), We Are the Scrappy Ones by Rebekah Taussig (2025), A Horse Named Sky by Rosanne Parry (2023) as well as cover art in adult, YA, middle-grade, and comic books. Kirbi is driven to create books for readers like her. When she was growing up, arts and crafts were her lifeline as a way to cope with ongoing illness. Kirbi is traditionally trained as an oil painter, earning her bachelor's degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design. Her first author-illustrator project will debut fall 2025. 

For more about me and my work please visit: https://kirbifagan.com/

 

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Kirbi Fagan

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Kirbi Fagan on the release of A Horse Named Sky

 

You've created cover art for adult, YA, MG fiction and comic books and your first picture book, The Summer of the Tree Army, released in 2021. What inspires your illustrations?

My inspiration starts with the story and Rosanne writes an exciting one. I tapped into my animal-obsessed 10-year-old self, whom I know I would have devoured this book. Visuals came like wildfire. When you are working on a project that includes over 100 illustrations, it can be challenging to stay in the game but I truly felt (and still feel!) I am buzzing with inspiration from start to finish line.
 
I chose to do this book completely traditionally, something I’ve never done before. I hoped the traditional, chalky-looking mark-making would bring the reader to the West. I have two 18x24-inch folders full of artwork from the book… I physically cannot lift them.
 
This new challenge contributed to keeping the buzzing going. You may be familiar with the quote from David Bowie about always working a little out of your depth and I think it describes my experience.
 
“Always go a little further into the water than you feel you're capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don't feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you're just about in the right place to do something exciting.”

What was the most challenging part of illustrating your recent book?

The sheer volume of illustrations and historical research was overwhelming at first, but I worked through the story one chunk at a time. I had multiple spreadsheets about locations, colors, sizes, and other traits for the many different horse characters that must remain consistent throughout. I charted seasons and weather. It was a lot to wrap my head around. Luckily Rosanne's meticulous research and the team at Greenwillow were an enormous help.
 
It’s not my first time working on a historical text so I anticipated that finding visual references may be difficult. The whole team on the book had to put our heads together to research and triple-check. Black-and-white pictures are available but usually, you can’t make out the details.
 
Astute readers will notice that as Sky travels, plant life and landscapes are drawn carefully and as accurately as possible to describe real-life landmarks. Illustrators often draw characters moving to the right of the page, to the motion of the page turn. The book doesn’t go the traditional route, the horses face and travel in the pictures relative to north, east, west, and south. Could be an exciting project for a classroom to track Sky’s route to follow on the map in the classroom?!

 

 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

A big hope for this book is about bringing these amazing creatures to readers. Though I loved horses growing up, that wasn’t something I had access to and I know that is true for many horse lovers like me.
 
I hope this book could inspire a young artist to take on the challenge of drawing horses. I encourage readers to dream up their very own wild Mustang and western terrain. A Horse Named Sky I think has the power to ignite new appreciation and inspire future generations to continue the important work of preserving our natural world. 

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it? 

The book is published by Greenwillow/HarperCollins, available at most bookstores or online. 

Amazon 

What's next for you? 

I have a few book projects coming out in 2025 that have yet to be announced, one of the books, is not just illustrated by me, but written by me. My first author-illustrator project!

More about the book . . .

Young colt Sky was born with the urge to run. Alongside his band, he moves across the range searching for fresh water and abundant grazing. But humans have begun to encroach on Sky’s homelands. With fewer resources to share, Sky knows that he must leave if his family is to survive. He hopes that one day, he’ll be strong and brave enough to return and challenge the stallion to lead the herd.

Being a lone wild horse in a vast landscape is not easy, and things get even more dangerous when Sky is captured and forced to run for the Pony Express. Now, against all odds, Sky must find a way to escape and reunite with his family.

A Horse Named Sky is a stand-alone companion novel to Rosanne Parry’s New York Times bestsellers A Wolf Called Wander and A Whale of the Wild. Chronicling the perils of westward expansion and the grueling Pony Express from the perspective of a wild horse, A Horse Named Sky is a gripping animal survival story about family, courage, trust, leadership, and loyalty. Impeccably researched and illustrated in black-and-white throughout, A Horse Named Sky is an excellent read-aloud for parents and teachers, and a wonderful choice for fans of DreamWorks’s Spirit and Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty.

Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout, a map, and extensive backmatter about wild horses and their habitats. 

Publisher: Green Willow/Harper Collins

More about the author . . .

Kirbi Fagan is a Michigan-based illustrator who specializes in creating art for readers. She is recognized for her cover art in Adult, YA, and Middle-Grade fiction as well as her numerous covers for comic books on projects such as Black Panther/Shuri and Firefly. Kirbi’s first picture book The Summer of the Tree Army by Gloria Whelan was released in 2021. Her first author-illustrated picture book will debut in 2025.


Kirbi is driven to create books for readers like her. When she was growing up, arts and crafts were her lifeline as a way to cope with ongoing illness. Art quickly turned into her greatest passion and now, a career. Kirbi is traditionally trained as an oil painter, earning her bachelor’s degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design. Kirbi has visited many classrooms to talk about her illustrations and books. She is the former Co-Regional Illustrator Coordinator with the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.


Represented by Kayla Cichello

https://kirbifagan.com/livingcanvas/2023/8/22/the-reins-let-loose 

Instagram: @kirbifagan

Book Birthday Blog with Kirbi Fagan

 Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors and illustrators.

 

Congratulations to Kirbi Fagan on the release of Summer of the Tree Army! 

 

 

Congratulations on the release of Summer of The Tree Army! What was the experience of illustrating this book like for you? What was your favorite part? How about the most challenging?

Thank-you!!! Working on a picture book is much different than the covers I’m used to working on. I loved focusing on something longer form. The sketching phase was the most fun, curating the colors, mood, compositions and design... I was eager to jump in, so much so that I started them on the airplane to the SCBWI NYC conference!

As for challenges, illustrating a book, the number of illustrations is simply a lot of work, making art can be very physical. 

 

 

As you were working, did you find yourself doing any research into the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps? What did your preparation and research look like?

Tons! Research fueled my inspiration. Sadly, I didn’t get to go to the CCC museum in Michigan due to COVID but there were plenty of resources and images I could look at at home. Because many images were in black and white I had to research colors separately. I wanted the images to be as accurate as possible, even the trucks you see in the book I matched from car color swatches from the period. 

 

 

What are some of your favorite image-making tools or techniques right now?

I’m crazy about my iPad! I also recently got a tilted tray table to sit comfortably with it - game changer! I’ve never been great about keeping a sketch book and I don’t make finished work on my iPad but the iPad has got me sketching constantly! 

 

 

When you sit down to work on one of your illustrations, what’s something you like to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind? A cup of tea or coffee? Maybe a certain type of music?

I start my days in the studio with journaling morning pages to clear my head. My mornings are most creative so I try not open email or anything that will take my mind away from the artwork. I often revisit encouraging mantras to help encourage me for whatever I may be going through that day, I may even write them repetitively in my morning pages. I like to be comfortable! Nothing like putting on my thick fuzzy house coat to get me settled in. 

 

 

You’ve done a lot of illustration for Middle Grade and YA literature, like your work for the Dark Waters series and Memory Thief. What is it that draws you to illustration for young readers?

Illustrating for children is a powerful thing. I’m drawn to the upper elementary school and middle grade age, I think it’s because that part of my life was very formative to the artist I am today. Working on covers for these ages, I’m pulled into all sorts of fantasy worlds and escapism, what could be better? 

 

 

Would you share a piece of advice for aspiring children’s book, Middle Grade, and YA illustrators?

Nurture yourself. Be kind to your ideas, soften your inner critic. There is a lot of science to suggest that when you are relaxed, that’s when ideas flow. It’s a constant struggle for me.  Making it a priority to reduce stress, holding yourself gently are often overlooked as a critical part of the creative process.
 

What’s next for you? Where can readers learn more about you and your work?

My next big step is writing my own stories and I hope to share more about that in the future.

You can find me on Instagram @kirbifagan

And for a closer look at whats going on in the studio, my new blog, Living Canvas. 

 

A little bit about the book:
When young Charlie Brightelot first spies the mysterious barracks in the woods near his home, he's not sure what to think. His father explains that the barracks will soon house young men serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the work relief program to help employ millions of young men during the Great Depression. Not everyone is happy to see these young men and Charlie's father questions their value. But when a fire threatens the forest, Roosevelt's "Tree Army" springs into action.

 

Buy it here!
 

A little bit about the illustrator: 

Kirbi Fagan is a Metro Detroit based illustrator who specializes in creating art for readers. She is recognized for her cover art in Adult, YA, and Middle Grade fiction as well as her numerous covers for comic books on projects such as Black Panther/Shuri and Firefly.

Her illustrations are known for their magical themes, nostalgic mood and feminine heroines. Kirbi was traditionally trained as an oil painter but now works in mixed media techniques including digital drawing tools. She received her bachelor’s degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design. Outside of creating artwork she is Co-Regional Illustrator Coordinator with the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators. Kirbi also teaches illustration at College for Creative Studies in Downtown Detroit.

 

Represented by Kayla Cichello | kayla@upstartcrowliterary.com 

 

 
 

 

Illustration Value and Light with Kirbi Fagan

Coming up from SCBWI-MI:

This Sunday, Sept. 20th, 1-3pm, a FREE community-wide virtual presentation with Kirbi Fagan

Value and Light

http://kirbifagan.com/

“Value” is the backbone of any illustration. In this 6 Part lecture, Kirbi Fagan will go in depth about value and lighting. This information will show you how to improve narrative, style and mood using value. Using examples of techniques from a wide range of imagery including historical artwork, illustration and film, Kirbi will break down difficult art fundamentals such as exposure. This lecture will show you tools to examine and diagnose issues with value using photoshop. This lecture is appropriate for any level artist, beginners to professionals.

Part 1: Basic Lighting
Part 2: Major and Minor Key for narration and mood
Part 3-4: Values for improved readability and making your work “pop”
Part 5: Exposure: A complex topic that will change how you think about value.
Part 6: Using Film Lighting Techniques to inspire your unique voice and style.
Q&A

Click HERE to join the Zoom webinar, Illustration Value and Lighting or go to the SCBWI-MI website: https://michigan.scbwi.org/events/illustration-value-and-lighting/

Sunday, September 20th 1:00-3:00 pm (Est.)

***This presentation will be recorded and available for a limited time.

Meet Our New Illustrator Coordinators

Deb Pilutti and Kirbi Fagan 

Hi Deb and Kirbi, thank you very much for volunteering to be the next SCBWI Michigan illustrator coordinators and for the following interview.

Please tell us a bit about your background.

K: My journey really began when I entered art school. I was very academic (still am) and was focused on learning techniques including oil, airbrush, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, colored pencils and then in my last year started painting digitally. I have a great love for tech and paint. I set my focus on the publishing world. I went to tons of conventions and workshops around the country soaking up education to improve my work. That’s actually how I met Deb. I was making ends meet doing portraiture, design and teaching. Now, I work in a variety of genres doing cover art for middle grade, young adult, adult, comics and even some work for video games. I’m trying to write but it will be awhile before you see my writing on the shelves.

D: Unlike Kirbi, I don’t have a formal illustration education. Illustrating children’s books was not something that occurred to me until much later. I wanted to be a serious graphic designer and was for awhile. As I progressed in the field, my work got less serious and more playful - truer to my real self, I suppose.  I designed theme park graphics and children’s toys. It was a perfect segway to illustrating and writing picture books. Being a designer informs my work and leads to a more dynamic layout that helps tell a story. 

What is your favorite single illustration, created by yourself and why?

K: I’d rather gush about Deb’s work than my own. Here is a spread from IDEA JAR. I witnessed it go from sketch to finish. It communicates the idea of the text so simply and graphically. Deb’s colors are so always cohesive but she isn’t afraid to be BOLD either. This is a great example of that. You don’t have to take my word for it, it recently won a merit award in the picture book category from the annual 3x3.

D: And I absolutely love this painting Kirbi created for a card deck which includes fantasy prompts to inspire characters, stories and artworks from https://www.recklessdeck.com/. It’s a seemingly simple image, yet so full of mystery. The elephant is what first draws you in, with her fabulous markings and headdress. Upon a closer look, you start to notice some things that don’t quite make sense in a normal world, which makes it a perfect image for the game. Kirbi is a master of values and color and really uses those aspects to direct the eye and heighten tension. This illustration was also used as a cover for a speculative fiction magazine.

Why did you volunteer for this position?

D: The SCBWI community welcomed me when I was starting out. Seasoned writers and illustrators encouraged me and gave actionable suggestions for improvement.  I found several critique groups through SCBWI and have participated in conferences and outings. I’d like to give other illustrators that same welcome and support. As a bonus, volunteering with Kirbi has been a blast. She has such an energy and passion that it rubs off! I learn a lot from working with her.

K: The feeling is mutual Deb. Being an illustrator certainly doesn’t come without it’s struggles, it can be a very lonely job. When I’m with a community of other creatives that’s when I’m learning the most. I’m excited about bringing people together to create this group that is social, supportive and educational.

What do you deem most important on the path to success as a children’s book Illustrator?

D: A willingness to constantly improve the work to tell a better story.

K: I couldn’t agree more. A really good compositional sense doesn’t hurt either.

D: YES! How would you suggest improving on that? I encourage people to look at good design and think about WHY it’s good.

K: …and HOW the design itself can help tell your story! This concept about composition changed my life when I got out of school and I’m pretty sure I’m going to spend the rest of my life figuring it out: http://www.muddycolors.com/2012/08/composition-basics-value-structure/

As our new illustrator coordinators, what is your vision for our group? How would your ideal SCBWI illustrator-world look?

D: To continue to provide a supportive community for our members. We’d like to increase our group’s diversity by reaching out to other communities, like art and community colleges.

K: Bringing introverted artists together is sometimes a challenge but whenever we get together, I know we all go back to our studios inspired and encouraged.

D: It would be wonderful to see a better connection between the writers and illustrators. Online and in conferences. The art making and writing process has more in common than we acknowledge.

K: When it comes to programming, there are many people in our region who have said they’d like to know more about photoshop, digital painting, animation, image scanning and color printing profiles so we are planning a webinar on these great digital tools.

D: Four out the Door postcard challenge has been our first program to provide encouragement and information toward the shared goal of sending out postcards and getting work. https://michigan.scbwi.org/2018/01/06/the-4-out-the-door-illustrator-challenge/https://michigan.scbwi.org/2018/01/06/the-4-out-the-door-illustrator-challenge/

K: It’s been really fun interacting on our instagram with #4outthedoor program. You all might be curious to know we even have a few art directors following us. We’ll definitely be doing more to offer more exposure to our Michigan illustrators.

What’s the next event or workshop you’re planning?

K: Sunday, July 1st is our Plein Air day. Two locations on opposite sides of the state. https://michigan.scbwi.org/2018/04/12/just-for-illustrators/

Are you open to suggestions from your fellow illustrators? If so, how would you like to be contacted?

K: Absolutely. We have a private facebook page for Michigan members. It’s a safe place to talk shop, share successes, make suggestions and ask for help.

D: Yes! Please reach out to us to let us know what you want from this community. Email me at Michigan-IC@SCBWI.org, or Kirbi Michigan-IC2@SCBWI.org.

If a genie would grant you one wish for the illustrators in our group, what would it be?

D: I would love to have a group studio and resource space.

K: Friendships that can offer trusted critique, encouragement and artistic growth.

Thank you for the interview; we are looking forward to the good things to come!