Featured Illustrator Wendy Berry

 

MEET WENDY

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?

Anxious

2. What do you do best?

I like to think I’m a good problem solver.

3. Where would you like to live?

I’ve lived in other states, but I’ll always think of Michigan as my home.  It’s not just the location, it’s the people. 

4. Your favorite color?

Blueish purple

5. Three of your own illustrations:

 

6. Your music?

I love old standards, Louis Prima, Peggy Lee, Hank Williams, but I also like contemporary music and everything in between. I don’t listen to music while I draw though, I listen to books on tape.  Books keep me seated and working a little longer.

7. Your biggest achievement?

Definitely my three boys.  They are good people and I’m thankful for them.

8. Your biggest mistake?

Not starting my illustration career earlier.

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

I used to love “Gus was a friendly Ghost”, by Jane Thayer.  Then when I got into chapter books, it was “Half Magic”, by Edward Eager.

10. Your main character trait?

Optimism, but that might be optimistic to think that.

11. What do you appreciate most in a friend?

A good sense of humor.  Everyone needs someone to laugh with.

12. What mistakes are you most willing to forgive?

That’s hard to answer, I guess I’d want you to be more specific. I hope that doesn’t making me an unforgiving person.

13. Your favorite children's book hero?

Hagrid from the Harry Potter series, because he is sometimes misguided, but always kind.

14. What moves you forward?

Myself, always getting ideas and wanting to bring them to fruition.

15. What holds you back?

Time, there is never enough.

16. Your dream of happiness?

Knowing those I love are happy and safe.

17. The painter/illustrator you admire most?

Chris Van Allsburg, Yvonne Gilbert, Inga Moore, Maurice Sendak, I really can’t pick just one.  If I think too hard about it, I’ll come up with more, Jan Brett, Susan Jeffers, Anton Pieck, Edward Gorey.

18. What super power would you like to have?

Time Travel, going back in time to talk with loved ones that have passed would be wonderful.

19. Your motto?

You should never be bored, if you are then you need to work on your imagination.

20. Your social media?

Wendyberryart.com

Facebook.com/wendyberryart

 

Featured Illustrator Cody Wiley

MEET CODY

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?

Stressed and anxious!

2. What do you do best?

I’d have to say it would be overthinking everything. I’m also an ok cartoonist.

3. Where would you like to live?

I’ve been planning my move out to LA for over a year now and it’s so close I can taste it!

4. Your favorite color?

Orange!

5. Three of your own illustrations:

6. Your music?

While I’m working, I usually listen to podcasts, like My Favorite Murder, My Brother, My Brother and Me, and 99% Invisible. I’m also a musician, so I find that if I’m listening to music I’ll get too distracted, but I love bands like Young the Giant, The Wombats, The Strokes, and Streetlight Manifesto.

7. Your biggest achievement?

I’ve been self-publishing my own comics for almost two years now.

8. Your biggest mistake?

Not starting to take drawing seriously sooner. I really didn’t start trying to improve until my senior year of high school.

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

Curious George

10. Your main character trait?

Not taking things too seriously or always trying to find something goofy in everyday situations.

11. What do you appreciate most in a friend?

Honesty!

12. What mistakes are you most willing to forgive?

Everyday human error.

13. Your favorite children's book hero?

Hilda from the comic series of the same name by Luke Pearson.

14. What moves you forward?

Fear!

15. What holds you back?

Also fear!

16. Your dream of happiness?

I would love to be a show runner on my own original animated series!

17. The painter/illustrator you admire most?

Currently, I’d have to say Luke Pearson!

18. What super power would you like to have?

The ability to never have to sleep. Think of how much you could get done with all of that extra time!

19. Your motto?

“Just do it” – Nike

20. Your social media?

Website: ‪https://mcodywiley.com

Instagram: @mcodywiley

Twitter: @mcodywiley

Featured Illustrator Darrin Brege

MEET DARRIN

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?

Very focused of late…on projects, deadlines, and direction.

2. What do you do best?

Make people laugh.

3. Where would you like to live?

The Animal Kingdom Lodge at Disneyworld.

4. Your favorite color?

Black…although, technically a tone.

5. Three of your own illustrations:

6. Your music?

Classic Rock…Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, Beatles

7. Your biggest achievement?

The fact that I get to do art for a living, do comedy with my wife and together we have a wonderful son.

8. Your biggest mistake?

Listening to my dad and wasting time by choosing a path to pre-med instead of art school in college. I did end up moving to an economics major and received my BA from Albion College (Go Brits). After graduation, I immediately moved to LA to study animation, and although I’m proud of my degree, I wish I would’ve gotten it in art or animation.

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

Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr. Suess.

10. Your main character trait?

Kindness

11. What do you appreciate most in a friend?

A shared sense of humor.

12. What mistakes are you most willing to forgive?

Honest mistakes that can be used as a learning opportunity…. either that, or a botched movie quote.

13. Your favorite children's book hero?

Mick Morris. He’s the main character in our Mick Morris Myth Solver book series (my wife, Karen Bell-Brege is the author and I illustrate). His mannerisms are loosely based on our son, Mick, and I illustrate him based on how he looked at ten. Mick is determined, funny, thoughtful, and fearless.

14. What moves you forward?

Creating as a husband and wife team - always striving to take our creations to the next level, and ultimately having our readers and fans love our stories!  We love inspiring kids to read, and especially getting them to laugh.

15. What holds you back?

Time!  We have so many things on our plate, that it’s hard to get to everything.

16. Your dream of happiness?

Karen and I continuing to work together in all of our creative endeavors and our son doing the same in whatever drives or motivates him.

17. The painter/illustrator you admire most?

Walt Disney.

18. What super power would you like to have?

It’d be wonderful to temporarily replicate to double, or triple up on any task. I’d be able to get a lot of painting done…or at least be able to fold clothes quicker. Or, Karen & I would be able to go off to Florida, and let my double handle everything.

19. Your motto?

Do what you love…it’ll never feel like work.

20. Your social media? 

Instagram:  @karenanddarrin

Facebook:  Karen & Darrin Author & Illustrator

Book website:  MonsterMyths.com

Art website:  darrinbrege.com

Deviant Art:  darrinbrege.deviantart.com