MEET MELANIE
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?
Excited.
I am organizing my art space and setting goals for 2020.
2.
What do you do best?
From
my kids:
Eleanor,
6: Clean the house (after organizing her room), be polite, be helpful, and hug
Harrison,
9: Draw, drink coffee
3.
Where would you like to live?
Somewhere
really green with 60°–70° temps
4.
Your favorite color?
Well,
I wear a ton of black and grey, but if I had to pick to a color from my
watercolor palette, it would be viridian or sap green.
5.
Three of your own illustrations:
6.
Your music?
Stevie
Wonder or dance, new wave, and alternative music
7.
Your biggest achievement?
My
family
8.
Your biggest mistake?
Not
going to art school after high school. I went the safer route, into business
and marketing. I am thankful and do love the job I have in marketing. It has
been a success, and I understand now that you can have more than one career or
change careers later in life.
9.
Your favorite children's book when you were a child?
The
Secret Garden, which I am now making a goal in 2020 to reread as an adult and
share with my kids.
10.
Your main character trait?
Realistically
optimistic with a touch of goofiness
11.
What do you appreciate most in a friend?
I
appreciate picking up where we left off, no matter where we are in life. I am
drawn to friends that love to laugh, are driven, and are supportive.
12.
What mistakes are you most willing to forgive?
Making
small wrong choices because we are all human. Even when I see myself, my
children, or others being unkind to another person, I believe it’s coming from
something going on that day or in their life.
13.
Your favorite children's book hero?
My
childhood heroes, which are Ramona Quimby, from the series by Beverly Cleary;
and Pippi Longstocking, from the series by Astrid Lindgren, both adventurous and
bold.
14.
What moves you forward?
1)
Coffee and music
2)
Seeing others in action and surrounding myself with others who are motivated
moves me forward. With the support of my best friend and the Borgess Run Camp
teams, I completed multiple half marathons and a 25K run. Also, the SCBWI KAST
(Kalamazoo) group is a huge motivation for me to keep going on my writing and
illustrating journey. The group is so uplifting and encouraging.
15.
What holds you back?
My
own fears of failure and feeling average
16.
Your dream of happiness?
My
kids to grow up happy and stable; a peaceful mind for my husband; and days and
days of open art and yoga studio time for me
17.
The painter/illustrator you admire most?
I
love Corrina Luyken’s color choices in her art and books, which can be very
minimal, like My Heart or extremely colorful, like in Adrian Simcox Does Not
Have a Horse. Both books are beautiful. I appreciate her celebration of ink
mistakes in The Book of Mistakes. I’m going to cheat here and also add another
illustrator, Erin Stead, whom I admire because of her printing techniques and
softness in her illustrations. A Sick Day for Amos Gee is one of my favorites.
18.
What super power would you like to have?
My
super power would be being a power hugger, which is inspired by my huggable
son. I would go by “Huggy” for short. The power of my hug would help others
protect and overcome sadness and fear. I’m already prototyping this power on my
kids.
19.
Your motto?
Seize
the day. This is my mindset, even on vacation. Always do or experience
something.
20.
Your social media?
