All Creativelike: An Interview with Illustrator Christopher Denise

Christopher Denise is one of those enragingly talented people who makes, well, everything look easy - from making the artwork, to handling the business, to teaching about creativity, to being a dad. Since he was kind enough to share his truly wise insights about the creative process of illustrating books here today, I'll try not to stay too mad at him!

How do you define creativity? I try not to. It's too ephemeral, like trying to describe the gossamer wings of a firefly to someone that has lost their sight. The closest I could get is something like water formed by a breeze. I try to recognize it (creativity) in my own work and in the work of others. I know it when I see it. It looks and feels truthful, full of life, and made with care. Pretty broad, I know. Sorry!

When did you know that you wanted to be an illustrator? I really didn't know what an illustrator was until I transferred to RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) in the 90's. I always knew that I loved to draw, all kids do.

I just never let anyone talk me out of it and somehow made it into a life and career.

What does the average day in the life of an illustrator look like? It looks pretty amazing from here and I am grateful for it! What an average day looks like depends, in part, on the season. I have been known to play hooky at a moments notice on one of those perfect Rhode Island beach-days. But we are talking averages here. 1.Most days start with the crazy bustle of getting three girls out the door to school/play-groups. Fueled by copious amounts of very good coffee. 2. A daily recap and, perhaps, some creative consultation with my often collaborator and amazing author wife, Anika Denise. 3. Out to the studio to review the production schedule and start sketching or painting on the morning's assignment. I break all of my projects into work units that can be moved around in the calendar. If a particular piece is calling to me I follow the energy and adjust the schedule later. 4. Break at about eleven o'clock to check email and take care of the social media component that has become an important part of my professional life. 5. A bit more drawing/painting here. 6. Inside for lunch with a game of Scrabble on the iPad, or a conversation with our youngest (3 years-old). The conversation tends to be pretty freeform and it is best to stay flexible. 7. More coffee, and back to the paintings. 8. Around 3-4 p.m. I will wander inside for a few minutes just to say "hi" to the kids and make sure everyone had a good day. 9. Painting until about 5:30. Anika is also an amazing cook, so I try to stay out of the way until I am needed. 10. Dinner, wine, laughs. One of my favorite parts of any day. 11. Dishes and homework help, if it is not all done. 12. Reading picture books to the little, putting her to bed, then reading a chapter from something longer for the older ones. Love this part as well. 13. I usually get back to the studio for another two to three hours. If I am on deadline, a bit more coffee here.

What's your working process like? Do you read the book then start with an overall concept, then move on to specifics, or...? I would say that it is more overall to specific. I spend the majority of my time right now working on picture books so I will outline, in brief, that process. 1. I read the manuscript in hand a few times. I need to know that I will be able to connect with something in the story. 2. I begin to break it down into a book. The manuscript needs to work as a book. There are numerous ways that it can "work", but I need to be able to get a sense of at least one of those paths that it might take. 3. Sketching/thinking/looking at other books. 4. More of the above. 5. More of the above. 6. I create very rough scribbles for the entire book. Essentially, creating a book map. Notes included about color/light/references/music notes 7. More of #3. 8. Sometimes tighter sketches, and many, many changes along the way. 9. Painting, changing, repainting. I need to get going on something to see if it is working. Acting and re-acting. 10. Around this time I start painting like crazy with many pieces going at the same time. Always staying open to change with the incredible digital tools at my disposal. 11. While I am finishing up I am usually starting the process all over again with a new book and a new journey. A normal length picture book can take anywhere from 6-9 months.

How long did it take for your "style" to develop, and what did it take to get to that point? I am still developing my style, really. Each manuscript requires different things from me as an artist.

Writing is hard work, and I think it is a great disservice to both the author and their story for me to impose a particular style on a book.

What are the most important considerations when translating the written word into visual imagery? A few things come to mind right away: Stay sensitive to the material. My job as an illustrator is to create a parallel emotional narrative. Be certain that my communication is clear: I am a visual communicator. I love pretty pictures, I love painting them as well! But my job is to communicate something about the story. If I am not doing that part of my job then it matters little how nice the picture looks. Trust your instincts and stand your ground when you need to. At the same time, listen to constructive feedback and see what works for the book.

Favorite artists or influences? A few off the top of my head for different reasons: N.C. Wyeth, Edmund Dulac, Pablo Casals solo cello recordings of the Brandenburg concertos (no offense to YoYo Ma who did a fantastic job with the material), Wes Anderson, Pierre Bonnard, Brad Bird, E.B. White, Monet, David Lynch, Isaac Levitan, J. F. Millet, The Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Beatrix Potter, Andrew Stanton, Neil Gaiman, Ernest Shepard, Harold Budd & Brian Eno, George Inness.

Any daily or weekly habits and practices? I try to start each session, each day as a novice. It helps me to stay sensitive and, in a way, helps take off the pressure. I also try to start each day as a beginner and allow myself to make mistakes. It keeps it interesting for me, and I grow as an artist.

Advice for aspiring illustrators? Besides marrying an investment banker with a penchant for the arts? Make sure that you love this job. It is really, really hard work and many wonderful artists can get run down and fall by the wayside. And that is fine - it's not for everyone. Having said that, it is one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable things you could do with your time. So if you are in love with it, then love your life, and trust your instincts. Don't let anyone talk you out of it!

Christopher Denise is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and visual development artist. His first book, a retelling of the Russian folktale The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, was pronounced “a stunning debut” by Publishers Weekly. Since then, Chris has illustrated more than twenty books for children, including Alison McGhee’s upcoming Firefly Hollow, Rosemary Wells’ Following Grandfather, Phyllis Root’s Oliver Finds His Way, his wife Anika Denise’s Bella and Stella Come Home and some in Brian Jacques’ acclaimed receive series. His books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and have been recognized by Bank Street College of Education, Parents’ Choice Foundation, and the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition. He can be reached through his website or Facebook page.

Photo credits (in order): Anika Denise, Corey Grayhorse Photography, From Sleepytime Me by Edith Fine (Random House Kids, 2014), From Following Grandfather by Rosemary Wells (Candlewick Press, 2013), From Sleepytime Me by Edith Fine (Random House Kids, 2014), From Baking Day At Grandma's by Anika Denise (Philomel Books, 2014)

All Creativelike: An Interview with Artist Sara E. Lynch

Sara E. Lynch cracks me up. She makes animal mugs with little feet on the underside, and turns a head of cauliflower into a mortuary urn for a beloved cat. It's hard not to be drawn in by her attention to detail, technical mastery, and whimsy. Though I know Sara mainly as a ceramic artist, she's adept in multiple mediums (Lucky dog!), and a pretty smart businessperson to boot.

Sara, how would you define creativity? I would say creativity is the skill of finding a new and different solution to a problem. My daily problem is: I have this damp, mushy material called clay, what can I do with it? This needs to be looked at without preconceived notions or limitations so you can explore all possible solutions then decide what is best. The process of creativity involves being open-minded, pondering as many options as possible, and then eliminating them one by one until you have a solution you think is worth trying. Then, you need to focus and test your solution to see if it's any good. If not, go back to the beginning again, or order a pizza.

What started you on the path to becoming a ceramic artist? This is a rather funny answer. I did one clay project in high school and HATED it. I felt it was unpredictable and way too technical, so I stuck with painting, drawing, and photography. Then I got a full scholarship to Alfred University, which is a great art school, but also a world-renowned ceramics school. Although I was set on being a painter, I couldn't turn down free tuition. When it came time to choose sophomore classes I figured I might as well try a wheel class since it was such a good place for clay. I had zero ideas about how pottery should be, and my teacher was much more into using the wheel as a tool rather than making finished products. Many of the students with prior pottery experience struggled, while I just explored whatever idea struck me. It was the only class I got an A in, so I signed up for it again, and again, and again.

What is it about clay that draws you to it more than other art mediums? I actually wouldn't say I am drawn to it more them other mediums. I do a lot of photography, jewelry, and weird mixed media paintings as well. I am a lucky recipient of a grant to expand my ceramics studio, so it's been taking up more of my time, but I still love all of the other things I do. I love clay because I can create a useful object that is also art. This contrast creates a really compelling tension. My painting, jewelry, and photography work also focuses around a combination of art and craft. I obsessively sew stuff on my paintings, machine stitch my photographs, and my jewelry is usually classified as art jewelry because it is so unusual. This probably comes from going to an art school with a strong connection to crafts, as well as me being a bit of a rebel.

When do you feel most open to your creativity or at your creative peak? It's weird, but I often settle down to do my best work at midnight or later. This can make normal activities, like going to the bank and mailing stuff, difficult, but I love it. When I finally quit my day job last September it was such a relief to finally be able to get work done and sleep more than four hours a night. I also do various physical activities such as swimming, biking, yoga, and distance running. I love getting to work after a really great yoga class or other activity. It's like all my ideas and creative energy had time to percolate and now they can all come out.

One of the things I love about your work is the humor you bring to it. Where does that come from, and is it a conscious decision you've made or a happy accident, so to speak? The first artist talk I ever gave was to a group of mostly older ceramic artists that I really respected. I put my first slide up and everyone started laughing. Not in a mean way, but in a "this-stuff-is-really-funny" way. I decided to go with it, and I now give an absolutely hysterical artist talk that people love. It's really great, because you can't be stressed when you're laughing, so I actually enjoy giving talks. With my work, I am interested in the push and pull between the humorous and darker aspects. I try to keep my work in the middle of these two qualities, but sometimes it veers a bit more towards one or the other.

How do you get your art out into the world? I sell most of my work online to people in California, Western Canada, the UK, and Australia via Etsy.com and my website. I'm not really sure why this is. I also use the site CustomMade.com to get many of my commissions. I do about 2 to 4 gallery shows around the continental US per year, and a few craft fairs to mingle with the locals. When I first quit my day job many people were worried I wouldn't make it because they knew someone else who tried to make a go of it as an artist 30 or so years ago and it didn't work out. I appreciated their concern, but I wasn't really sure how to explain that with the internet it is very easy to find your audience and get your work to them.

You seem to have found a balance between being an artist and being a businessperson. Can you tell me about finding that balance? Well, that's a work in progress, but I'm getting there. To pay the bills I do a lot of custom work. Basically, I'm creating other people's ideas. I make a point though, of only saying yes to things that I find interesting and think I will enjoy. Also, when I feel compelled to sew sparkly fabric on an old badminton racket or explore an abandoned building I do it. I can't make decent work for my clients if I'm not feeling happy and engaged, and I know what things I need to do in order to feel this way.

Who are your favorite artists? I'm pretty much a visual omnivore. I love the work that Freight and Volume shows. They do a really great job of showcasing interesting and clever work by today's artists. I love Judith Brown's jewelry. I just recently rediscovered that I love Fred Tomaselli's paintings. I look at a lot of old fussy English ceramics for inspiration, as well and cheap thrift store mugs. For favorite ceramic artists though, I will always be blown away by Beth Cavener Stichter's animal sculptures, as well as how my former teacher Susan Halls handles clay. And actually, I recently started a Pinterest board called "painting envy." Since it's fairly new there isn't a ton on there, but here it is.

What are your daily or weekly habits and practices? It depends on what's going on. In general, I like to swim, run, do yoga, visit with friends, and volunteer at the animal shelter once a week. I don't always get to all of these. Daily, I like to meditate, sleep, cook, mess around in my garden, and pet my rabbit. The work I do dictates its own schedule depending on size, drying time, firing, cleaning up, photographing, and shipping. It's so random that I can't let that dictate my life, so I work to fit it around the other things that I like to do. I also like to take classes, go to residencies, and apply to shows, so sometimes applications take over my life. This is not fun, but I love to travel and do work in other places, so it's worth it.

Any advice to aspiring artists? I would say if there's a skill you are interested in, take a class about it. This may require you to travel to a craft school such as Penland or Haystack. It may stretch your budget, but it is the absolute best way to learn. The more teachers you have and people you work alongside the better. If you think you know everything you need to know, go to a residency. Don't go with a project to create, go with an open mind, no plans, and have fun learning.

Sara Lynch is a multimedia artist living and working on the northern edge of New York State. She loves spending time with animals, and attempting to grow things in unusual containers. Visit her website for more information.(It's currently under construction, but still looks pretty lovely!)

The Most Important Thing I Know About Creativity

One time, many years ago, my friend's seven year-old son was taking a bath and began to scream for his mother. She ran in to find him with a frantic look on his face. "Mom, I need paper and a pen! I feel a poem coming on!"

Understanding the importance of this request, my friend dashed to the other room, grabbed the requested materials, and began to transcribe the poem as it tumbled from her son's lips.

I've always loved this story. Not just for the characters involved - and, trust me, they are characters - but for the truth it tells about the creative process. Our creations are not made by us, so much as they come through us.

I had a similar experience when I was five years-old. My first poem came out of me in one solid lump, transcribed onto a white pad with a sky blue crayon. I can remember staring at it for a long time, feeling surprised. I remember thinking, "I didn't write this." And, I remember also thinking, "This is really good." I still have it memorized:

Oh, so high in the sky the birds fly.Down to the ground, and up with a bound, Oh, so high in the sky.

Not bad for a five year-old who had never taken a writing class, right?

I feel fortunate that this happened at such a young age. That experience holds a valuable lesson, one I return to again and again. It is the single most important thing I know about creativity: that if we step aside and allow ourselves to become a clear channel the work will flow through us. The act of creation will be more like watching a film unfold and less like a wrestling match where two opponents beat the hell out of one another and no one's quite sure who's going to win.

If you find yourself feeling frustrated, stuck or joyless in the creative process, return to this simple place of allowing. Let the creation reveal itself.