Q&A with Elementary School Students

 

I love to visit schools. I meet many inquisitive students from grades K-5 and there’s never enough time to answer all their questions towards the end of my presentations. I love coming home with their questions to answer on my blog. Thanks to the students and teachers at PS130 Brooklyn and PS120 Queens for their questions!

Q: How often do you actually do the writing?
A: As an illustrator I can paint books for authors other than myself. I’ve illustrated 11 books for other authors. I love to interpret their stories with colors, textures, and form. What I find most fun as an illustrator is the challenge that I cannot change the author’s text. I must rise to this challenge by working inside a boundary of the author's vision, then add my vision in a seamless blend.

Picture books I have illustrated for other authors.

                   

Q: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
A: By designing and painting the books I learn about my inner life through an outward visual medium. During the process of book creation the craft mirrors what is happening in my life at that time. The process helps me see certain life issues clearly. 

Q: Have you ever written for the New York Times newspaper?
A: No, I do not write for the New York Times. However, I am proud to say that my books have been reviewed in that newspaper and my name listed for book events several times. Currently, I’m a Huffington Post blogger and write online essays. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melanie-hope-greenberg/

Q: Who did you work with to make your first book?
A: All my 17 books are trade published picture books so I work with a publishing team. The team includes an editor, an art director, and sometimes another author. My text and art must be approved by the editor and art director. If there are mistakes
I get homework of revisions to work on and bring back. This back and forth goes on until the words and pictures are in perfect shape for your book shelves.

Q: Do you have any friends that help you with your books?
A: Authors and illustrators usually work alone. However, for my book MERMAIDS ON PARADE, I interviewed my friends. I asked why they marched in the Mermaid Parade and one answer became the main character's theme of “Shy Mermaid Coming Out of My Shell". I took photos of my friend’s wonderful parade costumes then painted those costumes into the book. My friends also taught me how to create a mermaid tail, so I added a tail-making craft activity in the book. Yes, my fabulous artistic friends in the DUMBO, Brooklyn community really helped me create MERMAIDS ON PARADE.

Can you find real life friends and their costumes inside the book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE?

Photo credit: Dari Litchman - parent, PS 130 Brooklyn

 

Artists In My Book / Jan Bell *Interview*

The music and art scene in DUMBO, Brooklyn, with it’s artists and indie bands and their offshoots has a vast history. Musician-Producer, Jan Bell, has been in the center of this history since the beginning. You can find her amongst the colorful artist cameos in my picture book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE. In fact, Jan’s character is wearing a skirt based on the first tail I ever made and wore in the Mermaid Parade.

Jan Bell in the book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE.

 Mermaid tail I wore in the parade.

Jan was kind enough to answer some questions. Her interview serves as a parallel back story to my painting process during production of MERMAIDS ON PARADE. Listening to many wonderful music CDs by my favorite local bands was great for channeling moods and colors which reflect the Coney Island spirit. Jan's comments about Woody Guthrie really hit home to a theme of the book, Coney Island’s sense of democracy. Thank you, Jan Bell! XO

MHG: Why do you march in the Mermaid Parade? 

Jan Bell: Biggest fancy dress party of the year for me and my friends. I usually march with other old time and folk musicians and like to bring my guitar or banjo with me. I've met a lot of brilliant people playing music in the parade.

Jan Bell in MERMAIDS ON PARADE

MHG: What does Coney Island represent for you?

Jan Bell: Well, I always think about the folk hero Woody Guthrie, who spent his last years living in Coney Island. That's where Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Bob Dylan both went to visit him in the 60's...both of whom have names they made up. Woody was born in rural Oklahoma and used to hop freight trains across country singing true story songs about the people he met during the Great Depression of the 1930's. Billy Bragg did a tribute album to Woody Guthrie called “Mermaid Avenue” in the 1990's. Guthrie’s spirit and his belief in equality for all are there for all to hear in his songs. “This land is Your Land”, “Pastures of Plenty” and hundreds more.

This CD has a song called "Coney Island Seaside Band"

 MHG: How do your music ventures connect the NYC arts communities?

Jan Bell: I am fortunate to work with quite a few small business establishments that ask me to book live music on a regular, often weekly basis. At one time, I traveled a lot all over America and Canada with a folk musician who was a young bright lad. He played venues and festivals everywhere, and I got to meet thousands of amazing musicians and presenters and people in the folk music community. Since returning to live in Brooklyn again, I've kept in touch with people so am able to 'bring the road to me' so to speak. Lots of bands from New Orleans, Austin Texas, Portland Oregon, Nashville Tennessee and Europe and Australia know how to find me and I can book them a couple of shows. They meet new fans and friends in a very supportive environment, rather than being exploited by 'pay to play' conveyer belt stages. This city can be a tough place for a band on tour here for the first time. I'm very happy to play a positive role in their experience instead. As an artist, I go home and play in the UK every Summer, and I tour a little here in the USA, but not as much as I used to. I help run the music at the places where I present the bands, and that helps supplement my income for sure. But I'm happy to play for a good cause, and fund raiser events are always a great time bringing folks together that otherwise may not cross paths.

Pasqalina Azzarello's CD cover art

MHG: What are you currently working on?

Jan Bell:  I'm launching Brooklyn Americana Music Festival 2015. My goal is to connect the two waterfront neighborhoods I've lived in and loved since the late 90's. DUMBO and Red Hook. I'm also writing and re-writing all my songs about living here for the next album 'Moonbirds in Brooklyn'. I’m also gearing up to teach a Spring songwriting class series again at the Fabulous Jalopy Theatre. My class is for grown ups but they have an extensive and very fun music program for kids.

Photo Credit Debbie Kline (who was watching the Maybelles broadcasting live on Concert Window)

Check out more of Jan Bell’s music
Concert Window
Facebook Band Page
Official Website

Art: Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg

More Q&A with Elementary Students

One wonderful morning I Skyped from my cozy studio in Brooklyn with students at the Passow Elementary School in Franklin Park, Illinois. Thanks to Reading Specialist, Elizabeth Drasutis, who set up the visit, for sending a packet of the student’s sweet notes, plus a list of questions to answer.

Q: How can you imagine all of the sea creatures?

A: It was easy. By using the photographs I took of the public and of my friends at the actual Mermaid Parade. They made the costumes. I just channeled their great creative energies into my picture book. They made it easy to illustrate 100 + characters featured in the book.

Q: How do you get picked to be the illustrator?

A: I send samples of my illustrations printed on postcards to art directors in the juvenile publishing field. The art is kept in their files. They match an illustrator with an author’s manuscript the publisher had purchased. Or, an agent represents your art and makes portfolio rounds to the publishers.

Questions from the older students:

Q: What do you find challenging about being an author and illustrator.
Art is always fulfilling so I’d say it’s the business end that can be challenging. Such as waiting in-between books. Having to prove my talent at all times to new people. Or, being very organized tracking the constant flow of new people and changes within the field.

My Studio

A: How many days does it take to make a book or an illustration?
Some illustrations are simple and some are complex. It took one month to finish my first book, AT THE BEACH. The art was simple to fit the text.

It can also take two weeks to illustrate one scene. The maps I love to create take a long time to finish.



Detail from a map I illustrated for A CITY IS

All art and images are Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg except the student art.

Life Imitates My Book - Part 2

There's more magical mermaid mayhem to mention.

I was thrilled to be invited to sign books at Mini Jake in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We set a date, time and they ordered books. The usual arrangements but with an unusual twist dreamed up by Mini Jake's owner, Inga Rogers, and her PR expert, Gabrielle Napolitano, producer of many popular kid events (Hip Tot Music Fest). Their vision of a mini-mermaid parade day based on my book MERMAIDS ON PARADE came to life on a beautiful Saturday in July.

Early in the day parents and children flocked to the shop for story time. I read and signed my books to an adorable audience of neon colored mermaids, pirates, and a shark. The second part of the day featured an award winning Mermaid Parade costume designer, Janna Kennedy, who came with a group of friends wearing the unique costumes she designs.

My favorite part was marching along the streets of Williamsburg with costumed sea creatures holding up my book. Gosh! People cheered and applauded the mini-mermaid parade. The event was so popular that an annual Mini Jake tradition was born. What an honor! Autographed copies of MERMAIDS ON PARADE and GOOD MORNING, DIGGER are available at Mini Jake. Thank you Mini Jake! xo

Enjoy the photos of the day.

Gabrielle "Still Hip" Napolitano with Dante and Chloe.

I pose with Inga Rogers and Janna Kennedy.

Photo Credits: Gabrielle Napolitano and Melanie Hope Greenberg Copyright 2012

Life Imitates My Book - Part 1

Life's been magical. My book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE has been coming to life. The magic started during the 2012 Mermaid Parade at Coney Island. I met up with a little mermaid lover named Madeleine and her mom, Kate Kruckemeyer, at the parade.

Inspired by my book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE, Maddy and mom made this costume in 2010. In 2011 I met Maddy during my literary craft workshop at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. We sat side by side creating art.  A copy of my book next to her for the entire workshop.

In 2012 Maddy and Kate traveled all the way from MA to be in the parade. They miraculously found the Superfine Dinettes troupe (2012 Donna Summermaids) in the marchers crowded waiting area. Our little mermaid did her own hair and make-up. The force of nature Maddy twirled and glided along Surf Avenue and the boardwalk. This was no shy little mermaid coming out of her shell. Maddy was completely out of her shell and loving it! So did the Dinettes.
                                 
Joy! Joy! Joy! Mermaid Madeleine won the silver medal as 2012 Best Little Mermaid.
Just like my book. Bonus...she brought the Superfine Dinettes along for the prize! Life is good.

I pose with the Superfine Dinettes a.k.a. 2012 Donna Summermaids at Coney Island.

I LOVE Maddy! xo
Photo credits: Kate Kruckemeyer  and Charlotte R.A. Moore

What is Mermaids on Parade?

I wrote and illustrated a picture book about real life. I was invited to march in a parade that celebrates the ocean. Tanya Rynd who owns Superfine, a restaurant in Dumbo, asked me to join her performance troupe, the Superfine Dinettes. I learned some dance steps and how to make a mermaid tail to get ready to open the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island, in south Brooklyn.

In the parade, people of all ages, sizes and colors come together to celebrate in the spirit of fun. They dress up in shiny colorful costumes and transform into mermaids, neptunes, pirates and sea creatures. Wonderous floats and creative performers march around a famous amusement park.

I found marching in a mermaid parade magical and enchanting. I thought kids of all ages would too.

Photos:
* Cover: MERMAIDS ON PARADE written and illustrated by Melanie Hope Greenberg / GP Putnam's Sons May 2008
* The Wonder Wheel is a New York City landmark at Coney Island.
Photo Credit: Tim Galbreath
* Superfine 126 Front Street, Brooklyn NY 11201 718 243-9005
Sells signed copies of MERMAIDS ON PARADE
Photo Credit: Nina Westervelt