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

PS 310 BX Students Send Letters / Q&A

I had a really sweet visit with first and second graders at PS 310 in the Bronx last month. A few weeks after my visit a packet of sunshine arrived on a cold gray snowy winter day. 

Beverly Manasch, the school librarian, sent a note, since the visit my books have been circulating in and out of the library. That is music to my ears. I also received a thick stack of colorful thank you notes from the students who asked me great questions.

 

I love my mermaid legs

Question: How do I make the lovely paint?
I buy tubes or jars of paint called gouache. They are thick paints and they glow. They also vibrate when certain colors lie side by side. I mix hundreds of colors. I use small plastic bins or even aluminum foil or tins to mix the paints. I label each tin with the colors they were mixed with. Once they dry the paint gets hard. With some water on a brush the dry paint comes back to life as a honey mix of pigment to spread on watercolor paper.

Inside my studio

Question: How much time does it take to make a picture book?
That depends how complex the art is. It normally takes 6 months to one year to create the art for the book. Then the art goes to a printer and the pages are sewn and bound into the covers of the book. That process takes another year before you get the book on your bookshelf.

**More student letters from PS 250 BK.
**Click this link to learn about my school visits.
**Autographed books can be purchased here.

Art by the students of PS 310 BX
Photos copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg

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

Event: February 4 2012 Panel NYPL at 42 Street (the Lions)

It's been a while since I've blogged. Blogging is not a paying job, it's creative fun when I have something relevant to say about books, literacy or about my career. My prior blog postings live on and on in cyberspace to reference and link. Besides, I broke my right wrist and solidly rested over the winter holiday. Luckily, as a lefty, my dominant art hand was spared the fracturing fall. But it took a broken wrist to finally take a "break" in a fast paced business, to step back and see the big picture.

The not paying aspect was part of an idea for a panel. I do not agree that authors and artists are "supposed" to be poor. That type of thinking devalues our art and careers. We need to be saavy in today's publishing climate.


What joy! The panel idea titled, "Connect The Dots" was accepted by Betsy Bird, NYPL's whiz-kid librarian and hostess of School Library Journal's Fuse#8 Blog. If you don't know Betsy's blog, you should. It's the most popular children's literature blog in the United States, written up in Forbes Magazine. What an honor to have this idea presented in such a great public forum as Betsy's Children's Literary Salon held on the first Saturday of each month at the 42 Street Library.


The panelists included Marilyn Ackerman (Brooklyn Public Library), Barbara Auerbach (school librarian at PS 217 Brooklyn), Erica Kylander-Clark (parental blogger), Rebecca Fitting (Greenlight Bookstore), and myself (author/illustrator). We discussed how booksellers, librarians (school and public), and bloggers discover, promote, and discuss great books for kids. How communication between our different occupations can help an author get their name out and show the value of their books to a wider public audience of readers and buyers.


I presented a short Power Point on social network etiquette and how authors and illustrators can grassroots market to work *with* the various occupations to help widen our readership and buying audience.


I announced for the first time that I will train picture book authors and illustrators how to grassroots market to build their platform with my MARKETING WORKOUT. More to Come


After the well attended panel was over, parent blogger Erica Kylander-Clark posted her fabulous ideas for Panel City: Shouting Out About Books! on her blog. Parents reaching out to other parents. How parents can also Connect The Dots by reaching out to the booksellers, librarians, authors and illustrators to learn about the wider selection of children's literature which goes beyond Disney, Dr. Seuss and Good Night Moon.


Panelists Erica Kylander-Clark and Rebecca Fitting, owner of Greenlight Books.

All photos and art Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg.
Thanks to Michael Santangelo for taking the photos.

COMMUNITY / Teachers

Happy Women's History Month.
My cousin Michelle is a second grade teacher at PS 133 in Queens. We grew up in the Bronx and not in luxury. For anyone out there who thinks they need tons of money to go far... think again. It takes education, imagination and self effort to rise up to your highest dreams. Go for it!

Q: Why are picture books important for elementary students? 

MA: Elementary students are taught to use picture cues to help them comprehend the text of the book. They pause to look for additional information that the text alone doesn't provide. 

Q: What kinds of picture books do your students enjoy? 

MA: Young students enjoy picture books that are funny and unusual. They love colorful pictures. 

Q: How do you choose books for your classroom library? 

MA: Teachers select books that tie into a unit or subject that they are teaching. For Women's History Month I looked for easy to read biographies about Helen Keller, Harriet Tubman and Amelia Earhart. The children enjoyed seeing the sign alphabet that Helen learned when she was about seven years old. 

Q: What impact has MERMAIDS ON PARADE made on your students? 

MA: My class loved hearing about mermaids. They love the whole idea of a parade to welcome summer. They love that it's near the ocean and that the people dress up as creatures from the sea. 
 
Thanks Michelle!


Where I grew up on Boynton Avenue in the Bronx. My building is next to the bank. Michelle's grandmother, my great aunt Helen, lived in my building. I took this photo from the elevator train station at Elder Ave.


Two Hopes: Melanie Hope Greenberg and her cousin, Michelle Hope Attar at Melanie's book launch party at Superfine.

COMMUNITY/ Interview with the Mazza Museum

Image: Melanie Hope Greenberg and Anne Rockwell at the Mazza Museum in 2002.

Many people behind the scenes in the picture book arts community work alongside the authors and illustrators.
The Mazza Museum: International Art from Picture Books was founded in 1982 at the University of Findlay in Ohio and is the first and the largest teaching museum devoted to literacy and the art of children’s picture books. 

I was fortunate to be a keynote speaker and workshop presenter at the Mazza Museum in 2002. That’s where I met my author, Anne Rockwell of GOOD MORNING DIGGER. We dedicated our book to Mazza’s curator, Dr. Jerry Mallett. The Mazza Museum also collects my picture book art. Their beautiful 2009 calendar includes one of my illustrations, "Balancing On Stars". I’m honored. 


Image: "Balancing On Stars" copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg

Ben Sapp, Director of the Mazza Museum, was kind enough to let me interview him. 
 
Q: Why is it important to create a museum specifically for picture book art?  
  
Mazza: For too long the art in children’s books has been considered to be a “poor cousin” to illustration…which, indeed, itself has been considered to be a “poor cousin” to “fine art.”  Of course, this is ridiculous and it became time to relegate this art to its true value. That is, to equal any art in quality, form and design.  How unfortunate that in the past much of this art was lost to history since it was considered “disposable” art…of no use after the book was published.  
 
It is our belief that our children deserve the best of all art and fortunately throughout modern history the “fine art” in children’s books have provided just such an experience.Therefore, it was high time to recognize these wonderful artists of children’s books and elevate their achievements to the height of all wonderful artists.  

Q: Who are some of the picture book artists in your collection?  
  
Mazza: We own the art of over 500 wonderful artists of children’s books. From the historical of Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway to the contemporary of Maurice Sendak, Marcia Brown and Wendell Minor.  
 
Q: How many original artworks are in your collection?  
  
Mazza: We now own over 4,000 original artworks in our collection.  
  
Q: What does the Mazza Museum do to support young students?  
  
Mazza: The Mazza Museum offered school tours for every grade level with optional art activities following the tours. There are also story times each month for the preschoolers. On the first Sunday of each month from October to April, we offer a literacy festival for the family called Funday Sunday. There are story stations, art projects and many other fun activities for the young child and their parents or grandparents. In the summer, we have a week- long art camp for those children who have completed first grade to fifth grade where they learn to make a picture book.  
  
Q: When is your 2009 Mazza Celebrity Art Auction of original children's book art?  
  
Mazza: The auction will be held during the week of our Summer Conference on evening of July 15.  The Dr. Jerry J. Mallett Institute is an endowment set up so that the Museum will be around for many years to come.  Not only will it be around, but so will the many educational programs that if offers.  You will be able to view the artwork online and place a bid online.  
  
Thank you so very much Mazza Museum.