Written by Maria Hammon
Becky Kelly an illustrator of beautiful things. She is a passionate woman filled with joy and strength. She is a warrior and a mother. Her art in children's books, greeting cards and prints reminds us of childhood when time was spent dreaming of magic fairies in forests with sparkling stars in the sky and animal friends who had regular tea parties with us. I was delighted to have the chance to interview the very busy illustrator.
1. When did you decide you wanted to be an illustrator? Was this something you knew since childhood or something you decided as a young adult?
One day in third grade, my teacher, Miss Stanley put a drawing I did on the bulletin board, she told the class how nice it was. Each day I drew something new and she would pin it up on the bulletin board with all the enthusiasm a fabulous third grade teacher could muster. I knew I wanted to draw for the rest of my life. (I'm sure she was thinking to herself, "Not another picture?- Doesn't that child's hand ever get tired.?")
Earlier, in kindergarten, my teacher read a Beatrix Potter book "Peter Rabbit", and "1 is One" by Tasha Tudor.
It was so enchanting, I think I flew in the air for days. Before that, I can remember looking at colors, bright beautiful colors, and raindrops trailing down a big window. I would follow them with my finger and look at the colors reflecting in the drops...
My mother taught me to read with Robert Louis Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses" Jessie Wilcox Smith illustrations.
It was really a passion.
Were you encouraged by your dad to paint or was it just a natural gift that he helped you develop?
My father and I would stop when on drives in the country, or when our family was staying at our cabin near Greenbrier. We would often put up art easels together in the country side and paint the scenery. We were always painting, my dad taught a few classes and I would tag along and learn.
My parents encouraged, but didn't push me to be an artist; but that it is all I wanted to do.
2. What is a typical day like for you?
(Things are unusual for me, I have a son with a chronic illness. I have learned to become flexible depending upon what is going on that day.)
Usually, I have a cup of coffee and head off to my studio, located beside my home. It is bright and airy environment and I love being there.
I start my day with prayer, and ask God for help daily, help with caring for my family. I ask for peace and courage. I pray God will use me and my work .
Then, it's off to my laptop to check Emails. It is one of my favorite parts of my job. I try to respond to each one.
To organize my day, I'll write notes about what needs to happen that day. Some days I'll be sending out portfolios to prospective clients, or respond to work offers or requests. On days I am starting on a new project, I'll surround myself with things that inspire me, like Illustrations from the 20's and 30's. Looking at new trends and current styles of art helps me think of new ways to make my work pop, or make it more interesting.
Around lunch time I take a break and check on my son.
I like to take a break at lunch and do something totally different, like read a magazine, or run a few errands.
After lunch is when I do most of my painting. I love this time and try to keep it sacred.
I have two dogs that are so much fun to play with and inspire me. I let them in the studio doors, then out the studio doors...then in, then out....
3. What is the best thing about being an illustrator?
Good question, I love the act of painting and creating. It really is therapy for me. I like telling a story through my art. I love color. Color is never boring, it is rich and exciting and ever changing.
4. As a working mother myself, I always want to hear how other women handle juggling motherhood with working. And in your case, with your son's ongoing battle with a chronic illness which keeps a lot of your time tied up with doctor's appointments and treatment options, just how do you do it all?
That is a million dollar question! Really, any mother of a child with a chronic illness goes through the same things. It isn't what I would have chosen, but this is our challenge and we try to do our best with it.
Payton, (now Rob) is an amazing kid. Although he has this illness, he hasn't let it define him. He has a quick sense of humor and keen observation. Often, he deflects uncomfortable questions about his illness into challenging and entertaining banter, laughing at the situation. He is very bright. I believe God must have known what was coming and had great mercy upon me, because he is really amazing.
Although Rob has missed most of school since the forth grade, he has managed to keep up and make excellent grades (definitely not due to my teaching ability.) His quick wit and intellect keeps me on my toes.
There are some days when I think I can't do it anymore...when I think he is better, then the Eosinophilic Diseasecomes back with a vengeance. It feels like the stomach flu, but doesn't go away.) Most kids with this illness can't eat food. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. For the first few years, Rob couldn't eat food and drank an amino acid formula. Every two weeks, we would enter in a new food and he would either pass the test or fail.
This illness is very rare, but is being diagnosed more now, as doctors become more aware.
I do a lot of research, share ideas with other mothers in an online support group and try to help my son with his challenges,
Through researching other kids in remission with this illness, I discovered interesting articles on a medication, Ketotifen. The medication is not approved in the United States. I contacted another mother with a daughter in remission on this medication, The woman has a Ph.D. - a research scientist, her husband is a pediatrician, I felt their research was worth taking to my doctor. Our doctor had heard of the medication and prescribed it. It has helped our son's illness go into remission, but we still have many side effects from the disease, and his immune system is still very weak.
5. Wow, I can only imagine the kind of energy this must take from you. Having all this going on in your life, where do you go to in order to draw inspiration to keep creating your beautiful art?
Watching children at play, reading and (#7)
I enjoy the simple, light fairies of the 20's and 30's. These fairies painted by artist like Jessie Wilcox Smith, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, Mary Cicely Barker, and Arthur Rackham inspire me.
6. My daughter is very fond of your fairies. There is so much magic in all of them! Was the fairy world a part of your childhood life in some way?
I was always a dreamer and still am. Being from West Virginia, (Scott-Irish) folklore tales of fairies and elves been passed down through generations. Mind you, these fairies are not evil fairies. Oh sure, they can be mischievous, but they were mostly for entertainment and lived in their own world, unaware of anyone watching. My father told us stories about fairies and elves and we would imagine them in the woods near our home, having tea parties, with a few frogs and chipmunks. There were large rocks in the hillside near our home. These were tea tables. Little acorn caps served as tiny cups for tea.
*For more information read about the "Devil's Tea Table" in The WV Mountian State Journal article.
7. When did you create your first fairy drawing?
Several years ago, fairies were not very popular in the US, but there was a trend of enchantment and sparkle embellishments in fashion and in design. This inspired me to do fairies. Now I see fairies in art all over the place. I don't like wicked looking fairies, they seem dark and creepy. I enjoy the simple, light fairies of the 20's and 30's. These fairies painted by artist like Jessie Wilcox Smith, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, Mary Cicely Barker, and Arthur Rackham inspire me.
8. Is there a particular illustration you have done that keeps a special part of your heart, a favorite of sorts? I know for my daughter and I we can never find just one, we love them ALL!
I like different fairies for different reasons. Many pieces depend on what I was doing or who insipired me at the time it was painted.
Some are of a child I knew, like my niece Kate Mcdanial was a favorite model. My son is older now, but when he was little, there was inspiration everywhere I looked. I would see a child in a playground, or at my church and the child would inspire the artwork. Sometimes, they'd be doing something that would be incorporated, like carrying around a stuffed monkey, or teddy bear. My sister was an adorable little kid, she is often in some of the images (the little blond haired fairy- the one that looks ornery).
9. My daughter and I look forward to your calendars each year so that we can begin our year right. In fact, for the past few years we have had a habit of buying two of the same mini calendars, one for her and one for me. Mine I keep at work, and she keeps hers in her room. For us, it is a way to stay connected. We tear apart the little calendar pages every day and we save the ones that are our favorites so that we can paste them in our journals later on as inspiration. We often find it exciting to see that we happen to pick the same ones! Your 2009 calendars are ready and we couldn't be any happier! Can you share what the main theme of your illustrations will be for the 2009 calendars?
Thank you, those calendars are my favorites. The design team at Andrews McMeel, Marti Petty, senior editor, Stephanie Farley, art director; Erin Hill, designer and Chuck Harper, production, put the calendars together so beautifully. They incorporate seasonal illustrations. I love the colors and the way they put the calendar together. We try to capture the simple moments, the ones that feel magical.
10. We have also purchased your whimsical inspirational books. My Mother Gave Me the Moon is still one of my favorites! I remember you have one for teachers, and also one for grandmothers. In fact, we have given both of those away to some of Sabrina's teachers and one to her grandmothers. Are there any other books in the horizon?
My Mother Gave Me The Moon is one of my favorites, too. It was beautifully written by Patrick Regan.
This year we have two new books! A new mini mothers book, "My Mother Gave Me... " and a new mini baby book, My Little One. I have enjoyed doing books with Andrews McMeel, they have treated me so well. The people I work with are incredibly talented.
11. Is there something in particular you wish to convey, or share, through your illustrations?
I hope to convey light and hope. I hope they make people feel good, and think of good things. I always ask God to use me. It is amazing to me when someone emails me to tell me how an illustration on a card or book brought people closer, or mended a broken relationship. One email really touched me, from a woman. She had been abused, and she would look at the illustrations to help her cope.
I will never understand the power of God to work through something for His good.
Sometimes I struggle with the fairy thing and Christianity, but I think of fairy art as creative storytelling, and I believe that is good.
12. What does your son think of all of your magical creatures and beautiful characters?
Well. let's just say he is a boy and 16, -not too impressed.
Secretly, I think he thinks it is cool I can work from my home and I do something I enjoy for a living.
13. I often find myself asking this question, only because I always wonder what creative, talented people think about when it comes to the future, but where do you see yourself in the next decade? Any particular plans about what you would like to do or create?
I don't know what is next. I'd love to do children's books. It is exciting to dream think about the future. We are looking for a card company in the UK.
I've been doing a few Children's products and love these!
Fairy Secret Keeper Box
I used to have the future all mapped out with my own plans. Be a successful artist, have a successful business, do my own line of greeting cards, and then do children's books.
But, as I've grown, I've learned that it isn't so much about achieving my dreams- it's more about doing whatever God has purposed you to do. That is when I am happiest. It seems like when I surrender my will and ask for help, things go much better...The things I love to do have been provided. I want my son to be able to enjoy a full and healthy life and I'll do everything I can to give him that opportunity. Until my son became ill I had no idea what caretakers went through daily.
Sometimes, my faith is tested, I can get really depressed and I'm not a pillar of confidence. I've painted illustrations from hospital rooms, while sitting with my son (painted get well book Brighter Day's Are On The Way- from a hospital room, isn't that ironic?) I've painted starry night skies while "on hold" fighting with insurance companies.
I have to ask for help with my "unbelief" to trust that things will be okay. That my son will rise to the challenge in life before him, that he can be well enough to go to school this year.
I ask for help when a good opportunity comes that I'll have the time, strength and inspiration to do the art work with excellence.
When I look back, there were times when Rob was very sick and I was juggling doctors visits and homebound school visits to exhaustion. He would sometimes need to be carried to the doctor’s office.
I was not of the best state of mind to paint lovely pictures. I've cut back on my work.
But I have to find peace, ask for His help and ask God to put me in the palm of His hand. To walk me through each day, one day at a time.
I believe there are seasons to peoples lives, and it is winter here...but spring is right around the corner.
So, I'll put on another log, have a cup of cocoa and enjoy the silvery branches of winter and dream of Spring to come.
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Thank you Becky for sharing these wonderful responses with us. And for all of you who want to have signed art by our featured artist, you can get Becky Kelly's signed prints on Etsyand you can read more about Becky and 50 other artists from Virginia at The Art and Soul of West Virginia.
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