那天看完書後,一直興起,就想為什麼要自己猜測,不如直接問作者,於是發了一篇e-amil給 Steve Jenkins,如下:
Dear Mr. Jenkins,
My picture-book sharing circle started with your books this morning.
The topic was brought up because our book club talked about David Wisniewsky last week.
We are a group of picture book lovers and readers, gather some college teachers, moms, English tutors, and book shop owner at the SilexBooks <http://www.silexbooks.com.tw/
I have few questions:
* Do you make certain kind of the paper by yourself? The wings of
dragonfly confused us.(Prehistoric Actual Size)
* How do you find your material (I mean paper)?
* Do you use X-acto knifes?
There's a paper culture museum <http://www.suhopaper.org.tw/
Last, your books are amazing. Do you keep all the original manuscripts? Is there any exhibition?
Best regards,
Charlene Lai
幾天之後(5/20)收到他的回信,太棒啦!
Hi Charlene,
I'm glad you're sharing the books -- thanks!
Here are a few answers:
Those dragonfly wings are actually maple tree seeds. I'm not sure if those trees grow where you are. I don't usually use things that aren't paper, but in the US every kid is familiar with maple tree seeds -- they call them 'helicopter seeds', because if they are dropped from a height they spin around as they fall. It's sort of a visual joke...
I use mostly handmade papers, many of which come from Asia. I do make a few paste papers - basically painting the surface of the paper.
Most of my paper comes from a single art store in New York City. They have a big handmade paper section, and I travel there twice a year or so to shop for paper (New York Central).
I do use X-acto knives. The only time I don't is when I want a rough edge, and tear the paper. It takes several hundred knife blades to illustrate a book, because the blade's points snap off and I have to replace them so they cut cleanly.
If you know of a good art supply store that sells paper (on the internet) in Taipei, let me know, and I'll check them out. I'd love to see the pictures of the museum store.
I keep most of the original art. Perhaps someday there will be an big exhibit... There is an exhibit that includes some of my work in Korea right now -- that's the only one I know of.
Thanks for writing,
Steve Jenkins
他回答了那隻蜻蜓的翅膀是楓葉樹種籽,果然,如大家所料,是紙之外的材質。其他的等我到樹火紙博物館回來再整理。
5.21.2009
Steve Jenkins, more
Labels: letter to authors, Steve Jenkins
5.18.2009
Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
這也是一位用剪紙做圖的童書創作者,Nancy Elizabeth Wallace 的書,著重在知性的如回收、蜂蜜採成、蘋果豐收、節日、藝術作品的賞析;其他在網站看到的還有蝴蝶、種子、拼布,共有20本,還有DVD,每一本都有特殊主題。
Labels: collages, Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
5.16.2009
5.12.2009
Steve Jenkins
1995-2000的作品,
2000以後-
他的特別在用collage做non-fiction,而且是很"強"的知識類書籍,從太陽系、昆蟲、恐龍、鳥、到靈長類。我們猜想他是不是有特殊紙來源,因為使用的紙張種類越來越多種,有些甚至有昆蟲的翅膀紋路、深淺如蜥蜴的身體、諸多情形,不可思議。這是5/13/09 sharing circle的主題作家。
Labels: collages, Robin Page, Steve Jenkins
The Heroine of the Titanic, by Joan W. Blos, illustrated by Tennessee Dixon

5-12-2009新聞: Kate Winslet & Leonardo DeCaprio 幫助Tatanic 最後一位生還者的安養院費用。
這位目前97歲的Millvina Dean女士當年沈船時只有9周大,她的父親為了救得妻女,與船上其他1500多人一起遇難。她想要用她僅剩與鐵達尼號有關的新聞、相片、簽名等等東西拍賣籌款付安養院的費用。
Labels: 1991, Joan W. Blos, Tennessee Dixon, Titanic
5.11.2009
DUCK!RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Resonthal & illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
The New York Times書評才剛出來,Amy是很有趣的女孩,可以寫書、寫曲、拍短片、做活動…相信她一定還有很多很多點子要繼續發生。
她先舉例了生活中所做的17件事,拍成短片,放到youtube上,並邀請看到的人參加她在2008年8月8日晚上8點08分芝加哥千禧公園雕塑前的聚會,當時她會拿一把黃色與大家相認,與大家一起做第18件事,當天現場來了比估計多了10倍以上的人,不一定認識,但是大家都確想要有個不同的晚上。
今年到目前,已經發行出版了4本書了,2007的The OK Book,一定還記得吧?就是她的作品,驚豓吧?那年,她並將另一本給大人看的書The Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life,放到各個地方,主演了一場Lost and Found。林林總總,她還有為媽媽寫的、為幼兒寫的。
覺得這兩本書有點神似嗎?Tom Lichtenheld在版權頁上特別感謝My Friend Rabbit的作、繪者Eric Rohmann在"Duck!Rabbit!"製作過程中的指導與協助。
Tom Lichtenheld也是一位多面型的藝術家,拍廣告片、畫圖、童書。
Labels: 2009, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Eric Rohmann, Tom Lichtenheld
5.04.2009
Eleanor Roosevelt
二次世界大戰經過半世紀之後,美國人懷念的竟然是總統夫人而不是總統先生。
著名傳記作家Russell Freedman、後起之秀Candace Fleming,新銳Coreen Rappaport相繼為Eleanor做傳,閱讀她的傳記同時也慶幸現代世人有這樣的人物為典範。
