Monday Meme for Mother Reader

I volunteered to participate in the Interview Meme posted by Mother Reader. Don't ask me why, but I love to answer questions. I would never be a good politician, because I would never know how to NOT give a direct answer. So here goes:

1. What’s your favorite quote?

I have two that come to mind. I have them both on my web site, because they really sum up my life. the first,

“Every artist dips his brush into his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”---Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit, 1887

is because no matter what medium I have worked in, be it paint, puppets, dolls or words, I seem to have the same sensibility. I think that once I realized this, and stopped trying to make myself be something other than what I am, I was a much happier camper. My work is not right for every publisher or every reviewer (although I wouldn't mind that one), but it is mine.

The second:

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be."
-Douglas Adams

is because it's been a bit of a wild journey for 35 years, this art making business. I had fits and surges and stops and a few instant successes and several depressing failures. But I think that it is good to have a journey, because when you do finally have some modest success, you feel like you have earned it.

In addition to the quotes above, I like almost every single quote attributed to Oscar Wilde. I love the way his mind worked.

2. How would you spend $1,500 that you won in a radio contest?

I would put it toward another jukebox. Especially if I won it in a radio contest. I used to start and end my day with AM radio in the 60's, listening to all the pop hits. So I think I would add to the jukeboxes, because it would be a sign for sure if the money came from a DJ or something like that (not that I need a sign, of course). I am coveting Seeburg R from 1954, right now.

3. Where do you like to go to get away from it all?

I like to go up to New Hampshire and swim in Newfound Lake or stare at the mountains. And when I am not doing either of those, I like to get lost in a novel.

4. If you had the complete attention of everyone in the United States, but only for thirty seconds, what would you say?

"Please love and value your children. Hug them, kiss them, read to them, and keep them safe. The most important job you can do (and the hardest, too) is raise your children the best way you can. But keep a bottle of wine handy, to take the edge off now and then. It is the most frustrating and challenging job in the world. And, it can make you worried and angry in ways you never thought you were capable of."

Be good to the animals, too.

Plus, while you are doing all this kid raising and animal care taking: party more. Life really is short, and you need to have fun and laugh a lot to balance the stress."

5. What feels different about putting out a book that you wrote from the books that you’ve illustrated?

Well, I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that I feel more "legitimate" now. I love illustrating very much, even the stories of other people, but I really love feeling the complete ownership of a project. It's an ego thing. And my ego needs boosting as much as the next guy's.

It was wonderful, for the first time, that when I started to dummy up the art for the book, I was able to know exactly how to change the manuscript as the characters and story revealed themselves more. And since it was my story, I could do that all I wanted.

I also love words and it is nice to finally see my own words in print . Even though I know we are not supposed to rhyme, I love rhyme. I love text that is musical. I can't sing to save my life, but I was surrounded by singing and music and verse all the time as a child (I had grandparents who were officers in the Salvation Army at one point), so I love that I could do a book that was rhyming and based on music.

It was great to do a take off on country music, as well-- because the lyrics to country music, like hymns, are always unabashedly corny and full of great chiche's and plays on words. Lyrics to country music and church hymns are very visual, with plenty of fun metaphors. I loved paying homage to that.

So, now that I think about it --- I guess that the best thing about working on a book from both sides is the fact that you can control the subject matter. And that means that you can make sure to write and draw the things that you really can't get enough of. For this book, it was cats and dogs, country music, cowboys and, of course, New York City.

Now I am supposed to come up with my own questions. Oooh. Asking is harder than answering.

But, if you would like to be "interviewed", let me know in the comments section.

Comments

[Vivian]

I loved what you had to say in #4. You got my attention. Thanks for sharing your meme.

[Kelly]

Great answers, Barbara. I especially liked your second quote selection a lot. I'd never read that one and it gives me a lot of solace.

[Barbara Johansen Newman]

Thanks for stopping by, Vivian and Kelly.

Yup. Kids trump all.

And life sure is one hell of a journey.

And sometimes the combination of dealing with those two things can really ...well ...get to ya.

And it seems to me lately that whenever my own journey is on the up side, one of my kids is in a crisis.

I guess that's balance.

Even if it can make us nutty.

Thank God, I can try to "think" it out in my blog.

Here is a link to ne of "those" mornings:
http://johansennewman.typepad.com/cats_and_jammers_studio/kids_and_work/index.html

[MotherReader]

Four times over the past three days I've been here to read and been called away by something before I got a chance to commment. But it seems quiet now...

Thanks for answering the questions. It was fun to learn more about you. I appreciated the insight about being the author and illustrator for your new book. I've always wondered how the illustrator works with the text given when sometimes he or she must think that something else might work better.