My daughter, Maggie, would sometimes model as Laura for the Little House books.
My two children were the primary models in My Favorite Things and my sister modeled as the mother in the book. It was so much fun to work with other illustrators!ĭuring this time, I illustrated many of the books in the program and others for HarperCollins, including The Nutcracker and My Favorite Things. She cut friskets, airbrushed, sketched, cut boards and did many other duties. Cathy Holly was instrumental in helping me at my Milwaukee studio. Jody Wheeler worked primarily on the Farmer Boy picture books. Doris worked extensively on picture books, chapter books, board books, covers and other items. I worked with illustrators Doris Ettlinger, Jody Wheeler and Cathy Holly to create a cohesive look for the program. I went to New York for meetings every four months to brainstorm and discuss the particulars of the program. I became a creative consultant/director for the next five years, art directing another 35 books. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of such an amazing creative team.Īpproximately one year later, after we had illustrated a couple of the picture books, HarperCollins approached us about expanding the program to include paper dolls, board books, baby books, chapter books and other items. I lived in Milwaukee at the time and flew to New York to meet with the editors, art directors, and my agent to discuss the vision and details of the program. All of this was very exciting, as you can imagine!
After these were approved, I was offered a contract for eight picture books based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writings. It was, and two double-page spreads were requested. I was asked to do a sample piece to see if it was the right fit. My illustration agent, Merial Cornell, was showing art portfolios to the HarperCollins creative director at the time when he noticed my work. They began a search for an illustrator who had a similar style to that of the beloved illustrator, Garth Williams. In the early 1990s, HarperCollins Publishers launched the My First Little House Books program to introduce toddlers and young children to the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
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