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Children's book Illustrator Lena Shiffman
I was born and raised in Sweden, a country rich in
story-telling. I grew up reading the wonderful books about Pippi Longstocking,
The Children of Noisy Village and many other books by the Swedish author Astrid
Lindgren. I cannot remember when I didn't draw or paint. When I was seven, I
was given a book of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, and would spend
hours creating my own pictures to the stories I read. I have now been
illustrating children's books for over 20 years. My first book was Keeping a
Christmas Secret written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It received a Christopher
award in 1989.Since then I have
been fortunate illustrate many magazines and books, such as My First Book of
Words, and numerous Hello Readers for Scholastic Inc., including the book
Dancing with Manatees, that has sold over half a million copies in countries
all over the world, even as far away as China. Other books include When I lived
with Bats and Playing with Dolphins, both written by Faith McNulty. My most
recent book is Playdates & Other Tales by Helen H. Kimbrough, 2009.
I attended Spectrum Institute of Commercial Art in NJ, and
later studied at The Parsons School of Design and the Art Students League in
New York City. I am a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and
Illustrators (SCBWI) and a council member of Rutgers University Council on
Children's Literature (RUCCL). I have been an Art instructor for over 15 years
and currently teach for Hunterdon Museum of Art in Clinton, the Somerset Art
Association in Bedminster, the Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick and for the
Hunterdon Park and Recreation in Flemington. I am equally comfortable teaching
both adults and children.
I live in Flemington, New Jersey, with my husband, daughter
and many pets, including my two cats, a very large guinea pig and a loud bird.
When I'm not illustrating or teaching art, I enjoy visiting schools to share my
passion for children's books. I love being an illustrator and hope to be an inspiration
to children, young and old who love picture books as much as I do.
Exhibits:
The Art of Children's books; Illustrators of Hunterdon
County, Hunterdon museum of art 2001
Children's book art at River view Gallery, Lambertville, NJ
1993 and 1994
Society of Illustrators, traveling show of women
illustrators of the 20th century, 1991, permanent collection
Once Upon a Time..., Hunterdon Museum of Art 1990
Mural paintings:
Hillside Elementary School in Bridgewater NJ, 2008
Long Hill Township Library, NJ 2007
School visit information:
$800/full day presentation, I will do up to 4 presentations
a day/45 minutes to an hour long.Prefer smaller groups (70 or less).
Presentations will vary according to the age level of the
children, but will include:
A power point presentation, showing my back ground and why I
became a children's book illustrator.
The process of being an illustrator and all the steps I go
through when working on a book, from first receiving the manuscript to the
published book.
Hands on sketching, brainstorming for character and design.
The audience will be shown original sketches and tools used
when creating the art for a book.
There will be plenty of time for question and answers and if
time allows I will read one of my books.
Illustrator Workshop:
$800 for a full day workshop, I will do up to 4 workshops a
day, 45 to 60 minutes each. Price for extended workshops is negotiable.
(Workshops could last anywhere from a full day to a few weeks). No more than 35
students per workshop.
This is a great introduction for hands on book projects the
class might be doing with their teacher. The students will learn how to
illustrate their own books, from the printed text to the finished art.
The
students will learn about manuscripts and storyboards.
They
will make a book dummy and one piece of finished art.
For
a shorter workshop the students would work on a one page design, such as a
cover or one interior or magazine illustration.
Students
will learn that being an illustrator is being part of a publishing team, and
the importance of being flexible and a team player.
Students
will learn the importance of deadlines and to plan ahead to finish their
project.
Drawing and Painting workshops are also available for both
adults and children. Contact me at lenashiffman@embarqmail.com or 908-782-6954
for cost and more information.
Material needed from the school:
I
require a laptop with USB port and a digital projector, screen and a
microphone.
A
long table for my books and material.
Easel
Extra expenses:
Travel and hotel expenses if traveling further than 2 hours
from my home state, New Jersey.
Published Books:
Playdates and Other Tales-AK Classics 2009
Ocean waves and Other Tales-AK classics 2007
Groundhog- The Kids at our house, 2006
Coralito's Bay- Monterey Bay Sanctuary 2004
Second chance for Tina-Scholastic, 2001
Swimming with Dolphins-Scholastic, 1999
Living with Bats-Scholastic, 1998
Listening to Whales Sing-Scholastic, 1996
Our Garden in the Yard, Scholastic 1995
First Grade King, Clarion 1994
Dancing with Manatees, Scholastic 1994
Arielle's Hannukah Surprise, Scholastic 1992
First Book of Words, Scholastic 1992
First book of Questions, Scholastic 1991
Keeping a Christmas Secret, Atheneum 1989
Boy toy, Lollipop Power Books 1988
Magazine Illustrations:
Baby Blue, Ladybug magazine August 2007
What is so Dandy about the Dandelion? Ladybug magazine June
2006
Robbie Forrest and the Wagon from Little Oklawaha, Ladybug
Magazine April 2004
A Dragonfly Nymph Grows up, Ladybug Magazine August 2002
