Maine Lit Fest - Day 9
Famed Maine illustrators, including Chris Van Dusen (Big Truck, Little Island and If I Built a House) and Scott Nash (I’m Afraid Your Teddy is in Trouble Today and Sunken Treasures), will test their drawing skills, answer questions about their process of creating, and take drawing challenges from the audience. More information is forthcoming.
This event is free.
Books will be sold by Longfellow Books.
Chris Van Dusen worked for more than ten years as a freelance illustrator specializing in art for kids, doing mostly editorial work with illustrations appearing in magazines like Nickelodeon, Family Fun and Disney Adventures. One day, he started thinking about drawing a picture of a boat stuck high up in a tree, thinking that it would be a really funny and intriguing illustration. At the same time, a refrain kept running through his head- “Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee/ Hopped in the car and drove down to the sea”. The combination of these two things eventually became his first book, Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, which was published in 2000. He’s been busy writing and illustrating children’s books ever since.
Scott Nash is an author, illustrator, and instigator. He illustrated the Flat Stanley books written by Jeff Brown, and designed the logos for Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., and Comedy Central. He wrote and illustrated The High Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate as well as Tuff Fluff: The Case of Duckie’s Missing Brain. Ten years ago he founded the illustration program at Maine College of Art. The program is now the largest department in the school. Nash attends many workshops and schools to teach students how to realize the value of creativity in their lives. “All too often children abandon drawing and painting because they believe they are ‘no good’ at art, as if creating only exists in the realm of those we define as artists,” says Nash. “I teach kids that creativity is open to everyone and hope to inspire them to write and draw throughout their lives.” Nash also runs NASHBOX, a graphic design and illustration company, with his wife, Nancy. Nash moved from Boston to Maine years ago to focus on making things daily, specifically to focus on his art, design, and children’s books.