Illustrator and woman of wonder, Beth Parrocha lent me her time for this blog feature. I have heard her talk on several occasions but in this interview, Ms. Parrocha speaks from a well spring of love and dedication for her chosen craft. Read her insights on the book industry, especially on the illustrator and publisher relationship, her creative process and the benefits of curiosity and play for the growth and the development of the artist.
1. In your years as children’s book illustrator, name three things that have changed PH Children’s Literature and three things that have remained the same since you started out. These changes and constants may vary from the stories you worked on, the community that supports you as an artist, the publisher-illustrator partnership and opportunities beyond the archipelago.
3 things that have changed:
There are more children’s book illustrators now.
More picture book stories that are relevant to what is happening with children in the Philippines.
International publishers are recognizing Filipino illustrators a lot more.
3 things that have remained the same:
There are still some publishers that are unaware that to nourish their place in children’s book publishing, they will have to nourish the people that are a part of the industry like the writers and the illustrators.
IPR and copyright laws still need to be established in people’s minds.
I still illustrate for children’s picture books ☺
2. You have an amazing and wonderful body of work. I find them playful and whimsical. Quiet, cozy and comforting too. What keeps you going?
What keeps me going is that I’m curious. I’m curious as to how the main character would look like. How the visual elements would conspire to make the story come alive to the reader. Whenever a publisher gives me a story to illustrate and would tell me of their excitement to see the illustrations. I always reply, “I’m excited too!” For me, I don’t really know what would come out until the book has been printed.
More than anything else, I am a storyteller; the picture book is where I am free to express my narrative.
It’s not an easy process, but worth it. To undergo with each new story the process of exploration and the thrill of seeing everything connect together at the end. Illustrating a book is an adventure; I will not deprive myself of that.
I love it when publishers give me stories, it’s like they are kids themselves and they are asking me to play.
3. What is your take on awards and recognition as an artist?
When people especially your fellow artists acknowledges your work, express your gratitude but don’t let the trophy or the recognition define you. There are a lot of other artists that are better than you. It’s just that at this moment, you are the one that is being recognized. That thinking will keep you grounded, or else that trophy can destroy you, by making you complacent. So you wonder why you’ve reached a plateau with your art? That is the reason why.
The sense of wonder and enjoyment that you will feel, whenever you create something that you can actually see and touch out of an idea, that feeling, that is what you should work on. Only you can give that to yourself.
4. How does play factor in your work and in the life of an artist, in general?
A circle is just a circle until the artist decides that it be something else, stretches it, twists it on one end, and calls it a fish. That decision is the spirit of play.
A line is just a line until the artist grapples with it, chases it around with a pen, a pencil, brush or even a mouse and it becomes anything that the artist wants it to be. That is play.
A story becomes interesting when you have toyed with it enough to see through the tiniest of ant holes just so you can look at it from a different perspective.
Play is important to the artist or else everything about his work would look static.
5. Kindly give your 5 recommended activities for artists and children’s book illustrators.
There are lots of things that you can do to make yourself a better artist and illustrator that you will have to discover for yourself. I cannot limit your experience based on what I know. But perhaps I can help you with how you can conduct yourself while you are having those experiences.
Be curious.
Suspend judgment. Do not conclude in the beginning what may or may not happen at the end.
Hold your emotions in check. You might miss something important by indulging in your emotions.
Clear your mind of clutter so that the experience flows in to you unhampered.
Be firm in the belief that you will be learning something.
Ms. Parrocha will be conducting the ILLUSTRATORS AT PLAY II* A Hands-on Workshop on Making Picture Book Art with Beth Parrocha. April 27 (Saturday) | 1:30 to 4:30 PM Glass Space, Ayala Museum
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