Nina Martinez, Wordless Book Prize Winner (2 of 2)

Here is part 2 of the interview of Nina Martinez, 2019 Wordless Book Prize winnwr. 

4. What moved and inspired you to create it? Why in the format of a wordless book?

I was inspired by the breadth of the imagination of children, whether it’s other children’s imaginations or my memory of my own. When we’re young and don’t know what something is like, we come up with the most fantastical concepts to fill in the gaps, just because we prefer excitement over logic. I wanted to imagine a young girl who, like me, was born and raised in the city, and had created whimsical versions of the sea and sky in order to understand them.

I found the format of a wordless book perfect for this concept because children don’t always have the extensive vocabulary to describe what they visualize in their heads – luckily, illustration can shoulder this responsibility every once in a while.

5. What projects, art exhibits or books you wish to promote?

I love writing and illustrating original komiks – you can check them out on my online portfolio at ninamartinezart.com. I always sell them at press fairs like Komikon, Komiket, and everything in between. Come by and support local artists!