I don't remember a time in my life before I wanted to be an artist. Most of my happiest childhood memories involve a pad of paper and something to draw with (a fresh box of crayons still makes me a little weak in the knees). As soon as I learned that the person who made the pictures in a picture book was called an "illustrator", I knew that's what I wanted to be when I grew up.
Although I studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Colorado State University and received a BFA in 1981 with the intention of illustrating picture books, the first book didn't come out until 1993. (The intervening years were busy ones - starting with the Peace Corps, falling in love, getting married, moving to four different states, working many jobs...). I didn't get back to the childhood dream of book-making until my husband, Brad, finished grad school and we moved to South Berwick, Maine. We started a family at about the same time that I started my career in books. I think of those early years as the lactation/illustration years, and frankly, though the memories have a lovely glow, it's all a little fuzzy. That was over twenty years ago and we now have two wonderful (grown-up) kids (daughter, Jo and son, Freeman) and I've written and illustrated eight books and illustrated one for another author.
A few other things about me :
When I finally got down to creating picture books and realized I had no idea about how to turn this activity into a career, my husband gave me the tuition for Bruce McMillen's class on "How to Write, Illustrate and Publish Picture Books" for my birthday. Bruce looked at a book dummy I brought to the last class and said he thought he knew someone at Scholastic who might publish it - that someone, Dianne Hess, did! The book was Mama Zooms and that's how I got my start! Thank you Brad, Bruce and Dianne! But most of all, thanks to Paula, my sister, who trusted me to share her story.
Brad and I met in the Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa, and we often discussed which, of all the profound lessons we learned in Benin, we would most like to share with people here in the States. It Takes a Village was the result. I wanted him to be listed as co-author, and though he declined, I like to mention his substantial contribution to that book every chance I get. Also - fun fact - I finished the book's illustrations and was wrapping them up to mail off when I went into labor with our daughter. She was considerate enough to come a full ten days past her due date so I could make my deadline!