 |
This month's book artist focus is on Joan Irvine.
Years ago when people asked for a book that kids could use to learn how to make pop-ups, Joan Irvine was the first to answer!
So, let's hear the story in Joan's own words:
|
 |
I was born in Wiarton, Ontario, Canada on June 22, 1951. I presently live near Wiarton, in an old church with my husband Steve. We have two children, Seth and Elly. They have both moved away from home for travelling and university studies. Seth is presently living and working in Japan. Elly is studying art at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. I am presently teaching school full time in Owen Sound.
After doing a lot of research into pop-up books and cards, I became known in my area as a pop-up expert. Schools invited me in to do two-week pop-up workshops funded by the Ontario Arts Council. After doing fourteen projects in schools, I felt that there was a need for a good book on pop-ups. I put together some ideas and sent them to Kids Can Press. They encouraged me to go ahead with a book.
I was very fortunate to have Barbara Reid do the illustrations for the book How to Make Pop-ups. The book seemed to come out at just the right time in 1987 and sold very well. Before long, it was in the United States, Australia, Great Britain and Holland. The book is also currently available in Danish and Japanese.
When How to Make Pop-ups came out, I went back to school and received my degree in Education. I started teaching in an elementary school in Grey County. Although I loved teaching I found that I still wanted to write. Therefore, I started to teach half-time and write half-time.
During the summer of 1988, I had a children's summer club at my home. Most of the projects involved boxes and drama. Out of this experience and further research into boxes, I developed the book called Make it with Boxes. Our entire home inside and out was filled with boxes. My children Seth and Elly took an active part in trying out ideas for the book. My husband Steven was very patient during this period of time, as half of his pottery studio was filled with box projects. Living with the author of craft books can be very messy.
Shortly after writing the box book, I wrote How to Make Super Pop-ups. This book was exciting to create, as I had to think of pop-ups that were more difficult, big or different. Linda Hendry did a superb job illustrating this book and the book Make it with Boxes.
My book writing has led to many travel adventures. In 1991, the book Make it with Boxes won a Federation of Ontario Teachers' Award and I used the money from this award to fund a trip to Japan. There I visited over fifteen schools doing pop-up lessons with Japanese children. Several months later, in February 1992, I was invited to do pop-up workshops in Baffin Island. I flew five hours from Iqaluit to Pond Inlet on Baffin Island and arrived to a minus 45 C degree temperature.
In 1992, I started to research the book How to Make Holiday Pop-up Cards. The research was a tremendous amount of work but it was fascinating! I gathered information about different cultures from the library, families in my area, telephone calls, and trips to Toronto, Ontario. In Toronto, I had many adventures. I knocked on the doors of a Sikh temple, Macedonian Place and the Islamic Society of North America. People were very happy to talk to me and were helpful with ideas for possible pop-ups. The pop-ups in this book range from easy to difficult. The dragon for the Chinese New Year card is the toughest. It is a challenge for those who have made a lot of pop-ups!
In 1995, the book How to Make Holiday Pop-up Cards won a Writers' Award from the Federation of Women Teachers Association in Ontario. In 1997, the same book was shortlisted for the Red Cedar Book Awards in British Columbia, Canada.Since writing that book, I have continued to explore the world of paper and pop-ups.
In 1996, I joined the Moveable Book Society and gave a workshop at their first conference in New Jersey, U.S.A. There, I met other "pop-up people", who were interested in making or collecting pop-up books and cards. In the summer of 1996, I took a train trip in the United States and visited pop-up friends in Boston, Washington, Cairo, N.Y. and Greenville, Virginia. It has been exciting to connect with others who are interested in pop-ups. I am presently in touch with a number of people in the pop-up world. They are Ann Montenaro (head of the Moveable Book Society), Ed Hutchins (book artist), Robert Sabuda (pop-up designer/author of the Christmas Alphabet), David Whittredge (paper animator), Lois Morrison (book artist), Lise Melhorne Boe (book artist), James Sinski (book collector), Leonie Oakes (book artist), Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord (book artist and author), Carol Barton (book artist) and Tom Walker (pop-up artist).
Pop-ups are still a passion. Other current interests are studying the Japanese language, collecting wind-up toys, hiking, reading, fairy-lore and travelling. I was also involved in a large Internet project called Read In! I took part in the Read In for 2000.
Please visit Joan and her wonderful work at www.makergallery.com/joanirvine.
|
|
|
|
|
