The Girl in the Mirror

The Girl in the Mirror

An historical fantasy by Karley Pillsbury

Last April I met 11-year-old Karley Pillsbury, who came to my house with her dad (Doug) to talk about illustrations they wanted me to create for a book she had just finished writing.  The charming little girl, peering through her tiny spectacles at me across from my drawing board, reminded me of my long-ago self, without the specs, but always with my nose buried in books like the Nancy Drew mysteries.  She and her dad described to me what parts of the story they would like to see illustrated for the full-color cover and for ten black and white interior drawings.

I went to work along with several other specialists to bring this project to fruition.   After nine months of professional editing, some rewrites, book design and layout plus working with a printer, The Girl in the Mirror was published in December 2009 by her dad.  Doug wanted Karley, who spent three months writing her book, to learn about the whole process of what it takes to get a book produced, in your hands and ready to read.  She was amazed at the amount of time required but very happy with the results.  Also, like a true professional, she is already at work on her next book!

As for the illustrations, let's start with the cover (at the top of this post).  The cover shows  the magical confrontation between the title character, Mallory, and a little early American slave girl, Prudence, as they gaze in wonder at one another through a mirror stored in the attic of the family's new plantation home. 

While developing the preliminary sketches for the cover, I was working with photos that Doug had e-mailed to me of Karley's little sister, Brenna, taken as she posed for her dad gesturing toward a mirror.  This helped me capture the pose, but something was wrong.  Karley's mom raised the point that maybe the title character on the cover, Mallory, ought to look like her creator, Karley.  Everyone agreed and I received more photos, mostly of Karley's head and face in various poses.  So Brenna then became the model for the little sister in the story, Taylor, and a portrait of young author Karley appears on the cover of her own book!  I had to do research on the internet to find antique mirrors to use in the composition, and then another seach for early American slave children to accurately portray what Prudence would be wearing as she reaches out to Mallory from inside the mirror.  All in all, everyone was pleased with the results and we carried this theme throughout the book; Karley, Brenna and their mom and dad became models for the characters appearing in the interior illustrations.  A family affair!  Also, a warm fuzzy for the illustrator: Karley told me that the image I created of Prudence was very close to her own idea of how this little slave girl would look.

Without giving away the story, here are a few of the interior illustrations:

Mallory and her little sister explore an old carriage house on their new plantation home grounds.

                          Lifting the key to the treasure off the slave-owner's neck. 

                 Peering into the hole in the wall at the hidden treasure.

Order The Girl in the Mirror  
from the website below:

http://www.thegirlinthemirror.com/

Cost: $10

Please add the word, ARTS, to your order information on the website.

The Evolution of Santa Claus

The Evolution of Santa Claus
In keeping with the Jolly Holidays ...

Coming to chimneys everywhere during the wee hours of December 25th will be none other than Santa Claus, symbol of Christmas to children all over the globe.  He has been doing something like this for centuries now and shows no signs of packing it in just yet.  The jolly old fellow is actually a synthesis of many different cultures, customs, myths and legends that have evolved into the more or less universally accepted image we know and love today. (One of Haddon Sundblom's 1930s Santas for Coca Cola shown above.)

Growing up in the snowy midwest, I treasured the popular image of Santa as a grandfatherly fellow with red and white suit and hat plus a big fluffy beard and huge bouncing belly.  The cheerful and bewitching gent held promise of wonderous things to come on the Big Day!  It never occurred to me then that he had melting pot origins and looked very different over the many years of his evolution.

The idea of a kindly religious man giving gifts and the name "St. Nicholas" originated with a 4th Century Bishop from Myra (modern day Turkey).  Considered a Patron Saint of children and the poor, St. Nicholas was known for his generousity and for giving anonymously.  He remained "hidden" as he doled out goodies just like the latter day Santa.  The Bishop died on December 6th, 345 (approximately) and was remembered as a magical figure who mysteriously distributed gifts to children in their homes every year throughout Europe on this day. Each country developed their own version of the myths and traditions surrounding this winter celebration.

The Dutch name for St. Nicholas was "Sinterklaas", who was also famous for protecting children and giving gifts.  The tradition of children opening gifts from the mysterious saint on December 6th was beautifully captured in the 1663-65 painting, Feast of St. Nicholas, shown here (attributed to Jan Steen).

The modern role and image of Santa Claus first came to light in early 19th century America as Dutch, British and American influences came together to create the image that predominates today.  The artwork that follows shows how the image gradually morphed from saintly man into the popular modern image of an elfin figure in a red and white suit, bringing gifts in a reindeer drawn sleigh to drop down the chimneys of good children.

As follows: two 4th Century depictions of St. Nicholas of Myra;  a Christmas book, The Children's Friend, 1821; Thomas Nast's famous Harper's Weekly cover, 1861; another Nast illustration from the Val Berryman Collection, Nast-Works;  the famous F.O.C. (Felix) Darley cover illustration for Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas, 1862;  St. Nicholas Magazine 1916;  a 1925 N. C. Wyeth illustration;  a 1925 J.C. Leyendecker Saturday Evening Post cover;  another of Haddon Sundblom georgeous 1930s Santas for Coca Cola;  and finally one of many beloved masterpieces by Norman Rockwell, this 1939 Saturday Evening Post cover.

The origins of St. Nicholas/Santa Claus were religious and then he became a popular mythological figure over the centuries, comingled and yet separated from the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  He is sometimes maligned as a commercial symbol detracting from the holy nature of Christmas.  But, think about the feelings people have at this time of year;  their thoughts are about children, goodwill towards their fellow men, sharing, family love, giftgiving, carolling,  and so on.  The same good thoughts and feelings engendered by the Santa Claus Legend are basically the same as those called forth by our celebration of the birth of Christ. 

Merry Christmas!