A Chat with Author Nina Laden

I think of my books as if they are my children. Each one has a unique personality and they draw from my family and childhood. WHEN PIGASSO MET MOOTISSE, my fourth book, came from growing up in a family of artists in the New York City art world.

My mother was an abstract expressionist painter. A student of Hans Hofmann, she always advised me "not to color inside the lines," and never to erase when I was drawing. "Just turn your mistakes into something else," she'd say.

My wit and love of wordplay was incubated by my father. A sculptor and twice Oscar-nominated special effects makeup artist, my father turns words into Silly Putty.

I visually devoured books, especially art books, as a child. I grew up loving Steinberg, Picasso, Matisse, Magritte, Calder, Edward Lear, James Thurber, and R. Crumb. I was even named for cartoonist Al Hirschfeld's daughter. (My father loved to find the "Ninas" in the New York Times.) My imagination was fed in museums, galleries, bookstores, and on TV and movie sets. I made my own books from the age of 5 on... and I made making books my dream.

WHEN PIGASSO MET MOOTISSE evolved from my love of creating characters and bringing them to life. (I also imagined being an animator when I grew up.) I saw Picasso and Matisse respectively as a pig and a bull. Already quite familiar with their art, I researched their lives and discovered a personal history of rivalry, eventual respect, and friendship. It was the perfect stage for a story.

I wrote many drafts, first in pencil in my sketchbook/journal. Then on my computer the manuscript was polished. I always write first and illustrate after the text is approved. But I continually have pictures in my mind that unfold like a movie. Next, I do pencil sketches, keeping them loose and fun. I illustrated my past three books in pastels. However, I felt that WHEN PIGASSO MET MOOTISSE needed to be painted. So I chose to use gouache, an opaque watercolor. My concept was to use elements of Picasso's and Matisse's styles, yet keep the art more open and inviting to children.

I did this by using bright colors. My art school training at Syracuse University and my mother's love of intense color contribute to my joy in letting the color sing and vibrate. I had so much fun playing with familiar works of Picasso and Matisse, plus throwing in some art jokes—like the Jackson Pollock splatter page, and an homage to Michaelangelo at the end of the book.

Great artists all seem to use, reuse, and recycle older Masters' images. I wanted to do just that with WHEN PIGASSO MET MOOTISSE and I wanted to tell a good story, too.

I can think of no better career than writing and illustrating children's books. No better satisfaction than seeing your creation published, relished, and treasured by children. I hope my vision and expression will feed many hungry imaginations, and nourish my own life journey. Thank you for inviting me into your life!

I am happy to be able to shed a little light on my process here, but I can bring a spectrum of inspiration to children in elementary schools, as I have to many schools in the U.S. and other countries. My school programs run 45 minutes to an hour. (Usually four in one day.) I share my books, including one that I made when I was nine. I also show my journal/sketchbook and book dummies and do a character creation presentation that will have ALL kids drawing. I stress individuality, not perfection.

If you'd like more information or would like me to visit your school, please visit NinaLaden.com or email me at nladen@speakeasy.org.