The Making of Dreamers: Yuyi Morales’ Photo Essay

h1 August 29th, 2018 by jules

 

Coming to shelves early next month will be a new picture book from Yuyi Morales, called Dreamers (Neal Porter Books). In this splendid picture book — have mercy, it is a beautiful thing — she tells her own immigration story.

I’m not going to say much about the book today, because I will be writing about it soon for BookPage. (When I do so, I will link to that here from 7-Imp.) But today, I’m giving 7-Imp over to Yuyi, who is sharing a photo essay about the making of this book. (This is very similar to what she did here in 2014 for the making of Viva Frida, and that is one of my favorite posts in over a decade of blogging.)

I thank Yuyi for sharing. You can click on each image in this post, especially if you want to see larger versions of some of them.

Enjoy!

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DREAMERS. Text and illustrations copyright © 2018 by Yuyi Morales. Published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, New York. All images and text in this post by © Yuyi Morales.





21 comments to “The Making of Dreamers: Yuyi Morales’ Photo Essay”

  1. absolutely beautiful and perfect and just what we need. thank you!


  2. Every Yuyi book I read I am just gobsmacked. The artwork just collages her interior world in such a beautiful way. I feel like I know her – and I know I don’t, but she shares so much of her life and breath and blood and spirit with her work, and especially on this topic, she is so close to the reader. This is above and beyond isn’t it? So heartfelt and truly spirit-filled, in a non-religious, yet spiritual way.


  3. This book is sooooo amazing, like Yuyi herself. And that BART map! Brings me back to where Yuyi and I met when we would ride back from a class we took in Berkeley to learn about picture books. So happy for that long ride under the bay.


  4. Thank you Yuyi for making this book and sharing the making of this book. Deeply beautiful.


  5. Thank you for sharing your gifts. I love your layers of art, culture, history, family and emotions.


  6. Thank you for sharing your gifts. Thank you for this intimacy – for allowing us to look closely and carefully.


  7. This is so lovely and touching. I teach many of the dreamers in NYC and look forward to showing this to them.


  8. I cannot hold my tears after watching this beautiful process! It really took my breath away to see how deep the story repeats for immigrants, being myself part of this too. I love the fact that this subject is treated with so much compassion, gentleness, and goes back to our roots.
    Thank you Yuyi!!


  9. A wonderful blog post… truly heartfelt and inspiring! This is so timely, just what I needed to see today. Yes we carry our talents and dreams with us. Yuyi thank you for sharing yours with us. C x


  10. Muchas gracias por crear esta joya y compartir tu proceso. De verdad que ha tocado muchas fibras sensibles como migrantes lejos de nuestro amado país. Saludos desde Aotearoa.
    Thank you very much for creating this jewel and your process. It really touched sensitive fibres as migrants, away from our beautiful country. Greetings from Aotearoa.


  11. I have goosebumps right now and my mind feels like I’ve been in your Mexico with all it’s beautiful colors and sounds, and images. You have brought this country much richness, in all those things you mentioned and inspiration for any of us who are privileged to know you. Keep your spirit soothed with all these beautiful things you brought to us. Endless greetings and welcomes to you and Kelly.


  12. Thank you for sharing this. It is powerful, and also empowering. What a gift.


  13. Oh my goodness, I have seen the book but didn’t realize there was a story behind every texture and element. Now I need to go find it again. Magical!


  14. […] Morales visits ‘7-Imp’ with a photo essay on “The Making of Dreamers.” She talks materials, inspirations, and […]


  15. […] is from the blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast where Yuyi Morales creates a photo essay on the making of Dreamers. This is an absolute must-read […]


  16. […] written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales — In August of this year, Yuyi visited 7-Imp to share a photo essay of how she created this […]


  17. […] Throughout “Dreamers” we see digitally collaged mixed media images that Morales has used as an opportunity to both mirror and highlight the personal details she has shared in her narrative. She uses pieces of things from her life and her past to “give the book life”. We see, her comal, traditional Mexican fabrics, plants from her garden, her son’s childhood drawings, the first book she hand made, her childhood drawings, the floor of her studio, and hand embroidery, among many other artifacts. She also used acrylic paints and a nib pen that once belonged to Maurice Sendak. You can find more information about how she made her mixed media illustrations and a virtual map to her collages here. […]


  18. […] this photo essay by Morales on the making of the book, courtesy of the 7-Imps […]


  19. I have been enjoying “Soñadores” so much with my Spanish classes! Each time I read it, I see something new to point out to them. They are as mesmerized by the story and the illustrations as I have been. Thank you for sharing so much of your Hispanic culture in this masterpiece!


  20. […] Download Image More @ blaine.org […]


  21. […] http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=4707 […]


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