{"id":2397,"date":"2012-08-02T16:06:33","date_gmt":"2012-08-02T22:06:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2397"},"modified":"2012-08-02T16:40:27","modified_gmt":"2012-08-02T22:40:27","slug":"seven-questions-over-afternoon-tea-with-ashley-wolff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2397","title":{"rendered":"Seven Questions Over Afternoon Tea with Ashley Wolff"},"content":{"rendered":"

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“Baby Bear sees red.”<\/em>
(Click to enlarge)<\/center><\/p>\n

I have already posted this year (back in March<\/a><\/strong>) about Ashley Wolff’s<\/a><\/strong> beautiful Baby Bear Sees Blue<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, pictured above, which was released in February by Beach Lane Books and is a book you’ll see on several folks’ Caldecott prediction lists already. <\/p>\n

Ashley, pictured left, is visiting today for what was supposed to be a breakfast interview, but I’ve changed it to afternoon tea, given that I’m posting later in the day. Her breakfast-of-choice had<\/em> been tea with milk. (Then, after a daily dog walk on the hill, she has coffee around 10:00 a.m., some plain yogurt, almonds, and Kashi Go Lean, all mashed up together.) But I still say this can be our afternoon snack. All of it. Mmm. I’ll just sip some coffee, while she has her tea. <\/p>\n

Ashley, as you can see below, has illustrated or both written and illustrated many titles in her career—she’s best-known for her illustrations for Joseph Slate’s<\/a><\/strong> Miss Bindergarten<\/a><\/strong><\/em> titles—and she’s worked in a variety of media. Publishers Weekly<\/em> once described her illustrations as “sturdy” and “genially observed.” No matter what medium she’s using, her colorful spreads provide many details for little eyes; much like Baby Bear’s world in her latest title, there is much to explore and see in her artwork. <\/p>\n

And, speaking of artwork, since she shares quite a bit of it below, let’s get right to it. I thank her for visiting today. <\/p>\n

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Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Are you an illustrator or author\/illustrator?<\/font><\/p>\n

Ashley<\/font><\/strong>: Illustrator\/Author, in order of preference. <\/p>\n

\"Photo
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Ashley: “I walked 200 miles in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya to raise money for the Makindu Children\u2019s Center<\/a><\/strong>, a care center for children orphaned by AIDS. We stopped at a marketplace in a small village, and I asked this elder in the orange cloak if I could draw his portrait. Negotiations were completed, and some cash changed hands. I provided entertainment for a great many for about 45 minutes, while I drew!
I was working in colored pencil.”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Can you list your books-to-date?<\/font><\/p>\n

Ashley<\/font><\/strong>: <\/p>\n

Books written and illustrated: <\/p>\n