Made by Hand
WORLD OF WHIMSY
Ben Clanton and his goldendoodle, Gigi, on Crane Beach, Ipswich, Massachusetts. Photo by Kelsey Clanton.
20
SPRING 2015
When Ben Clanton ’10 was a kid, he wished he could fly, grow antlers and own a three-headed dog. Since none of that seemed possible in the real world ordinaire, Clanton translated his childhood fantasies into whimsical art and enchanting stories. Clanton shares his quirky, friendly illustrations in his new picture book, “Something Extraordinary,” slated for publication by Simon & Schuster this summer. Although he usually works in ink and watercolor, these illustrations were created with pencil, watercolor and various paper textures. “It’s pretty much all of the things I wish could happen or would happen, but can’t or won’t,” he says. “It’s also about finding the extraordinary in the everyday world.”