Blank Canvas, Fern Dodd by Woodbury University

Hayao Miyazaki A sit down Q&A with the one and only head of Studio Ghibli himself

The Illustrations That Made Us An in-depth look on the artists that drew your childhood

Selling Childhood

Nostalgia, reboots, reruns, and the cycle of art-for-profit

blank canvas Presents...

Table of Contents

Fostering Creativity Facts on paper

page 4

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The Illustrations That Made Us History on classics

page 6

Hayao Miyazaki Interview on animation

page 14

Selling Childhood

Thoughts on nostalgia

page 20

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Letter to the Editor

Dear

esteemed

Welcome to a special and heartwarming edition of Blank Canvas. In this issue, we embark on a delightful journey through the enchanting world of children’s illustration. Prepare to be captivated by the charm, innocence, and boundless imagination that this genre brings to life. For many of us, the love of art began in childhood, where the pages of storybooks transported us to magical realms and opened doors to infinite possibilities. In this issue, we pay homage to the talented illustrators who, through their brushes and pencils, continue to ignite the imaginations of the young and the young at heart. Blank Canvas believes that children’s illustration is an art form that should be celebrated for its power to foster a love of reading and learning from an early age. In a world of screens and gadgets, these artists remind us of the simple joy that a beautifully illustrated book can bring. We hope that as you flip through the pages of this issue, you will rediscover the magic that lies within children’s illustration. It is a world where the fantastic and the ordinary coexist, and where imagination knows no bounds. Thank you for joining us on this enchanting voyage through the world of children’s illustration. We are excited to share these heartwarming stories and imaginative visuals with you, and we hope that they bring a smile to your face and rekindle the childlike wonder within us all. Happy reading, and may the illustrations within these pages touch your heart and inspire you to share the magic of art with the young dreamers in your life. With immense delight,

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Reader,

By the Numbers

Fo s t e r i n g Creat i vi t y Approx. of children have some level of creative encouragement from parents or teachers.

Roughly of adults have pursued a career in the arts or a creative field.

Children with parents who actively support their creative interests are as likely to become artists.

of elementary school,

The amount of regret is

middle school, and

of high school students actively participate in the arts. the arts and cultural sector contributed billion to the U.S. economy in 2019

of business leaders believe creativity is a key driver of success in the modern workplace, highlighting the importance of nurturing creativity in childhood.

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Feature

The Illustrations That Made Us by Sarah Gottesman

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Young artists get inspiration from the books they read. But how did those artists get their start?

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Ernest Howard Shepard After serving as an officer in World War I, British artist and illustrator Shepard worked as a political cartoonist for Punch Magazine, where he met Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne. Though Milne originally considered Shepard to be “a perfectly hopeless artist,” he decided to give him a shot at illustrating his books.

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To his surprise, their first collaboration, the poetry book When We Were Very Young (1924), completely sold out on its publishing day. So Milne sent Shepard to his hometown of Sussex to draw his literary inspirations, including his son Christopher Robin and his many stuffed animals. Shepard also studied the area’s rivers, bridges, and pine trees, setting the scene for the honey-filled adventures of Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, and the “Best Bear in All the World.”

The governess in the Madeline books, Miss Clavel, is actually named after Bemelmans’s governess, whom he called Gazelle because he could not pronounce “Mademoiselle.” When Bemelmans was around Madeline’s age, his father and the governess had an affair, and they ran off together when the governess became pregnant. When his father left the governess, she committed suicide, devastating the young Bemelmans. He and his mother moved to Germany to live with relatives, and he grew difficult and rebellious—so much so that he may even have shot a waiter at one of his uncle’s hotels. Avoiding jail, Bemelmans immigrated to New York, cleaned up his act, and began writing his iconic series of children’s books.

As a child, I dreamed of running with the Wild Things. I wanted to explore the planets with the Little Prince, and stand out from the crowd like Madeline. Chances are you did, too. Childhood characters like Winnie the Pooh and the Hungry Caterpillar have become household names. The artists who brought these characters to life in illustrations, however, are lesser-known. What follows are the under-told stories of five children’s book illustrators, whose dramas, breakthroughs, and love affairs turned into your favorite bedtime adventures. (Sorry, Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak, you’re sitting this one out.)

“For me, Madeline is therapy in the dark hours,” Bemelmans once wrote in a letter to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who had hoped to collaborate with him on a book set in Washington, D.C. In 2016, Bemelmans’s grandson, John Bemelmans Marciano, fulfilled this decades-old dream, publishing Madeline at the White House in his grandfather’s signature sketchy style.

Ludwig Bemelmans

“I sketch with facility and speed,” wrote Bemelmans, author and illustrator of Madeline (1939–99). “The drawing has to sit on the paper as if you smacked a spoon of whipped cream on a plate.” Indeed, Bemelmans’s loose, impressionistic style perfectly fit his subject matter: the free-spirited, redheaded schoolgirl named Madeline. While her peers walked in two straight lines through the streets of Paris, Madeline—who was named after Bemelmans’s wife Madeleine—always stood apart. In one book, she went to the hospital to have her appendix removed. In another, she fell off a bridge only to be rescued by a stray dog. While charmingly rendered in bright yellows, reds, and blues, these classic tales hold darker meanings, reflecting the author’s troubled childhood.

“ For me, Madeline is therapy in the dark” hours,” -L. Bemelmens

Left: collage of Madeline artwork by Ludwig Behelmens Bottom Center: water color sketch from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh by Ernest Howard Shepherd

In 2015, nearly a century later, historians discovered a forgotten trunk belonging to Shepard. It was filled with hundreds of sketches from his time as a soldier. The drawings captured Shepard’s day-to-day life in the trenches and depicted some of the bloodiest battles on the Western Front, often portrayed with a biting sense of humor. The most poignant discovery was a drawing of the French town of Albert, in which Shepard marked the location of the gravesite of his brother who had died in the war.

The most poignant discovery was a drawing of the French town of Albert, in which Shepard marked the location of the gravesite of his brother who had died in the war. Late in his life, Shepard regretted that his artistic reputation was dominated by stories of Winnie the Pooh. It may have brought him some comfort to know that, with the retrieval of this cache of wartime drawings, the illustrator’s legacy would take on another dimension.

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Beatrix Potter

Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Growing up in an upper-class Victorian family in Britain, Potter had a restricted childhood, and rarely spent time with her mother and father. Instead, she turned to her pets for companionship, sketching them often. Her two rabbits, Peter Piper and Benjamin Bouncer, were her favorite models—and, as it turns out, a lifelong source of inspiration.

Amusing children and baffling their parents, The Little Prince (1943) is a strange, philosophical tale about a pilot who crashes in the desert and meets—you guessed it—a little prince.

As an adult, too, Potter was a keen observer of nature, and studied botanical illustration at the Royal Botanical Gardens, though her scientific accomplishments were often ignored due to her gender. Despite those obstacles, she was the first woman to have a scientific paper presented at the Linnean Society of London in 1897. While studying, Potter began sending illustrated letters to her former governess’s children—and, in one of these notes, the character of Peter Rabbit was born. Potter asked that this letter be returned to her, and it became the origins for The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which she wrote in 1901. The children’s book was initially rejected by seven publishers, so Potter decided to print 250 copies of the book herself. The venture was an instant and lasting success. She developed a whole universe of animal characters that radiated out from Peter Rabbit, and as early as 1903, she turned the series into an international brand, merchandising Peter with dolls, tea sets, and slippers. A true entrepreneur, Potter was the first to obtain a licensed patent for a literary character.

“ There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you” -B. Potter 10 | blank canvas

Surprisingly, the book’s fantastical plot doesn’t stray far from the author’s own experiences. Saint-Exupéry was a commercial pilot who crashed in the Libyan desert in 1935 after an attempt to break the speed record. Saint-Exupéry and his mechanic were lost in the sand dunes for several days, and almost died of dehydration before being found by local Bedouins. Though Saint-Exupéry had written novels inspired by the crash, The Little Prince was his first and only children’s book. His simple watercolor sketches captured the story’s innocence, while leaving plenty of white space to be filled with the reader’s imagination. Eschewing anatomical accuracy, Saint-Exupéry modeled many of his characters after the dogs in his life: his friend’s poodle turned into the sheep, and his own pet boxer provided the basis for the tiger. In 1943, Saint-Exupéry gave his manuscript for The Little Prince to his friend Silvia Hamilton in a brown paper bag, before departing for Algiers to serve as a military pilot. The book was published that year, but Saint-Exupéry tragically died shortly after, on a mission in 1944 at age 44. Eerily, in his book, the Little Prince watches the sun set exactly 44 times. The story would go on to capture the imaginations of children all around the world.

Eric Carle Though born in Syracuse, New York, Carle moved to his father’s native Stuttgart when he was 6 years old, and spent his formative years in Nazi Germany. Under the Third Reich, the only acceptable art was realistic and didactic, removed from the so-called “degenerate” trends of abstraction and Modernism. But, in an act of resistance, Carle’s high school art teacher invited the young creative to his home to show him illegal reproductions of Cubist, Surrealist, and Impressionist art. (In an homage to this pivotal experience, Carle later wrote the picture book The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse (2011) about the German Expressionist Franz Marc and the progressive power of art.) Eager to return to the United States, Carle began working as a graphic designer for the New York Times in 1952, before being drafted into the army during the Korean War. About a decade later, Carle’s career took a turn. He designed a poster of a red lobster, an advertisement for a pharmaceutical company, Top Right: Beatrix Potter figurines from Goliath Toys Bottom Right: Illustration from The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse by Eric Carle

which caught the attention of children’s author Bill Martin Jr. The writer commissioned him to illustrate Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1967), and the rest is history. From then on, Carle wrote and illustrated his own bedtime tales, including 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo (1968) and the fan-favorite The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969).

Product Review

Five New Arrivals Coming Out This Year

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At The Bakeshop by Eric Carle coming November 11th

Trying sweet treats is a piece of cake for The Very Hungry Caterpillar! This delightful book introduces young readers to the delicious delicacies of the bakeshop, featuring three-dimensional board pieces in the shape of different desserts that look good enough to grab.

A Little Ferry Tale by Chad Otis coming August 2nd

In the spirit of The Little Engine That Could, this sweet picture book introduces Little Ferry, who yearns to be more like the faster or stronger boats in the harbor only to find out her uniqueness can be her strength.

Straw by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Straw has always had a great thirst for being first, slurping things up fast and rushing ahead. But when his speedy streak gets the best of him, it takes a friend to show him how to drink in the amazing world around him.

Witch & Wombat by Ashley Belote coming July 7th

Vlad the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z. Drago

Wilma the witch wants her first kitten, but she comes home with a wombat instead! She decides to dress up her wombat with kitten accessories and see if anyone notices a difference. This is a fun pick for a Halloween library!

coming September 12th

With signature flair, Flavia Z. Drago offers a story about being yourself and finding your community, strikingly illustrated in a distinctive, detailed art style influenced by her Mexican heritage.

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Q&A

Hayao

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Miyazaki Blank Canvas recently had the opportunity to sit down with none other than Hayao Miyazaki, famed director, animator, and the face of Japanese film production Studio Ghibli. Here is what we found out from him:

Interviewer: Mr. Miyazaki, your films, such as “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away,” have captured the hearts of people around the world. What inspires you to create such magical and imaginative stories?

Interviewer: The Studio Ghibli films are known for their hand-drawn animation. In an increasingly digital world, what keeps you committed to this traditional animation style? Hayao Miyazaki: Hand-drawn animation

from observing the world around me. Nature, human interactions, and everyday life are all rich sources of inspiration. I believe that the key to creating unique and magical stories lies in paying attention to the smallest details and finding wonder in the ordinary.

is a labor of love. It allows for a tangible connection between the artist and the artwork, capturing the essence of a human touch. While I understand the convenience of digital tools, I believe that the process of drawing and creating by hand preserves a unique and irreplaceable form of artistic expression.

Interviewer: Your films often feature strong, independent female protagonists. What drives you to depict such empowering female characters in your work?

Interviewer: Many of your films address important environmental and social themes. Can you tell us about your approach to incorporating these messages into your work?

Hayao Miyazaki: I’ve always believed in the

Hayao Miyazaki: I’ve always been passionate about environmental and social issues. In my films, these themes naturally find their place as I strive to reflect my concerns about the world. However, my intention is not to lecture or impose my beliefs on the audience. Instead, I hope to provoke thought and inspire conversations about these important topics.

Hayao Miyazaki: My inspiration comes

importance of strong, well-rounded characters in storytelling. I find that creating female protagonists with depth and determination is essential in promoting gender equality and encouraging young girls to see themselves as capable of anything. It’s a reflection of my hope for a more inclusive world.

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Interviewer: Many of your films, such as “Princess Mononoke” and “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,” explore complex moral and ethical themes. How do you approach weaving these messages into your narratives without coming across as didactic? Hayao Miyazaki: It’s important to me that the themes in my films are integral to the story and characters rather than being imposed. I don’t want to preach or dictate a moral lesson. Instead, I aim to create rich, multi-dimensional characters and scenarios that naturally lead to thought-provoking questions. By exploring the complexities of human nature and society, I believe we can inspire viewers to engage with these themes on a personal level.

Interviewer: Studio Ghibli’s films have a dedicated international following. What do you think makes your work so universally appealing?

Interviewer: Can you share any details about your upcoming projects or your vision for the future of Studio Ghibli? Hayao Miyazaki: I’m currently working on a new film. It’s a story that reflects my concerns about the world today and the need for understanding and compassion. As for the future of Studio Ghibli, I hope that the studio continues to produce heartfelt and meaningful stories. I want to see the studio thrive, with young artists carrying the torch and continuing to explore the boundless possibilities of animation.

Interviewer: Thank you, Mr. Miyazaki, for sharing your insights and creative wisdom with us. Your work has touched the hearts of countless people worldwide, and we eagerly await your next masterpiece with great anticipation. Hayao Miyazaki: Thank you for your kind

Hayao Miyazaki: I believe that the universality of our films lies in the themes we explore—themes of love, courage, the beauty of the human spirit, and the power of imagination. These elements are not bound by cultural or geographical boundaries. They resonate with people of all backgrounds because they speak to fundamental aspects of the human experience.

Interviewer: Your art is not limited to cinema; you’re also a renowned manga artist and writer. How do these different mediums influence your storytelling, and do you have a preference for one over the other? Hayao Miyazaki: Both manga and animation have their unique strengths and allow me to express my creativity in different ways. Manga allows for more personal exploration of character development and storytelling through still images and text. In animation, I can create a more immersive world with motion and sound. I don’t have a preference for one over the other; I enjoy the process of storytelling in both forms and choose the medium that best fits the story I want to tell.

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words, and thank you to all the fans who have supported our work over the years. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my stories and my passion for art. It’s been a wonderful journey, and I look forward to what lies ahead.

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Current Exhibition: Taking Up Space November 11 – December 23 Inaugural Exhibition in West Hollywood + Annual All-Tierra Group Show

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Editorial

Selling Childhood

Nostalgia In Art

At what point does art become a commodity, and at what point does a commodity become art?

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Is art reduced to a mere commodity to be repackaged and sold, rather than a medium for profound self-expression and societal reflection?

Nostalgia is a profoundly human experience, a universal thread that binds us across cultures and generations. It taps into our emotions, evoking memories, and creating a deep connection with the past. It’s no wonder that art has often harnessed the power of nostalgia, taking us on journeys to bygone eras and reigniting our fondness for the familiar.

On the flip side, commodities can, under certain circumstances, transcend their utilitarian roles and become art. Consider the fashion industry’s fascination with vintage designs. Through repurposing and reinterpretation, clothing can become a canvas for self-expression, history, and culture. Similarly, vinyl records, once deemed obsolete, have become cherished collector’s items. Their tactile, analog quality, combined with the unique charm of vinyl’s imperfections, has transformed a commodity into a piece of art that transcends its function.

However, the intoxicating allure of nostalgia has, in some cases, led to the commercialization of art. In the film and television industry, we witness an avalanche of reboots and sequels, capitalizing on the nostalgia of audiences. While these productions may offer a comforting return to beloved characters and worlds, they also raise the concern that creativity takes a back seat to profit.

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Integrity For Profit This delicate balance is where the heart of the issue lies. Creators must resist the temptation to exploit nostalgia solely for profit. It’s a responsibility to infuse their work with genuine creativity and innovation. They must ask themselves whether they are contributing something new to the creative discourse or merely repackaging the past. Conversely, consumers play a pivotal role in preserving the integrity of art. It’s their discernment, their choices, and their demand for authentic, thought-provoking work that can shape the industry.

Inspiration Or Substance It is our collective responsibility to cherish and protect this power and to ensure that nostalgia continues to serve as a bridge to the past rather than a crutch for art’s future.

Nostalgia can be an emotional anchor, but we must remember that not all art rooted in nostalgia is inherently bad, and not all commodities are devoid of artistic value. The line is nuanced and ever-shifting. The core distinction is the intention and integrity of those involved in the creation and consumption of art.

Nostalgia in art is not the problem; it’s the intention and execution that matter most. The crux of the matter is whether art is being reduced to a commodity or if a commodity is being elevated to the realm of art. When the creation of art is driven by a genuine desire to connect, inspire, and challenge, it retains its artistic integrity, regardless of the presence of nostalgia. In navigating the delicate dance between creativity and commerce, we must remember that the power of art lies in its capacity to reflect, provoke, and inspire.

cherish or commodify?

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In the realm of art, nostalgia is a double-edged sword. It can be a powerful driving force, transporting us back to cherished moments, or it can reduce art to a mere commodity, driven by profit. The question that looms is this: at what point does art become a commodity, and at what point does a commodity become art? Nostalgia is a profoundly human experience, a universal thread that binds us across cultures and generations. It taps into our emotions, evoking memories, and creating a deep connection with the past. It’s no wonder that art has often harnessed the power of nostalgia, taking us on journeys to bygone eras and reigniting our fondness for the familiar. Rerun and Overdone However, the intoxicating allure of nostalgia has, in some cases, led to the commercialization of art. In the film and television industry, we witness an avalanche of reboots and sequels, capitalizing on the nostalgia of audiences. While these productions may offer a comforting return to beloved characters and worlds, they also raise the concern that creativity takes a back seat to profit. Is art reduced to a mere commodity to be repackaged and sold, rather than a medium for profound self-expression and societal reflection? On the flip side, commodities can, under certain circumstances, transcend their utilitarian roles and become art. Consider the fashion industry’s fascination with vintage designs. Through repurposing and reinterpretation, clothing can become a canvas for self-expression, history, and culture. Similarly, vinyl records, once deemed obsolete, have become cherished collector’s items. Their tactile, analog quality, combined with the unique charm of vinyl’s imperfections, has transformed a commodity into a piece of art that transcends its function.

The distinction between art and commodity lies in intent and experience. Art, at its core, is driven by a desire to communicate, to challenge, and to provoke thought and emotion. It goes beyond mere consumption; it inspires reflection and conversation. A commodity becomes art when it transcends its primary utility and becomes a symbol of culture, history, and identity. This delicate balance is where the heart of the issue lies. Creators must resist the temptation to exploit nostalgia solely for profit. It’s a responsibility to infuse their work with genuine creativity and innovation. They must ask themselves whether they are contributing something new to the creative discourse or merely repackaging the past. Conversely, consumers play a pivotal role in preserving the integrity of art. It’s their discernment, their choices, and their demand for authentic, thought-provoking work that can shape the industry. Nostalgia can be an emotional anchor, but we must remember that not all art rooted in nostalgia is inherently bad, and not all commodities are devoid of artistic value. The line is nuanced and ever-shifting. The core distinction is the intention and integrity of those involved in the creation and consumption of art. The Artist’s Pledge Nostalgia in art is not the problem; it’s the intention and execution that matter most. The crux of the matter is whether art is being reduced to a commodity or if a commodity is being elevated to the realm of art. When the creation of art is driven by a genuine desire to connect, inspire, and challenge, it retains its artistic integrity, regardless of the presence of nostalgia. In navigating the delicate dance between creativity and commerce, we must remember that the power of art lies in its capacity to reflect, provoke, and inspire. It is our collective responsibility to cherish and protect this power and to ensure that nostalgia continues to serve as a bridge to the past rather than a crutch for art’s future.

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K A R I B O U

experience PERsonho o d Aug 10th – Jan 11th Tickets at LACMA.org

Terracotta Cottage Flash Sale!

All postcards, embroidery kits, and small + medium unglazed pottery now up to

50% 50% off! off! *At participating locations only. Terms and restrictions apply.

Carpal tunnel. Not even once. Remember to take frequent breaks when drawing to stretch your hands properly. brought to you by your friends at Blank Canvas.

art materials

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