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Alexandra Day
What is your connection to Ohio?
My family has been in Cincinnati for several generations, and I was born and lived there until I left for college.
What inspired you to become an author or illustrator?
My father was an artist, my grandfather was an architect and I have several uncles and cousins who are artists. My family's idea of a vacation always included water color supplies. I always wanted to be a painter, and trained myself for that. Then my husband and I had a publishing company and published illustrated books, so I finally decided to try illustration and since my first book was popular, I was encouraged to continue.
What advice do you have for a young author or illustrator?
The hardest thing for young people to do is to keep at what they start, whether it's stories or pictures. I suggest that they keep their stories short and work on them to make them as good as possible. The thing to do with pictures is to try anything and not to be afraid to throw away what you don't like. I had a high school art teacher who always said, "think on paper." Excellent advice for either a writer or artist.
What do you like to do for fun?
I paint for fun as well as professionally. I also like to garden, to travel, to design and sew clothes and to embroider.
Some of your most popular books are:
- Carl goes shopping (1989)
- Carl's Christmas (1990)
- Carl goes to daycare (1993)
- Carl's afternoon in the park (1991)
- Frank and Ernest (1988)
- Carl's masquerade (1992)
- Frank and Ernest play ball (1990)
- Carl's birthday (1995)
- Frank and Ernest on the road (1994)
- Good dog, Carl (1985)
Links:
Alexandra Day - from the Children's Book Council
