Renee Bates and Professor Robert Barrett, Department of Illustration

Over the course of the past 15 months I have begun a project which I’m excited to say has helped me discover a new part of my family history as well as create a piece of art which I hope to share in the homes of many families. As a part of the ORCA, I proposed to write and illustrate a piece of literature based on the folklore tale The Changeling. By creating a tangible book to be held by children and parents together, my ultimate goal was to stray from the overwhelming surge in digital media and to restore the love a reader once had for reading a book in which you could feel the page as you turned it. As a twenty two year old and a member of the new generation of technology savvy youth, I have been a first-hand witness to the detriments of too much media which is why I have set out to try and find a solution to this over reliance on disconnected means of communication. Through a return to the simplicity of holding a bound book and turning a page oneself, my biggest hope is to help restore an appreciation for literature I feel is being lost in today’s society.

I began the start of my proposed work much like any other artistic project of mine by fleshing out exploratory sketches and sitting up for many long nights letting the beginnings of the book write itself. In the initial stages of any artistic endeavor, feedback and critique is invaluable, so I had many reviews by peers as well as fellow students to help solidify a direction I was happy with. At first it proved more difficult than expected to come up with an artistic style for the illustrations which was reminiscent of classically illustrated novels yet original with a unique touch reflective of what new ideas I could blend into the project. There were many stages of concepting to try new takes at the challenge, a very normal part of the design process. After a few months of exploratory work, a decision was made on an art style for the book and the writing took on a life of its own.

Another aspect of my original proposal dealt with publishing the final compilation of writing and illustrations in a book to distribute to families everywhere. Although I knew the goal of having the piece published by the end of the 15 month period was very unrealistic especially considering this would be my first attempt at publication, it still proved to be an important goal which pushed me to try and create my best work yet. I don’t think I could consider anything along my research a failure but there is still further work and development to come including hopes to publish the work. As I mentioned earlier, when I began this project, almost from the beginning it took on a life of its own and as a result I learned how to trust myself and go with the feeling of the spirit.

This book has turned into more than what was initially imagined so many months ago. From a simple idea to a compilation of art, poetry, music, and writing, I know that within the pages of my book is something special I want to be able to share with not only children (the original audience) but with parents and their children collectively. The story has transformed into one which expounds upon the dynamics of the family and most importantly the beauty and importance of the bond and immense love between mother and child.

At this point in time, the book is about half way completed. I’m excited to see what this project has transformed into and although it has become much bigger than originally expected I can’t wait until I can wrap it up for publication. My biggest hope for the work I’ve begun through the help of this Orca grant is to see this piece in the hands of children everywhere. As a part of my proposal, over the winter break I went back to my middle and elementary schools to share my work with some of my old teacher’s classes. By far one of the most rewarding aspects of the research and work I have completed this far was sharing the illustrations and words of my book with these children and knowing that I had inspired many of the little girls and boys to some day want to do something along the same lines. Whether through visual art, music, or literature, there are many forms of art we can use today to inspire the youth. Just think of how strong of an impact you could have if you too found a way to combine these forms into one piece of art? The  has afforded me the chance to do just that. Once more I would like to thank you and all the donors involved for giving me that opportunity.