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Re: Question for Tim Tingle about selecting illustrators
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From: janeyolen_at_aol.com
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 15:08:55 -0500 (EST)
I have to say that as an American Jew, I have had illustrators as ethnically diverse as Ed Young (Mainland China), Floyd Cooper (African-American), Tony DiTerlizzi (Italian American), and by the way the ones I am mentioning are all male--and it never occurred to me to question their ethnicity or gender when looking at their illustrations. Ed did books of mine set in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, an Asian country (not China), and Emperor and the Kite in China. Floyd did a book that has both black and white characters. Toni did fantasy covers. I could go on.
Any way, this is to say that of course a Russian illustrator could illustrate a Spanish story written by a Spaniard--think Gennedy Spirin for example, who has illustrated beautifully Irish folklore, English story, Danish (Hans Christian Andersen) stories German folk tales,Bible stories (Middle East), French folk tales, and more. Much more. And I hope some day he will illustrate something of mine.
Jane
-----Original Message----- From: K.T. Horning <horning_at_education.wisc.edu> To: ccbc-net ccbc-net <ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu> Sent: Wed, Feb 19, 2014 2:31 pm Subject: [ccbc-net] Question for Tim Tingle about selecting illustrators
Forwarding this from Tim Tingle because I don't think it went to the whole list.
* --From Tim Tingle--
Norma,
Thank you for the question. Hoke, it requires a bit of background info. In none of the 300-plus Native American languages still spoken in the USA today, is there a single word that could be translated as "Indian." We use that term, or other similar terms, because we recognize that non-Indian folks will know what we are talking about....sort of. "We" have never thought of ourselves, except in a few isolated situations, as part of a larger ethno-political group. I am not Indian or Native American or First Peoples or American Indian––I am Choctaw. Yes, I know I'm contradicting myself, and I'm just beginning! Hoke. Here's the part that usually ruffles non-Indian feathers. To think that a painter of an Indian nation could understand in depth the culture of another Indian nation, because it is located on the same continent, is to think that a Russian painter could illustrate–with understanding–a story set in Barcelona and written by a Spanish author. We are that different, in our history and our core beliefs. Of course, many tribal nations are related by language (Choctaws and Chickasaws) or geography, so we have a certain level of understanding. But a Dine painter would never paint the spirit people in the closing scene of "Saltypie." Nor would a Choctaw ever paint an owl as anything other than the epitome of evil. I do share true-life tales of my experiences visiting other tribal communities, and with permission I wrote a collection of southeastern Indian stories. When writing outside of my own community, I seek the advice of someone with a strong understanding of that culture, and "run" the final product by them for approval. Blessings, Tim
> From: nsawicki_at_nyc.rr.com
> Subject: [ccbc-net] for Mr. Tingle
> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:08:22 -0500
> To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu
>
> Thank you ever so much….I appreciate your generosity in agreeing to
take questions, and participate in this discussion which I look forward to following…
>
> A question…In your editor/publisher's terrific posting about you/your
work, she said when material requires an illustrator, they look for, and invite an illustrator from the same tribe as the author to illustrate the work. Is it believed an illustrator from the same tribe will have an emotional attachment to, and an understanding of the work that an illustrator from another tribe may not necessarily have? Many thanks…Norma Jean
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 15:08:55 -0500 (EST)
I have to say that as an American Jew, I have had illustrators as ethnically diverse as Ed Young (Mainland China), Floyd Cooper (African-American), Tony DiTerlizzi (Italian American), and by the way the ones I am mentioning are all male--and it never occurred to me to question their ethnicity or gender when looking at their illustrations. Ed did books of mine set in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, an Asian country (not China), and Emperor and the Kite in China. Floyd did a book that has both black and white characters. Toni did fantasy covers. I could go on.
Any way, this is to say that of course a Russian illustrator could illustrate a Spanish story written by a Spaniard--think Gennedy Spirin for example, who has illustrated beautifully Irish folklore, English story, Danish (Hans Christian Andersen) stories German folk tales,Bible stories (Middle East), French folk tales, and more. Much more. And I hope some day he will illustrate something of mine.
Jane
-----Original Message----- From: K.T. Horning <horning_at_education.wisc.edu> To: ccbc-net ccbc-net <ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu> Sent: Wed, Feb 19, 2014 2:31 pm Subject: [ccbc-net] Question for Tim Tingle about selecting illustrators
Forwarding this from Tim Tingle because I don't think it went to the whole list.
* --From Tim Tingle--
Norma,
Thank you for the question. Hoke, it requires a bit of background info. In none of the 300-plus Native American languages still spoken in the USA today, is there a single word that could be translated as "Indian." We use that term, or other similar terms, because we recognize that non-Indian folks will know what we are talking about....sort of. "We" have never thought of ourselves, except in a few isolated situations, as part of a larger ethno-political group. I am not Indian or Native American or First Peoples or American Indian––I am Choctaw. Yes, I know I'm contradicting myself, and I'm just beginning! Hoke. Here's the part that usually ruffles non-Indian feathers. To think that a painter of an Indian nation could understand in depth the culture of another Indian nation, because it is located on the same continent, is to think that a Russian painter could illustrate–with understanding–a story set in Barcelona and written by a Spanish author. We are that different, in our history and our core beliefs. Of course, many tribal nations are related by language (Choctaws and Chickasaws) or geography, so we have a certain level of understanding. But a Dine painter would never paint the spirit people in the closing scene of "Saltypie." Nor would a Choctaw ever paint an owl as anything other than the epitome of evil. I do share true-life tales of my experiences visiting other tribal communities, and with permission I wrote a collection of southeastern Indian stories. When writing outside of my own community, I seek the advice of someone with a strong understanding of that culture, and "run" the final product by them for approval. Blessings, Tim
> From: nsawicki_at_nyc.rr.com
> Subject: [ccbc-net] for Mr. Tingle
> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:08:22 -0500
> To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu
>
> Thank you ever so much….I appreciate your generosity in agreeing to
take questions, and participate in this discussion which I look forward to following…
>
> A question…In your editor/publisher's terrific posting about you/your
work, she said when material requires an illustrator, they look for, and invite an illustrator from the same tribe as the author to illustrate the work. Is it believed an illustrator from the same tribe will have an emotional attachment to, and an understanding of the work that an illustrator from another tribe may not necessarily have? Many thanks…Norma Jean
-- Kathleen T. Horning Director Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 N. Park St Madison, WI 53706 http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc horning_at_education.wisc.edu 608-263-3721 (phone) 608-262-4933 (fax) --- You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: janeyolen_at_aol.com. To post to the list, send message to: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu send a blank email to leave-34184570-19248371.d6665ae892ddf9ae62ac1e323e8b5123_at_lists.wisc.edu To receive messages in digest format, send a message to... ccbc-net-request_at_lists.wisc.edu ...and include only this command in the body of the message: set ccbc-net digest CCBC-Net Archives The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members. The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion topics (including month/year) is available at http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp To access the archives, go to: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net and enter the following: username: ccbc-net password: Look4Posts --- You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: ccbc-archive_at_post.education.wisc.edu. To post to the list, send message to: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu To receive messages in digest format, send a message to... ccbc-net-request_at_lists.wisc.edu ...and include only this command in the body of the message: set ccbc-net digest CCBC-Net Archives The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members. The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion topics (including month/year) is available at http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp To access the archives, go to: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net and enter the following: username: ccbc-net password: Look4PostsReceived on Wed 19 Feb 2014 02:11:29 PM CST
