By Kathy Collins
Mary GrandPre`, the renowned illustrator of the Harry Potter books, will be the featured speaker at the Greater Brandon Arts Council’s next seminar on Saturday, November 21. The event will take place at the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library located at 1906 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico from 1:30-4 p.m.
GrandPre` has been a freelance illustrator for the past 30 years. She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Art from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Her illustration projects have ranged from advertising, editorial and packaging to concept painting and character design for animation studios.
GrandPre` also taught a first year illustration course at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, Minn. in 1990 and Children’s Book Illustration at the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota in 2005.
GrandPre` uses a wide variety of media to create her art including pastel, acrylic, oil, collage and printmaking.
At the Greater Brandon Arts Council’s seminar, anyone who has grown up with Harry Potter is welcome to attend. Please note that this is not a book signing event. GrandPre` will impart her years of experience to aspiring writers and illustrators.
Meletha Everett, president of the Greater Brandon Arts Council said, “I went to one of Mary’s seminars a few years ago. She uses a story board to demonstrate how she creates illustrations for chapter books. I have asked Mary to gear her seminar to both artists and writers. It is just as important for a writer to know the pitfalls to hiring an illustrator for their book as it is to find one and know it is a good fit.”
The Greater Brandon Arts Council meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library.
For more information, visit www.brandonarts.org.
