Youth illustrator projects talents
By Don Weberg
Daily Forty-Niner
In a dark room at the University Library's
5th floor last Tuesday night, about 30 people, including children, were
awestruck by the artwork being flashed on a white projection screen.
The artist passionately spoke about each
piece as she clicked through the slides, making each picture come to life.
The artist, Elisa Kleven of San Francisco,
expressed her talents through the colorful pictures within the covers of
children's books.
A writer and illustrator, Kleven said she
never really thought she would grow up to become an illustrator.
She was an elementary school teacher for
many years, and said that reading stories to the children is what inspired
her creativity.
"You don't have to
be a good drawer to make a creative collage," she
said.
All of her work is just that, a collage.
She utilizes many different items to make
each piece different. For example, one collage depicts a horse whose mane
is made out of wool.
"It adds something more to the work, I
think," Kleven said. "The children love to touch and
feel the different textures."
As a special project for the Junior Chamber
of Commerce, Kleven created a book entitled "City By The Bay,"
a colorful story illustrating the different things San Francisco has to
offer.
This book did well, and upon the suggestion
of her friends, Kleven began work on a book called "City Of Angels,"
about Los Angeles.
"I was excited by the idea, but at the
same time I was overwhelmed because L.A. is so spread out,"
she said.
Because of the vast reaches of Los Angeles,
Kleven said that she thought it would be best to do a chronological series
on the city.
"It was a real challenge,"
she said.
Eventually, the book encompassed everything
from the Chinese New Year celebration to Little Tokyo's
Children's Day celebration. |
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