An award winning children’s book illustrator says literary workshops are helping writers and artists in regional Australia to further their careers.
Lucia Masciullo, who illustrated the children’s book ‘Come down, cat’, is in Gladstone in central Queensland as part of the Curtis Coast Literary Carnivale.
The Gold Coast artist is joined by author and illustrator Gregg Dreise, author and cartoonist David Hackett and authors Jacqueline Harvey and Kathryn Apel.
“What she really wants is to have feedback on her illustrations and learn how to improve her skills, so I’m in contact with her to help her become better at her artworks,” Ms Masciullo of one the workshop participants said..
The biennial festival, run by volunteers, has seen a variety of sessions held over the past four days to encourage writers and artists of all ages.
“For children it’s good because we can inspire them, they can see this is a possibility,” Ms Masciullo said.
“Maybe their family didn’t have writers or illustrators but they can see people can live their lives doing what they like to do.”
Artists visiting schools open up opportunities
He said he wished there had been more opportunities to meet artists when he was growing up.
“I was always the kid in class constantly drawing … and because I was hoping for a career in that, I was always looking out for a role model,” he said.
“We never actually had anybody who came into the schools, it wasn’t a really big thing for authors or illustrators to visit schools.
“And I just love having the chance to spend time with kids to just let them know that with cartooning there are no rules and any way they want to draw it, it’s always going to be ok.”
He has a unique way of engaging with his younger audiences.
“I’ve found myself at fairly prestigious locations teaching kids how to draw snot and vomit.
“But I mean kids love it and it’s harmless, and we still focus on shapes and drawing,” he said.
He said it was crucial to engage with regional audiences.
“Not only do [workshops] allow us as the artists and illustrators a chance to get in front of kids and have kids realise that there’s a face and a presence behind the books that are being created, but it also gives the kids something more — rather than just a book, it’s an adventure and it’s exciting,” he said.
“It helps the kids with their reading and in doing that, it promotes reading, and we get to do what we love to do, write more books.
“It’s really important because a love of reading and a love of books changes who you are, it changes your future.”
The four-day event, which is organised by volunteers from the Gladstone community, finishes on Wednesday.
