As an children's author, I sometimes go to libraries or schools to talk with kids. Seeing my silver hair, the children are amazed when I tell them I'm only 17!!! You see, I was born on leap day...February 29th.
I grew up in a loving family who moved quite a bit. We lived in New York City and Rochester, New York when I was young. I spent my growing up years in Madison, Wisconsin in big house on a lake. The last two years of high school my parents and brother and I lived in San Francisco, California. When it was time for me to go to college, I decided on Mills College in Oakland California. I received a BA in art and an MA in printmaking and art history from Mills.
Now I was ready to go out into the world and have my own adventures. I moved back to the east coast for my first job, teaching underprivileged children in Washington, DC. A week after starting to teach I met my own prince charming. My husband, a medical researcher, and I have lived happily in several cities, but now reside in Whitestone, NY. We have three grown children and two grandchildren who we visit often.
Becoming an Author and Illustrator
When my children were young I often told them stories. As an artist, it seemed only natural that I should start illustrating some of my stories, which as evolved into the dream career I have to this day.
The first book I illustrated was Patchwork Tales, which I coauthored with Ruth Phang (1984). Since then I have illustrated 7 books and have written and illustrated over 40 books. You can find most of my books in the Instructional Materials Center at Appalachian State University! Belk Library also houses 35 of my original illustrations, which are sometimes on display in one of the classrooms in the IMC.
My Art
Collage is the media I use for my illustrations; I haven't used a pen or pencil or paint on any parts of my pictures in over a decade! Even the tiny eyes you see on people and animals are cut with my faithful art scissors and attached with super-fine tweezers. My studio begins with clean, swept floors when I start a project, but it isn't long before scraps of paper and fabric are flying off my scissors and landing on the floor! Soon the floor around my work table looks like a collage itself!
I like the way this sentence in Something About the Author that describes my work: "Armed with only a camera, scissors, paste, tape, scissors, and tweezers, Susan L. Roth has gained renown as an artist specializing in cut-and-torn paper collages."
What Inspires My Art and Writing?
I find inspiration all around me. Art and writing are what I do; they are who I am (Krishnaswami, 2012). Sometimes I become intrigued by something I read, a place I visit, or memories from my own childhood. I KNOW almost immediately if an idea something I want to develop into a picture book.
I was interviewed once about why I write and illustrate children's books. This is what I said:
"Why do I always know I MUST write and illustrate?? Because that's what I DO? Because that's all I've ever done? Because that's all I could possibly do? Because I love writing and illustrating so desperately even as I suffer and struggle and complain about doing it? Because I have a 32 page brain? All of the aboves? " (Retrieved from http://umakrishnaswami.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/karen-leggett-abouraya-and-susan-l-roth.html on September 30, 2014).
Photo source: Personal collection of Connie Green
I grew up in a loving family who moved quite a bit. We lived in New York City and Rochester, New York when I was young. I spent my growing up years in Madison, Wisconsin in big house on a lake. The last two years of high school my parents and brother and I lived in San Francisco, California. When it was time for me to go to college, I decided on Mills College in Oakland California. I received a BA in art and an MA in printmaking and art history from Mills.
Now I was ready to go out into the world and have my own adventures. I moved back to the east coast for my first job, teaching underprivileged children in Washington, DC. A week after starting to teach I met my own prince charming. My husband, a medical researcher, and I have lived happily in several cities, but now reside in Whitestone, NY. We have three grown children and two grandchildren who we visit often.
Becoming an Author and Illustrator
When my children were young I often told them stories. As an artist, it seemed only natural that I should start illustrating some of my stories, which as evolved into the dream career I have to this day.
The first book I illustrated was Patchwork Tales, which I coauthored with Ruth Phang (1984). Since then I have illustrated 7 books and have written and illustrated over 40 books. You can find most of my books in the Instructional Materials Center at Appalachian State University! Belk Library also houses 35 of my original illustrations, which are sometimes on display in one of the classrooms in the IMC.
My Art
Collage is the media I use for my illustrations; I haven't used a pen or pencil or paint on any parts of my pictures in over a decade! Even the tiny eyes you see on people and animals are cut with my faithful art scissors and attached with super-fine tweezers. My studio begins with clean, swept floors when I start a project, but it isn't long before scraps of paper and fabric are flying off my scissors and landing on the floor! Soon the floor around my work table looks like a collage itself!
I like the way this sentence in Something About the Author that describes my work: "Armed with only a camera, scissors, paste, tape, scissors, and tweezers, Susan L. Roth has gained renown as an artist specializing in cut-and-torn paper collages."
What Inspires My Art and Writing?
I find inspiration all around me. Art and writing are what I do; they are who I am (Krishnaswami, 2012). Sometimes I become intrigued by something I read, a place I visit, or memories from my own childhood. I KNOW almost immediately if an idea something I want to develop into a picture book.
I was interviewed once about why I write and illustrate children's books. This is what I said:
"Why do I always know I MUST write and illustrate?? Because that's what I DO? Because that's all I've ever done? Because that's all I could possibly do? Because I love writing and illustrating so desperately even as I suffer and struggle and complain about doing it? Because I have a 32 page brain? All of the aboves? " (Retrieved from http://umakrishnaswami.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/karen-leggett-abouraya-and-susan-l-roth.html on September 30, 2014).
Photo source: Personal collection of Connie Green