Art for the Cure

Today marks the start of a month-long extravaganza across multiple blogs and involving almost 200 illustrators: each day four to five blogs will feature one of the snowflakes being auctioned off to raise money for Robert's Snow: Cure for Cancer, and give you the inside scoop on the illustrator who created it. Robert's Snow was started by illustrator Grace Lin and her husband Robert Mercer and has raised over $200,000 for cancer research. We're all hoping this year's auction will raise even more.

Our first illustrator, Michelle Chang, is awesome and here is your chance to learn more about her, as well as to see the fantastic snowflake she has designed for the auction:

Snowflake by Michelle Chang, reproduced here with permission of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Totally sweet and absolutely gorgeous, right? We asked her more about her art, as well as for some sage advice and to divulge a few of her guilty pleasures. Here are her answers:

What inspired your snowflake design?
My dog Murphy who loves snow. Don't all dogs love snow? It's amazing how much joy she seems to have when she in running in the snow.

How did you get involved in Robert’s Snow?
I was contacted by Grace Lin. She had noticed my work and thought that I would be interested in participating.

What's your favorite thing about your job?
I get to draw and paint for a living, all while being my own boss.I am very lucky that I have a talent and I make my living from it.

Have you ever illustrated a book that you didn't love? How did that affect your work?
Yes, actually I have. I procrastinated till the end and I tended not to put in that extra effort that makes something special to me.

Do you have a favorite drawing or sketch that you did when you werea kid?
There were many...but I loved to copy a line drawing of Bambi from a Disney coloring book. I must have done about a 1000 versions from the original.


What other children's book artists do you admire?
Two of my favorites are Peter McCarty and Lisbeth Zerger. They create magic.

What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
Watching classic children's animation, like Bambi and Cinderella. Bambi still makes my eyes moist at the end when his mother gets shot.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Don't obsess about your imaginary and real competition and push ahead towards the direction you want to go. You will get there eventually.


Michelle illustrated the children's book GOLDFISH AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS. She has drawn book covers, including this beauty for PLAYING DAD'S SONG. Her art can also be found in numerous magazines and journals.


Be sure to check out the other snowflake illustrators being featured today:

Randy Cecil at ChatRabbit
Kevin Hawkes at Cynthia Lord's Journal
Barbara Lehman at The Excelsior File
Grace Lin at In the Pages

Cynthia Lord is even having a contest over at her blog to give away a signed copy of Kevin Hawkes lates picture book!

To bid on Michelle's snowflake, as well as to see the rest of the snowflakes that are up for auction, go to the Robert's Snow website, where you can also learn more about this great organization. Be sure to have your wallet handy- there are some sumtuous flakes and you may well want more than one!