Q & A with local illustrator Mathias Ball

Q & A with local illustrator Mathias Ball

by | Jun 22, 2024 | Books, Collection Materials

Born and raised in Goderich, Mathias Ball (he/they) is a trans-identified illustrator who draws inspiration from animals, emotions, and warm bright colors. He is a graduate of the Illustration program at Sheridan College and his dream is to illustrate a world depicting cute characters and lots of dogs.

Still my Tessa written by Sylv Chiang and illustrated by Mathias was championed by Gary the Unicorn and won the second edition of ‘Canada Reads for kids’ in 2024. Gary the Unicorn said they picked this title because, “it feels like a warm hug for the heart!” 

Other picture books they’ve illustrated include Every Body Is a Rainbow by Caroline Carter, What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? by Francine Cunningham and These Cookies Are Not for Puppies by local author, Larissa O’Donnell. You can also find his work on their small business website, Sulkypup, where they sell prints, original plush (coming soon), gender neutral clothing and other items.

The Clinton Branch was proud to have Mathias come visit and share their journey to getting published and starting their own business based off their gorgeous digital artwork. The following is a conversation between Branch Assistant, Shannon O’Connor and the local illustrator/artist, Mathias Ball:

Q. How did you get your start in picture book illustration and what draws you to that medium?

Illustrating for picture books is something that I was always interested in! My style of work has always leaned more toward the cute, colourful, and bubbly, so creating illustrations for picture books felt like a natural fit. As for getting started, I went to school at Sheridan College for their Bachelor of Illustration program. After graduating in the lovely year of 2020, I started posting my work online which got the attention of some Art Directors and Literary Agents. In 2022, I teamed up with my agent, Natascha Morris, who has since helped with connecting me to book projects such as Still My Tessa and What If Bedtime Didn’t Exist? along with some more books yet to be released.

Q. Are there any particular subjects/authors/topics that attract you most? If so what and why?

As a queer individual, I’m always drawn to topics having to do with LGBTQ+ themes. A handful of the books I’ve illustrated so far are ones that I would have loved to have as a kid–not only for LGBTQ+ folks, but being able to see stories where you feel represented and shown in a positive light can mean so much to a kid, and really pull out their confidence.

In addition, I love books that feature animal characters or take place in nature. Growing up in Goderich, I spent a lot of time outside in the surrounding forests and trails, trying to befriend critters here and there. It’s always a pleasure when I can pull inspiration from that and bring it into a project.

Q. Do you have any favourite illustrators or artists that inspire(d) your own work?

Always a fan of any artist with blocky shapes and lots of colours. To name a few, some artists are Anoosha Syed, Jon Klassen, and Paige Bowman.

Q. What has been your favourite project to date and what are you most excited about working on next (if you can share anything about that)?

It’s tough to answer, but I think my favourite may be an upcoming book, Little Wolf’s Howl published by Marble Press. Going back to one of my favourite subject matters, this book follows the story of a Little Wolf who gets lost and needs to find her way back to her mother. She encounters some new animal friends who help her along the way. Illustrating this book felt the most natural to me, and it was very easy to picture the illustrations as I did my first read of the manuscript.

For what I’m excited to work on next, it’s a bit up in the air at the moment! I don’t have any book projects on the go at this time, but I have my online business, Sulkypup, where I’ve been designing and releasing gender-neutral clothing on a triannual basis, along with designing some accessories and stationery goods. I have a Summer Update that will be happening in mid-July and I have been prepping some new items for my Fall Update later in October. I’m hoping to release a plush for the Fall Update of one of my original characters as well, which I’ve been very excited about, as designing a plush is something I’ve always wanted to do.

Q. What are you currently reading or what are some of your favorite books?

Some favourite series of mine are the Scott Pilgrim series and anything done by Tatsuki Fujimoto. I tend to read more comics and manga over just text-based books, as I always enjoy seeing what other illustrators are up to and how they share their stories.

Q. What advice would you give to any young aspiring artist/illustrators?

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; embrace the things you love. To develop your skills, you need to allow yourself the opportunity to draw things that may look quirky so you can know what to do differently next time. The more you draw, the more you will learn. Also, you may eventually look back at your old art and think it’s embarrassing and cringy, but please don’t throw it out. You were just as much an artist as you were then as you are at this moment. Don’t be ashamed to celebrate the growth that you have had between then and now.

As for embracing the things you love, as an artist, you may gradually become more concerned about finding your artistic voice. What I’ve advised mentees in the past is that style is something that grows out of the things that you love about creating. For me, I really like playing with colour and traditional textures, and I like drawing animals and creatures. Meanwhile, others may embrace black & white art with a much more graphic appearance. In the end, what we love can help define who we are as artists.

Q&A with Author Calyssa Erb

Q&A with Author Calyssa Erb

by | Apr 8, 2024 | Author Talk

Ahead of the upcoming Author Talk with Calyssa Erb, Huron County Library branch assistant Shannon O’Connor connects with the author to discuss her book, Maya Plays the Part, the journey to publication, what inspired her to feature an autistic female main character, and more!

What inspired you to write a middle school book featuring an autistic female main character?

I wrote this book for 10-year-old me who loved to dive into stories of characters going for their goals. I read a lot when I was younger, but I never saw an autistic female main character in the books that I read. When I received my own autism diagnosis a few years ago, I decided to revisit my experience at that age with this new understanding and to imagine what might have been different if I had this knowledge then.

Were there any parts of writing Maya’s story you found particularly challenging and if so why?

The most challenging part of writing Maya’s story was my own inner critic and my worries about whether she would be likeable. I wanted her to feel authentic and shed a light on some of the comments I received as a young girl, but I also wanted her to be someone that young readers would want to spend time with as she works towards her own dreams.

 What was your journey to publication like? Did it take a while to find an agent or publisher for your story?

I have wanted to be an author since I was very young, and I wrote my first contest winning short story in the 3rd grade. However, I struggled a lot with finishing projects. It wasn’t until I received my autism diagnosis that I was able to recognize the factors that were impacting my writing like autistic burnout and sensory overwhelm. It was around the time that I started working on Maya’s story that Annick Press set up their mentorship program. I received such valuable feedback from them during this mentorship that it gave me the momentum to keep working on Maya’s story. About a year later, I had revised enough that I felt confident in sending the book out to publishers and agents. I received a lot of rejections! But then, serendipitously, Annick reached out and offered to publish the story.

 Growing up did you have any favourite middle grade books or characters that you connected with? 

As a pretty shy and reserved kid, young girls who were determined and the heroes of their own stories resonated with me. It’s interesting because the way we designate a middle grade book now is different from how children’s books were categorized when I was growing up! These are some of the characters and books that hold a special place in my heart from when I was 10-12 years old: The Dear Canada series, Meggie from the Inkheart series, Mitsuki of the manga Full Moon o Sagashite, Ella of Ella Enchanted and Anne from Anne of Green Gables.

 Have you noticed an increase in more #ownvoices autism stories in fiction and do you have any favourites or any authors you admire?

I have noticed there are more #ownvoices stories and stories about autism from a lived experience. There’s still lots of opportunity for more autism stories in fiction because the autistic experience is so varied. My favourites in the middle grade space include A.J. Sass, and Meg Eden Kuyatt. I’m also a huge fan of Elle McNicoll whose A Kind of Spark was adapted into a TV series! It’s really incredible and a must-watch for autistic representation in kids media.

Do you have any plans for more books featuring Maya in the future and if not can you tell us anything about what you’re working on next?

I am interested in returning to Maya in the future! She’s already started whispering that she’s got more stories to share with readers, but right now I’m working on a story about neurodivergence and body image. I’m hoping to create a wonderfully connected universe of characters, so that readers can jump in from any book and feel connected to a larger world.

Holds pick-up lockers now available at Bayfield and Goderich Branches

Holds pick-up lockers now available at Bayfield and Goderich Branches

by | Mar 14, 2024 | Bayfield branch, Goderich branch, News, Service Updates

The Huron County Library has made it easier for patrons to pick up their books with the addition of two new holds pick-up locations at the Bayfield and Goderich Branches.

The lockers will allow patrons 24/7 access to pick up their holds, making it convenient for patrons to get their books after regular branch hours. The locker at Goderich is located outside the front door by the book drop, and the locker at Bayfield is located in the post office next to the library.

HOW IT WORKS

To select one of the lockers as your pick-up location, simply place a hold on the item of your choice, and when prompted to choose your location, select either Goderich Holds Pickup Locker or Bayfield Holds Pickup Locker, and select the ‘Place Hold’ button. You will be notified when your item is available to pick up at the locker. To pick up your items, all you need to bring with you is your Huron County Library card!

Image of the library's online catalogue showing how to select one of the lockers as a pick-up location

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

If you’d like to keep one of the lockers are your default pickup location, follow these steps:

 

  • Find an item you want to borrow
  • Click Place Hold
  • Choose the locker you want to be your pickup location from the drop down menu
  • Put a checkmark in the box next to the words: Enable Single-Click Holds
  • Click the Blue Place Hold button
  • Your preference will be saved until you decide to change locations.
Image of online catalogue showing to how set locker as default pick up location

If you have the “Single-Click Holds” enabled on your account, and want to use one of the lockers as your pickup location instead of the branch, you will have to change the location option by following these steps:

 

  • Click on your Username (top Right-hand corner of screen)
  • Select On Hold (Under “My Borrowing”)
Image of setting up locker pickup on our online catalogue
  • Click the link “Single Click Holds is ON”
  • Choose the locker of your choice as your pickup location
  • Click Save
  • You’ll know you’re successful when you get the message of successfully choosing your pickup location.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to branch staff at Bayfield and Goderich.

 

Image of setting up locker pickup on our online catalogue
Smart Card transit passes now available to checkout with a Huron County Library card

Smart Card transit passes now available to checkout with a Huron County Library card

by | Mar 12, 2024 | News, Object Library

Set yourself FREE with Huron Shores Area Transit by checking out a Smart Card Library pass with a Huron County Library card!

The Library is very pleased to partner with Huron Shores Area Transit (HSAT) to make five Smart Card Library Passes available through the Object Library, giving patrons unlimited free rides during a one-week loan period.

According to a media release issued from HSAT, the new Smart Card Library program is designed to encourage residents who have not yet tried local public transit to experience convenient and affordable travel options and access various destinations and venues without worrying about transportation or parking costs. The program is planned to be in place for the full year and may be extended into 2025.

Passes can be borrowed from branches in communities with HSAT transit stops: Bayfield, Exeter, Goderich, Hensall, and Zurich. Of course, holds can be placed online and picked up from any Huron County Library branch. The pass is non-renewable, enabling as many cardholders as possible to borrow the pass and try out local public transit. 

“We are proud to partner with local libraries in offering Smart Card Library Passes,” said Susan Mills, Transit Coordinator from Huron Shores Area Transit. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible transportation solutions and enhance community connectivity. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this initiative will have on residents.”

HSAT’s affordable, inter-community public transit links Lambton Shores, South Huron, North Middlesex, Bluewater and Kettle & Stony Point First Nation with each other and Sarnia, London, Goderich and Strathroy. The fully accessible service provides an important transit service for seniors, students, workers and youth for employment, education, health and wellness, and leisure.

For more information about routes, schedules, fares and Smart Cards, visit HuronShoresAreaTransit.ca. To speak with a live operator about times and schedules, call 1-888-465-0783 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.

Tiny Art Show returns to Clinton Branch

Tiny Art Show returns to Clinton Branch

by | Feb 13, 2024 | Art, Crafts, Uncategorized

Calling all artists of ALL abilities! The Clinton Branch‘s Tiny Art Show returns this spring and we invite you to join in on the creative fun! Pick up a 5” X 5” board from the branch to create your tiny artwork. Use your own art supplies to decorate your board using any medium you choose (paint, draw, decoupage, collage, sew, etc.).

The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 15, 2024. The Tiny Art Show opening will be held on March 23, 1 p.m. Artwork will be displayed in the library from March 23 to April 20, 2024. Tiny refreshments will be served.

Download an entry form and return to the Clinton Branch along with your piece by March 15. Entry forms are also available from the branch.

Art Show Rules:

  • One board per person or group. Available while supplies last.
  • No candles or electrical devices, including battery operated.
  • Objects, paper, and materials of any kind, except food, may be glued to the canvas, but artwork must remain 5” X 5” and must be able to hang flat against the wall.
  • Please write your name on the back of the canvas and include an arrow to show which way is the top.
  • Fill out the entire Tiny Art Show entry form and bring with you when you submit your art.
  • After the show opening on March 23, artwork will be displayed until April 20. Art must be picked up at the Circulation Desk by April 30. Please note, any artwork not picked up will become library property for use as we deem fit.
  • The Huron County Library reserves the right to refuse any work considered unsuitable and/or does not meet these guidelines. Or if it cannot be accommodated safely or comfortably within the library space.
  • By participating in the Clinton Branch Tiny Art Show, you agree to allow Huron County Library to publicly display and photograph your art for promotion and engagement.