I am so happy to share my interview here with Adriana Garcia, the illustrator of US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo's picture book For a Girl Becoming. Adriana was incredibly gracious with her peek behind the curtain for this book, and I'm so pleased to share that peek with you all today. Enjoy!!
About the book:
A baby girl is welcomed to the breathing world by generations of her family and set on the magnificent journey of becoming. As she grows, she is reminded of her connections to the natural world; to her family, her ancestors, her neighbors; to the source of all magic and sorrow--and of her responsibility to uphold and honor those connections.
LTPB: How did you become the illustrator of For a Girl Becoming? What were the first images that popped into your mind when you saw Joy Harjo’s text?
I am grateful that The Creator granted this opportunity. My previous picture books with Xelena González really showcased familial bonds within Mestiza and Indigenous families, so I believe others became aware of my work that way. When Joy Harjo’s team reached out and asked me to illustrate this sacred poem, I could not say no. Plus, when the poet laureate asks you to do something, you do it.
Joy’s words are very evocative. I immediately saw horses—lots of them! They helped guide the work, and if you notice, they are woven throughout the book, threading the pages together in various ways. I also knew the newborn child would appear at the beginning and at the end, each time within loving hands. Whether those hands belong to an ancestor or a new mother, we know that they are there to bless and to welcome this new child. There was another line that really stuck with me: “…the singing of medicine plants / who danced back and forth in shawls of mist.” For me, that really set the tone of what I hoped to create on the canvas.
LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?
I so often showcase my community in the work I do, by using friends and family as models for the images. Since I know them and their personal journeys, I couldn’t help but reflect on their lives as I depicted Joy’s powerful words. Because it is a benediction, my painting became a part of that blessing. I contemplated their losses and gains, their joys and their pains. It became an opportunity to pray for them. It brought up a lot of emotion, and I think that is reflected in the work. This is my fifth picture book, and it took the longest to create. When you finish a monumental task like that it feels like taking a long deep breath. And that’s when you realize you’re a part of something miraculous, like birth. So while the whole process was the most challenging, it has also been the most rewarding.
Ultimately, I hope it is something Joy is proud of and something every book lover can resonate with, even if they cannot read the words yet.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?
These illustrations are acrylic paint on paper, which is now my preferred medium for picture books. I created the illustrations for our first book digitally because I had recently purchased a Wacom tablet and wanted to challenge myself to learn the medium. At that time the tablet had to be hardwired to my computer. So I learned that while convenient, I didn’t want to be tethered to the computer or any device for that matter.
I found that my preferred way of creating is using pigment with brush. Not only is it a tactile medium, it is also a very physical event that involves my body and lots of movement. I get really close to the canvas, then look at it from across the room or I’ll twist my body to get into the right position to paint. There is a conversation that happens between the artwork and myself. I really like seeing the paintings evolve over time. They greet me when I enter my studio, so I immediately see the progress being made or the work that awaits me. The spreads in the beginning are full of possibility, and toward the finish line, they are populated with so many intentions, questions, and decisions. I like that all 20 spreads take up space in the studio, beckoning me to add color and line.
There is a world within each spread that’s been made alive in my mind and hopefully now in the minds of our readers.
I begin a picture book project by writing out the text on small postcards so I'm not overwhelmed by the large white paper canvas I end up on. Then using a pen and watercolor I get my initial thumbnails ideas out on those same cards sometimes with doodles only recognizable to myself. I then switch to fully developing the image out on a larger canvas. I’ve played with a variety of canvas sizes, but I think I’ve hit upon the right size now, which is 125% larger than the spreads you see in the book. I’m also a muralist and designer, so I try to experiment with each project and let it tell me what it needs, staying open to new possibilities. With each book, I’m able to refine my process a little more.
LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?
Visitors to my hometown of San Antonio can check my work at our newly unveiled World Heritage Center. I was responsible for the design of the veranda that provides shade and encompasses the building with images of our native flora and fauna. My other creation will be on the floor within the ground’s of the building. It will be constructed with etched colored concrete and is designed to welcome a drum circle or serve as a gathering space which honors the four directions as well as our city’s river. The concept was based on community input and honors many of the indigenous customs and knowledge still alive in our area previously known as Yanaguana.
I’ve also been experimenting with animation lately, specifically with the rotoscoping technique. I’m working on a project that is part of a multimedia movement based performance called “Happy Birthday, Mom!” created by my friend Jacque Salame.
LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?
It’s interesting that you ask that because I am in the early stages of developing a graphic novel that could be called an autobiography in the sense that it focuses on my ancestors. They were part of a traveling carpa group, akin to a traveling tent circus, but they would perform specifically for migrant workers and other Mexican-American barrios throughout Texas and the Southwest during the depression. My work is based on my grandfather’s stories of traveling together with his siblings and parents as La Carpa Hermanos Garcia, entertaining audiences with vaudeville-like performances that included acrobats, fortune tellers, singers, dancers, strong-men, musicians, ventriloquist, seamstresses, and so much more. This is an important part of my legacy—uplifting my community through art.
The idea of creating a graphic novel grew out of a project I created in 2021. With the help of a Luminaria grant, I created an augmented reality experience enabling users to interact with recordings, simple animations, informational text and historical family photos that gave a brief history and description of the Carpa Hermanos Garcia tradition. Once completed I wanted to do more to honor and expand upon the stories I knew of my grandfather’s time as el gran comico, Don Fito.
Let's talk Adriana Garcia!
LTPB: How did you become the illustrator of For a Girl Becoming? What were the first images that popped into your mind when you saw Joy Harjo’s text?
I am grateful that The Creator granted this opportunity. My previous picture books with Xelena González really showcased familial bonds within Mestiza and Indigenous families, so I believe others became aware of my work that way. When Joy Harjo’s team reached out and asked me to illustrate this sacred poem, I could not say no. Plus, when the poet laureate asks you to do something, you do it.
Joy’s words are very evocative. I immediately saw horses—lots of them! They helped guide the work, and if you notice, they are woven throughout the book, threading the pages together in various ways. I also knew the newborn child would appear at the beginning and at the end, each time within loving hands. Whether those hands belong to an ancestor or a new mother, we know that they are there to bless and to welcome this new child. There was another line that really stuck with me: “…the singing of medicine plants / who danced back and forth in shawls of mist.” For me, that really set the tone of what I hoped to create on the canvas.
LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?
I so often showcase my community in the work I do, by using friends and family as models for the images. Since I know them and their personal journeys, I couldn’t help but reflect on their lives as I depicted Joy’s powerful words. Because it is a benediction, my painting became a part of that blessing. I contemplated their losses and gains, their joys and their pains. It became an opportunity to pray for them. It brought up a lot of emotion, and I think that is reflected in the work. This is my fifth picture book, and it took the longest to create. When you finish a monumental task like that it feels like taking a long deep breath. And that’s when you realize you’re a part of something miraculous, like birth. So while the whole process was the most challenging, it has also been the most rewarding.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?
These illustrations are acrylic paint on paper, which is now my preferred medium for picture books. I created the illustrations for our first book digitally because I had recently purchased a Wacom tablet and wanted to challenge myself to learn the medium. At that time the tablet had to be hardwired to my computer. So I learned that while convenient, I didn’t want to be tethered to the computer or any device for that matter.
There is a world within each spread that’s been made alive in my mind and hopefully now in the minds of our readers.
Visitors to my hometown of San Antonio can check my work at our newly unveiled World Heritage Center. I was responsible for the design of the veranda that provides shade and encompasses the building with images of our native flora and fauna. My other creation will be on the floor within the ground’s of the building. It will be constructed with etched colored concrete and is designed to welcome a drum circle or serve as a gathering space which honors the four directions as well as our city’s river. The concept was based on community input and honors many of the indigenous customs and knowledge still alive in our area previously known as Yanaguana.
LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?
It’s interesting that you ask that because I am in the early stages of developing a graphic novel that could be called an autobiography in the sense that it focuses on my ancestors. They were part of a traveling carpa group, akin to a traveling tent circus, but they would perform specifically for migrant workers and other Mexican-American barrios throughout Texas and the Southwest during the depression. My work is based on my grandfather’s stories of traveling together with his siblings and parents as La Carpa Hermanos Garcia, entertaining audiences with vaudeville-like performances that included acrobats, fortune tellers, singers, dancers, strong-men, musicians, ventriloquist, seamstresses, and so much more. This is an important part of my legacy—uplifting my community through art.
The idea of creating a graphic novel grew out of a project I created in 2021. With the help of a Luminaria grant, I created an augmented reality experience enabling users to interact with recordings, simple animations, informational text and historical family photos that gave a brief history and description of the Carpa Hermanos Garcia tradition. Once completed I wanted to do more to honor and expand upon the stories I knew of my grandfather’s time as el gran comico, Don Fito.
A big thank you to Adriana for talking to me about this gorgeous book and revealing more about her process. For a Girl Becoming publishes today from Norton Young Readers.
Special thanks to Adriana and Norton Young Readers for use of these images!
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