My New Favorite Illustrator: Jane Ray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Every so often I run into an illustrator whose images are so beautifully rendered I become a bit obsessed with their work. It’s akin to when I discovered Miro and Gustav Klimt while in college. I traveled to New York twice in one fall semester just to see their masterpieces up close and personal. I didn’t care if those trips left me penniless by semester’s end. It was worth it!
My latest creative hero isn’t a dead artist. No, she’s 
quite alive and well and utterly brilliant. Her name is Jane Ray and her illustrations are not only gorgeous, but quite magical and ethereal.
Her latest work from Candlewick Press is Snow White. I know what you’re thinking: how can anyone put a new twist on such a legendary fairy tale? I’m here to tell you, she doesn’t attempt to control the story or add any new flair to it. But she certainly adds a layer of beauty, novelty and suspense simply with her illustrations. I also love Jane Ray’s illustrations because she isn’t afraid to add people of color in her scenes, even making major characters like princesses and princes 
people of color such as in The Apple Pip Princess and Classic Fairy Tales. And to make the book even more appealing, it is a three-dimensional pop-up book that Candlewick Press is widely noted for.
Jane Ray’s Snow White will be a marvelous gift to any girl for the holidays. Not only will they get lost in the story, but the 3-D scenes will take their breath away.
2 Responses to “My New Favorite Illustrator: Jane Ray”
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- - November 1, 2009
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Nadia Simone: Age 2 1/2 years
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I just wanted to thankyou for your generous comments on my work – it is wonderful to get such positive feedback! I feel it is vital to be inclusive in my illustrations. I spend alot of time in primary schools in and around London and the majority of the classes I talk to are made up of children from many different ethnicities. It is vital that they see themselves represented in the books and pictures I am showing them. All children need to imagine themselves as princes and princesses, witches, giants and fairies, as goodies and baddies! Many thanks for your comments and I hope you continue to enjoy my books andpictures!