Maryjane Begin
Maryjane Begin, "Porcupine at sunset" from Little Mouse's Painting by Diane Wolkstein, Morrow Junior Books, 1992, watercolor and acrylic on paper, Lent by the Artist
Realistic detail, rich colors and the quality of liveliness that they bring to the accompanying text distinguish Maryjane Begin's illustrations. She has been inspired by the work of other illustrators such as Garth Williams, Dr. Seuss, and Chris Van Allsburg (with whom she studied), but has developed a distinctive style. She often portrays humanized animals in whimsical situations.
Begin also finds material for her pictures from her environment, which is currently the city of Providence, Rhode Island. She was born in 1963 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and attended art school at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she presently teaches. Although Begin has also found success as a commercial artist, her primary interest is in telling stories through her illustrations. She uses ingenious mixed media techniques to create different effects in her paintings, and enjoys experimenting to find solutions.
