A New Day

2022


These images were taken during my undergraduate art and design exhibition at the McEachern Art Center, Stairway Wit, which was on display from April 22 - May 7, 2022. For my capstone project, I wrote and illustrated a children's book. I also created an AR extension to one of the spreads, which I used as the backdrop for my exhibition. 
 
The story and illustrations in my children’s book, A New Day, were inspired by Cherokee history and culture. A New Day’s storyline is based upon the Going-to-Water ceremony, a daily Cherokee ritual. This ceremony consisted of the Cherokee tribe gathering in the morning, traveling to the Tennessee River, immersing themselves in the water, and saying their prayers of thanks to the seven directions (North, South, East, West, Sky, Earth, and Spirit). The purpose of this ceremony was to cleanse the individual from all negative feelings so they could begin the day’s work.

The illustrations in A New Day are a visual representation of the Cherokee culture before colonists arrived in North America. I researched the craftsmanship of Cherokee artifacts and visited the Eastern Band of the Cherokee in North Carolina to view these objects in person and to discuss my book with modern Cherokee historians and artists. Color, placement of objects, proportions of figures, and variation of perspective were all designed to capture the attention of a younger audience. Ultimately, I created this project to entertain, engage, and teach my readers about an underrepresented culture in the children's book industry.

There is a lack of native representation in available children’s books. A study presented by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) states that in 2016, only roughly one percent of children’s books were about Natives. This disheartening statistic fueled my senior work.

The majority of my project is inspired by my own background, both personally and artistically. I am from Goreville, a rural town in Southern Illinois, very close to the path of the Trail of Tears. My geographical location and distant Cherokee descent inspired A New Day. I am moved to create children’s books because of my love for illustrating for a younger audience. I have a strong background in drawing, and when I first began to learn more about graphic design at Mercer University, I strived to merge my drawing skills with digital design. In 2020, I took an illustration class in which I was able to create a visual spread for a children’s book. I loved every part of that project. Since then, I have been motivated to write and illustrate my own children’s book, and I am beyond excited to share the work I have done to complete A New Day.