The Storyteller Launch Party at Books of Wonder!
The Storyteller will be out in stores June 28 and Books of Wonder in New York City will be hosting a launch party on June 30, from 6-8pm. Come by for book signing, original art from the book, a window display, and light refreshments! Hope to see you all there! Please RSVP at the Facebook Event below: The Storyteller Launch Party at Books of Wonder ...
read more“When a storyteller dies, a library burns”
The old Moroccan saying that Turk shares with readers, “When a storyteller dies, a library burns,” perfectly captures the message of his picture book: stories are life. In drought-stricken Morocco, at the edge of the Sahara desert, a thirsty child’s quest for water leads him to a fountain, where an old, forgotten storyteller sits. He captures the boy’s imagination with a tale, and by the time the man has finished speaking, the boy’s cup has miraculously filled with cool water. Day after day, the boy returns to the fountain, eager to hear more...
read moreWe need stories to feed our spirits
Folktales involving water abound in all cultures, but this tale is unusual in using water as a metaphor for story: just as we need water to nourish our physical selves, we need stories to feed our spirits. In Turk’s fable, a lone storyteller remains in a Moroccan city where the water sources have all dried up. When a young boy seeks water, the water-seller has only a bowl to give him, but the storyteller tells him a tale that miraculously fills the bowl. In a series of nested stories, the boy’s thirst is quenched, and by retelling the stories...
read more‘The Turn of the Page’ at the Brooklyn Public Library
I am honored that original artwork from ‘The Storyteller’ will be a part of the new exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library ‘The Turn of the Page‘ curated by author/illustrator Pat Cummings. I had the pleasure of taking Pat’s children’s book class while I was at Parsons, and she wanted to include the work of her former students who continued on in children’s books because teaching is such a big part of her life. I’m very proud to be a part of this show by one of my favorite teachers at...
read moreThe weaver as Storyteller
In October 2014 I took a trip to Morocco to do research for The Storyteller. One of my favorite experiences was spending a day in the village of Anzal in southern Morocco and meeting the women carpet weavers there and their family. These drawings (aside from the illustrations from the book at the end) were done on-location in Anzal and the nearby Oasis de Fint. I arrived at the village of Anzal and met, Naoual, a twenty two year old woman from the village who translated for me and told me about her village and the weaving association....
read moreStories, like water, are life sustaining
Swaths of indigo swirl across detailed folk art illustrations in this intricate allegorical tale about the power of storytelling. – A layered narrative featuring stories nestled within stories begins with a boy in a drought-stricken Moroccan village, where water and storytellers are scarce. Looking to quench his thirst, the boy encounters an ancient raconteur: “The man’s face cracked like dry mud to reveal a toothless grin. ‘Sit down, my boy, and your thirst shall be quenched.’ ” Various tales and their tellers are woven into the story...
read moreThe Art of ‘The Storyteller’: Behind the Scenes, Part 1
The process for creating ‘The Storyteller’ began in August of 2012 while at an illustration/drawing workshop with Dalvero Academy, an independent school of continuing studies in art and illustration that I have been a part of for many years. As part of a semi-annual trip with the school to DisneyWorld, one of our rigorous days was in EPCOT where I focused on the Morocco pavillion. The pavilions at EPCOT are more than just culturally inspired attractions, they are created by the governments of the countries represented as a...
read moreThe Art of ‘The Storyteller’: Indigo, Tea, and Fire
The artwork in ‘The Storyteller’ was created using a long list of materials including water-soluble crayons, colored drawing pencils, and inks. But my favorite technique in the book involves indigo, tea, and fire! Learn more about this technique (which should not be attempted without adult supervision!) in this...
read moreThe Art of ‘The Storyteller’: Influences
The style of the artwork in The Storyteller evolved over a long time, incorporating many different influences along the way. In this post, I’ll focus on a few of these influences and how they are reflected in the art throughout the book. Gustav Klimt Since Moroccan art is full of pattern, I thought I’d look at another artist who loved pattern: Gustav Klimt. I liked the way he combined and organized intricate patterns with large flat shapes, I thought it would be an interesting way to reflect the Moroccan aesthetic. ...
read moreStorytelling Celebrated as Life-giving Force
The art of storytelling is celebrated as a life-giving force in this enthralling picture book set in Morocco. – A nameless, thirsty boy meets a storyteller and is drawn to return day after day to listen to intricately linked stories and to learn the older man’s art. The stories bring not only sustenance to the boy’s inner life, but water to his lips, for in this world, storytelling and water are symbolically connected. Stories will ward off the great drought if the Sahara encroaches on the cities, but only if young people keep the...
read moreThe Storyteller
From Ezra Jack Keats 2015 New Illustrator Honor recipient Evan Turk comes his debut work as author-illustrator: an original folktale that celebrates the power of stories and storytelling.
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