University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum will be holding their 2021 annual Summer Conference in a virtual format July 12-14.

The virtual, three-day conference brings together internationally known authors and illustrators from across the country to share information about themselves and the art they create for picture books. Cost of the full three-day conference is $60. Attendance is limited to 300 participants. Registration ends July 9.

Benjamin Sapp, director of the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum, said, participants will “hear from some of the top authors and illustrators of picture books in the country. They will share with you about their life, the books they create and a bit on the process of making a rich resource for teachers, librarians, and anyone with a love of picture books.”

Featured keynote presentations will be held daily along with multiple breakout sessions to “provide resources for teachers and librarians to use in their daily work with people of all ages,” said Sapp. All presentations and breakout sessions will be presented via Zoom and recordings of each will be available for up to three months after the conference to paid attendees.

 

The 2021 Summer Conference keynote speakers, authors, and artists include:

• Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of the NY Times bestseller, “My Heart”; as well as “The Book of Mistakes,” which received four starred reviews and has been praised by Entertainment Weekly, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, and more. She also illustrated “Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse,” written by Marcy Campbell; “Weird Little Robots,” written by Carolyn Crimi, and “Nothing In Common,” written by Kate Hoefler. She lives in Olympia, Washington.
• Julia Denos is an author and illustrator of books for children. She loves words, pictures, making a mess, and cleaning up. Watercolor is her favorite medium because it’s the wildest. Her most beloved thing, besides her dog, is imagining. She lives and works in a coastal town, just outside of Boston, where she earned her art degree.
• Matthew Forsythe is an award-winning comic book artist and illustrator. His first children’s book, “My Name Is Elizabeth!” by Annika Dunklee, was named a 2011 New York Times Notable Children’s Book. His first comic, “Ojingogo,” was nominated for an Eisner Award and won a Doug Wright Award for Best Experimental Comic. Matthew also was the Lead Designer on the animated show, “Adventure Time,” on Cartoon Network. He lives in Montreal.
• April dela Noche Milne is a Filipino Canadian artist based in Vancouver. Her work is inspired by grief, memories, everyday narratives, and issues of identity. She is the artist for the graphic novel “The Blue Road: A fable of migration.” April illustrated “The Imperfect Garden,” a children’s book written by Melissa Assaly (2019). Her work has also been featured in Briarpatch Magazine, Ricepaper Magazine, and EVENT Magazine, as well as various public places around Vancouver.
• Hannah Salyer is a writer and illustrator of picture books, but she also does graphic design, custom ceramics, fabrication, editorial, and advertising illustration work. Her debut picture book, Packs, Strength in Numbers was published in January of 2020. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
• Sarah Jacoby’s illustrations have won awards from the Society of Illustrators (Gold Medal), Creative Quarterly, American Illustration, and Communication Arts. She illustrated “Rabbit and Motorbike,” by Kate Hoefler, and “The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown,” by Mac Barnett. She is also the author and illustrator of “Forever or a Day.” She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

For more information on the Summer Conference including the full itinerary, Zoom meetings, and event registration, visit the Mazza Museum’s website.