Talk us through your professional background to date including how you came to your current role of Design Director for Chronicle Books.

I was a Studio Art major at Middlebury College but have also always loved writing. A year after graduating, I returned to school to study Graphic Design at California College of the Arts (CCA). I knew very little about Graphic Design, but I knew that I wanted to work in the space where both words and images came together. My Type 4 class was a book design class, and it was the first time I truly experienced how my varied interests—design, writing, visual composition, storytelling, reading, learning—could all converge in one discipline.

After graduating from CCA, I worked at Elixir Design, a design studio in San Francisco where my main role was Art Director of the catalog for the newly launched company, Athleta. I then moved to New York where I worked at Tsang Seymour Design, a studio primarily focused on design for museums and galleries. After two years in New York, I returned to San Francisco and joined Chen Design where I was fortunate to design several book projects for Chronicle Books. When an opportunity for an Associate Design Director position became available at Chronicle, I applied and have been working at Chronicle—first in the Lifestyle group and then in Children’s—ever since.

How many projects do you tend to manage at any given time?

I directly manage an average of 6–8 projects a season, two seasons a year, in addition to overseeing the Children’s Design team. Children’s books can take a while to create, so any of the designers on our team could be simultaneously working across three or four seasons of projects, at various stages of development. It’s a testament to the work we do and the respect for the individual story of each project that our books feel both distinctly Chronicle and one-of-a-kind.

Are there particular styles or subject matters that appeal to Chronicle and what portfolio advice would you offer Childrensillustrators.com members?

Chronicle publishes a wide range of Children’s publishing—from board books to picture books, chapter books to middle-grade fiction, nonfiction to graphic novels, as well as non-book formats such as games and decks. As for illustration style, there is no singular Chronicle style. Rather, we partner with illustrators who bring their unique vision and perspective to the story. A commitment to their craft, collaborative spirit, and distinctive point of view are all hallmarks of the illustrators with whom we work.

For illustrators looking for portfolio advice, I recommend highlighting work that reflects the kinds of projects you’re interested in pursuing. And though other art directors might disagree with me, it’s okay to share multiple styles. I appreciate seeing any of the styles in which an illustrator enjoys working, including personal art and sketchbooks. Having insight into the art that illustrators choose to create on their own time, as well as work that reflects their process and interests, can be very helpful when selecting an illustrator for a particular project. You never know when your summer of sketching 100 dogs might translate into the perfect pup-centric picture book.

Could you provide a glimpse into the picture book development process at Chronicle Books?

Often the author and illustrator for a picture book are different people, but occasionally the creator is both. Such is the case for Books Make Good Friends, written and illustrated by Jane Mount.

With manuscript in hand, the team determined the best trim size, page count, and production effects—in this case, gold foil on the title—and began the sketch and layout development. The sketch phase of any picture book involves several rounds of reviews and revisions, with an eye on consistency and alignment with the text, as well as overall pacing and composition. For this book, given the many references to real books, our review also included a fact check for accuracy. Once final sketches were approved, Jane finalized the art which was then placed into layouts along with final, designed text. We reviewed color proofs of these layouts, adjusted, and reviewed again until color was approved for print. At the same time, we reviewed multiple rounds of layouts, revising text and art as needed, until both Jane and the Chronicle team approved the final layouts. A highlight of the process was spotting all the details in the art—new details emerged with every read—and the personal touches Jane incorporated into both words and art (including Lotti’s Friend-Making Cookies recipe on the back endpapers).

What's the most stunning or unusual composition you've ever received from an illustrator?

I’m not exaggerating when I say that each and every book I’ve worked on has included at least one composition that has surprised and delighted me, moved me to tears, or prompted a tipping of my hat to the illustrator. On occasion, the art accomplishes all three.

A few examples: the use of color and medium to perfectly embody the joy and discovery of looking closely in Shawn Harris’s Have You Ever Seen a Flower?

The humor, warmth, and energy of Lian Cho’s Oh No, the Aunts Are Here and Laura Park’s Unstoppable, both written by Adam Rex.

Brendan Wenzel’s Two Together, the moment when Cat and Dog, after traveling side-by-side and experiencing the world in two very different ways, truly see each other.

Which are some of Chronicle's all-time and more recent bestsellers?

I Wish You More, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, is a classic Chronicle book that continues to be a bestseller year after year, appealing to readers of all ages with its warmth and emotional connection. Press Here, written and illustrated by Hervé Tullet, is also a perennial favorite, inspiring readers to play, engage, and imagine through an elegant interaction with painted dots and a book that becomes much more than a gathering of pages. 

For recent bestsellers, the Construction Site series has resonated far and wide, both the picture books and board books. We’re excited for the return of the Construction Site crew this Fall with both the Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue! picture book, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by AG Ford, and Construction Site: A Thankful Night board book, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Helen Morgan.

Walk us through the most compelling project you've worked on.

It's impossible to pick one most compelling projects - each project is compelling in its own right. But I can share an example of one book that exemplifies the innovation and collaboration inherent in Chronicle's publishing: Big and Small and In-Between, written by Carter Higgins and illustrated by Daniel Miyares. 

The team wanted to create an interactive book, one that is both an experience and a special object. From the 3-piece case to Daniel's paper-engineered section openers and grand-finale fold-out, the art and text—typeset in a custom font based on Daniel's handwriting—invite the reader into a simultaneously intimate and vast celebration of all of life's moments. The bookmaking process involved rounds of sketches, videos, mockups, discussions, and close collaboration between the creators and the Chronicle team and resulted in a keepsake-worthy book that evokes wonder and discovery, with you, the reader, “in the middle of it all.

Could you share some words of wisdom for illustrators looking to make their mark on the industry?

Be true to yourself. Learn from others with regard to tools and craft but be confident in your own vision. Noone else can tell a story exactly as you can.

That said, publishing is a highly collaborative endeavor. Be open to suggestions while also sharing your perspective. Invite and participate in dialogue. Also, communication is key, especially with regard to delivery dates and possible challenges during the art development process. Your creative team is there to support and guide you through those challenges, but they won’t be able to help—and keep the project on track— if you don’t communicate.

What's been your single most thrilling career moment?

The moment I accepted a job offer with Chronicle Books, way back in 2007. I knew that decision would be lifechanging and that I’d found my design home. I’m inspired every day by my teammates and creative partners and by the publishing and connections we create. 

Who have been your most significant mentors and what important advice did they impart?

I’ve been fortunate to learn from amazing teachers and leaders throughout school and my career, from my publishing peers and creative partners, from students and from readers who continue to find joy and comfort in books. I’ve been a professional designer for 27 years but continue to learn each and every day. There is so much yet to know.

Over the years, I often think of one of my favorite teachers at CCA, Jack Ford. He was a printmaking teacher at the school, and I can picture him clearly: mustache, Hawaiian print shirt, flip flops, a SPAM trucker hat perched on his head, a record on the print studio turntable and a fresh batch of habanero popcorn waiting to be shared. I took several classes with Jack but remember one day, in particular, in lithography. After Jack walked us through the basics of the printmaking process, he summarized it with the words, “Love your stone and your stone will love you.” I received these words as an invitation to slow down, focus, be patient and attentive with the process, an investment that would be returned tenfold in the final work. Although publishing doesn’t require coaxing stories from a stone, the attention to process and to the voice that wants to be heard, is one and the same.