Shown is an illustration by Quentin Blake for “The BFG,” a book by Roald Dahl. Image used for educational purposes.

By Darla McCammon
and DeeAnna Muraski
Guest Columnists

WARSAW — Creating art is not easy. Some artists have such a natural talent for painting that they make it look easy, like Bob Ross. For example, let us say an artist wants to paint a beautiful spruce tree in their yard and wants to paint what that tree looks like in winter. They would take a three-dimensional item, put it on a one-dimensional canvas, then make it look three-dimensional. All of that must consider the correct mixing of paint colors, perspective, shading, values, etc. Which is difficult enough; but then, imagine adding another layer of difficulty – creating the unseen. This is exactly what our artist featured this week has done repeatedly.

This spry young artist, Quentin Blake, at the age of 91, is still creating magnificent artwork. Born in 1932 in the United Kingdom, he officially has the title Sir Quentin Blake. Blake knew in his youth at 16 that he had a talent for art when his first piece was quickly purchased. Like Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), Blake also served in his country’s military and used his artistic talents for the war effort. While Geisel’s talents were creating illustrated protocol brochures (“how to clean your gun”), Blake created illustrated booklets to help those in the services who could not read.

While Blake was talented at art, trying to make a living solely by doing that in the early 1950s was not as plausible. Thus, Blake went to college, majoring in English, at the University of Cambridge. Thankfully, he did not completely shelve his love of art and continued successfully illustrating for the college newspaper. He went on to attend the University of London to receive his teaching degree. While there he took classes at the Chelsea School of Art. Upon graduating, he started a lucrative career teaching English and art.

Blake was influenced greatly by many of his teachers who not only encouraged his talent but also connected him with people of distinction who could elevate his work. One such person was Theodor Geisel, who commissioned Blake to illustrate one of the few books that Geisel (Dr. Seuss) did not illustrate himself.

The other author Blake illustrated for, which firmly established him in the illustration annals, was Roald Dahl. Dahl wrote “The BFG” (Big Friendly Giant), “Matilda,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” With all of these creations, Blake had to capture reality but add the imaginary world created by the author. What results is an amazing collaboration, delighting children and adults.

Over his lifetime, Blake has illustrated more than 500 books and written several dozen himself. His contributions to the art and illustration field have resulted in the most prestigious and highest awards in art. Blake’s work transcends the page, appearing delightfully in children’s hospitals, nursing homes, city block murals, etc. He evokes as much whimsy and charm in his illustrations as the author does in his depictions of those imagined creations.

Quote from “The BFG” by Roald Dahl: The Big Friendly Giant speaks to little Sophie about why some of his words do not come out of his mouth like they are supposed to, which, of course, creates the most amusing reading for children and adults, and says this: “Words,” he said, “is oh such a twitch-tickling problem to me all my life. So you must simply try to be patient and stop squibbling. As I am telling you before, I know exactly what words I am wanting to say, but somehow or other they is always getting squiff-squiddled around.”

Darla McCammon is an artist, columnist and author. DeeAnna Muraski is executive director of Operation Read USA Inc.