Crawford, K(aren) Michael 1959-

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CRAWFORD, K(aren) Michael 1959-

Personal

Born August 23, 1959, in Lancaster, PA; daughter of Cal (a business owner) and Virginia L. (an executive assistant) Fry. Education: University of Maryland, B.S., 1984.

Addresses

office— K. Michael Crawford Studio, 7534 Cherry Tree Dr., Fulton, MD 20759. E-mail— [email protected].

Career

Illustrator of books and educational products; freelance illustrator for Special Olympics, Disney, Scholastic, and Hanna Barbera. Exhibitions: Works have been exhibited throughout the United States.

Member

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Awards, Honors

Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (SILA) West 40 award; SILA West 42 award; Parent's Choice award.

Writings

ILLUSTRATOR

Diane Ampeliotis, Sebastian the Star, University Editions (Huntington, WV), 1995.

Chicken Little, Ideal Children's Books, 1998.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda in England, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 1999.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda In China, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 1999.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda In Egypt, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 1999.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda in Russia, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 2001.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda in India, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 2001.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda in France, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 2001.

Ambika Mathur-Kamat, Miss Panda in Japan, Windstorm Creative (Port Orchard, WA), 2001.

Hillary Hayden Burri, Bedtime Safari, 2004.

Skunky's Skill, Perfection Learning, 2005.

Sneaky Jean, Perfection Learning, 2005.

Ike Takes a Hike, Perfection Learning, 2005.

Also illustrator of Timbo and the Butterfly and A Christmas Story, both 1981.

Work in Progress

Birds of a Different Feather.

Sidelights

K. Michael Crawford told Something about the Author: "I was lucky, I always knew very young what I wanted to be, a children's book writer and illustrator, when I grew up and it didn't hurt that I had a sense of humor and love to have fun in life. I have always viewed life in a different way than others and that helps when it comes to my work. I see the magic in things around me and put that into my work.

"I began my career back in 1981 while still in college. A friend of mine and I decided to self-publish two books, Timbo and the Butterfly and A Christmas Story. They didn't hit the New York Times best-seller list, but they gave us a good knowledge of the publishing world. We even got a half-page article in the Baltimore Sun about the books.

"Then life got in the way and it wasn't until 1991 that I went back into children's books. I got my first illustrated book published in 1995 with a small publisher in West Virginia. Then in 1998, I illustrated Chicken Little for Ideal Children's Books. Ever since, I have been illustrating for children's books, educational books, and children's products.

"What do I hope to achieve through the books I illustrate and write? I always kind of thought it was to paint the world a little brighter, because I am known for the bright colors I use in my work. What I would like to achieve through my work is to have made a child's life a little sillier and gotten them to laugh at least a few times by looking at my work, and just maybe I'll have made the world a little better.

"I look at the things around me in life and those things seem to inspire the things I paint and write. I could be talking to a friend and get an idea, or it could be something I see while moving through my life. Creativity is a very special gift and I make sure that I take very good care of it. I have now started writing my own books to publish and have taken my creativity to a new, magical level.

"I am inspired by all types of art, writers, performing artists, musicians, illustrators and artists. There is not just one source I can credit with all my inspiration. A long time ago, another artist told me that if you want your art to be two-dimensional, then only surround yourself with a few things. But if you want your work to be three-dimensional, then go out and get as many experiences as you possibly can. Your work will show your experiences and be all the better for it."