Interview with Children's Author and Illustrator Michael Salmon

I'm delighted to welcome one of Australia's favourite children's authors and illustrators, Michael Salmon, to Books for Little Hands.

You started your career entertaining children in a marionette troupe called, The Tintookies. What was this experience like?

Fantastic, it was a quickly served apprenticeship into the enchanting world of children's professional entertainment. Engaged originally as a stage manager, I then spent several years as a set designer then became the Company's Artistic Director (1968 - 1976).

When did you make the transition into writing and illustrating children's books?

It was a very amateur, self-published book that started it all back in 1972. 'The Monster that ate Canberra' was released out and tickled funny-bones in the ACT. The monster himself, 'Alexander Bunyip', was indeed the Public Service thinly veiled, couched in a children's book format (vague social commentary).

How many books have you written?

 162

What's your secret to writing interesting book characters?

Humour, eccentricity ... sometimes a tad 'surreal'.

Also the fact that I'm visually creating them as well.

What inspired you to write and develop your most popular children's character Alexander Bunyip?

'Alexander lived in Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, our National Capital ... a perfect billabong hideaway. He feasted daily on the iconic Australian buildings and structures by the lakeside ...'

It was a commentary re living in the ACT at that time: The Public Service devoured ALL...
Please also refer to Q2.


 

Congratulations on the unveiling of The Alexander Bunyip Statue created by Ann Ross in Canberra.  Can you tell us about it?

The Gungahlin Community Council proposed the idea to the ACT Government in 2009. 

It was seen as a tribute to the book in its role of aiding 'young Canberrians' to read over the last four decades. 

It was their very own 'Canberra Book'.

It had popular local support and won approval. 

The commission was awarded to Anne Ross (Melbourne). 

She did a brilliant job: $175,000 budget and 500kg of bronze.

Unveiled by Chief Minister Jon Stanhope in April 2011, it stands in the Town Park, directly outside both the new Public Library and new Secondary College.

The buildings at the back of the Bunyip statue light up at night!

What are some of the biggest highlights of your career?

*40 years of visiting Australian schools (talking to and cartooning for: over a million and a quarter students).

*Having the 'Alexander Bunyip Show' on afternoon, National ABC-TV for a decade.

*Forthcoming involvement with The National Library of Australia, presenting cartooning 'History shows' there this June ... to ACT School Students. 

*Show content will be based on the artifacts, papers and maps on exhibition in 'The Treasures Gallery'

You've visited more than 5000 schools. How do you connect to children during visits and keep them entertained?

Fast cartooning, lots of lively chat, humorous stories and interaction with the student audience. I speak to all age groups at once, usually in audiences between 150-500 Students.

Tell us about your latest book, Bobo, My Superdog.

Bobo is a spoilt little 'White n' fluffy' woofer.... He's my dog! He appears to be a 'normal, suburban Pooch' however looks can be mistaken.... He's in fact a 'super dog'  ...... constantly out there on 'BAD-GUY' duty!

But Bobo is always home for dinner!

I've noticed that you have an incredible collection of photography. When did your passion for photography begin?

I'm thoroughly enjoying my 'facebook experience'. I have my own page and eight of my characters have their own individual pages also. I post up interesting and 'odd' pics/photos that I find whilst voyaging around the 'IT Ocean'. I passed the 6000 mark a while ago! It's probably becoming an obsession.... It can join the queue!!!!
 

Biography: Michael Salmon                                                           2012

Michael Salmon has been involved in graphics, children’s literature, TV and theatre since 1967. He started his career with surfing cartoons and exhibitions of his psychedelic art and then joined the famous marionette troupe ‘The Tintookies’ as a trainee set designer/stage manager in 1968 (The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust).

Since then, his work has been solely for young people both here in Australia and overseas. His many credits include his ‘Alexander Bunyip show’ (ABC TV 1978-88), pantomimes, fabric and varied merchandise designs, toy and board game invention and the writing and illustrating of 162 books for young readers.

Michael has extensively toured Australian schools over the past 40 years. His sessions are lots of fun, with lightning fast cartoons, caricatures, silly prizes and general encouragement for students to develop their own creativity.

Many of these school visits can be seen on his web site: www.michaelsalmon.com.au

Recent trips have been up to the Gulf of Carpentaria Savannah Schools and to the remote Aboriginal community schools on Cape York Peninsula as a guest of EDU QLD.

The Australian Government honoured his work in 2004 by printing a 32^nd Centenary, special edition of his first book ‘The Monster that ate Canberra’ as a commonwealth publication. Every Federal Politician received a copy!

The first official children's book that the Federal Government has ever produced!

In 2010 the ACT Government further recognised his work by commissioning a bronze statue of his first book character ‘Alexander Bunyip’. ‘Unveiled’ in April 2011, it stands next to the new Gungahlin Library in our Federal Capital.

Michael is also the Creator/Designer of ‘Buddy Bear’ for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation (Port Arthur 1996). The Foundation financially supports Children/Families who are victims of violence/violent crime. Currently they are running an anti-bullying campaign in TAS, VIC, and NSW Schools.

Interview with Children's Author/Illustrator Katherine Battersby

When did you first know that you wanted to be a children's author and illustrator?

 I have always scribbled word and images. As an internal kind of child it quickly became my way of processing the world, but I didn't always know I wanted to pursue it as a career. First I grew a bit taller and got a bit older. I finished school; started university worked a lot and travelled even more. At university I studied occupational therapy, specialising as a children's counsellor, and it was working with these incredible children that lead me back to my writing. I was drawn to children's literature as a place where reality could be explored alongside wonder and magic, and for about 5 years now I've been addicted to writing and illustrating for young people.

 What inspired you to create your picture book character Squish?

 As writers we're often told: 'write what you know'. I believe what is actually meant by this phrase is to 'write to your emotional truths', or write to the feelings you know and understand. Looking back on my childhood, Squish Rabbit certainly captures my emotional truths. I recall vividly what it was like to feel small in a big world. I remember feeling like I had important things to say in a world where big people got listened to first. I felt a lot like Squish, and still do at times (even as an adult!).

As to why he is a rabbit, well that's a whole other story. Firstly my dad was British, so I spent chunks of my childhood in England visiting relatives. Memories of my time over there are quite dreamlike, almost as if I was wandering through some kind of storybook. The countryside was lush and green and home to the kind of tangly forests where adventures where sure to happen, full of wild animals (like snow-white rabbits) unfamiliar to me. It's no wonder to me that as a writer and illustrator for children, when I need to escape to the storytelling part of my mind this is where I go - back down the rabbit hole. I also grew up in quite an extraordinary house that was built into the side of a hill. It was a bit like a human rabbit warren, so I think this has helped me to sympathise with rabbits!

Congratulations on the upcoming release of Squish 2 ( called, Brave Squish Rabbit). Can you please tell us about it?

It's another adventure about Squish's difficulties in being small. Squish finds that there are many big things to be fearful of, like storms and chickens and especially the dark. The dark is so big it's everywhere. But late one day his friend goes missing and Squish needs to confront his fears in order to help. And, if he's brave, he might just find something quite wonderful about the dark after all.

In true Squish style there is a carrot load of quirk, a good dose of cute and plenty of heart. A few favourite little friends from the first book may also make an appearance... 

You were awarded the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship in 2010 for two years. What was this experience like? 

 Amazing - getting the phone call to say I'd been awarded one was definitely one of my most exciting writing days to date. It has really opened up a world of opportunities for me as a creator. In 2011 I got to do a huge trip to New York to meet my US agent, my wonderful publisher (Viking, Penguin) and attend one of the world's largest children's writing an illustrating conferences (the SCBWI Winter Conference). It was an incredible experience, and really boosted my confidence as an author. It has also allowed me to attend a few incredible Australian conferences. I have my final trip to London planned for next year to research a YA novel I'm writing - I can't wait!

How would you describe your writing and illustrating style?

 It varies depending on the project, but there are certainly things I'm drawn to as a creator. I've long been interested in the tales of misfits - children who are often overlooked in life but have remarkable things inside of them. As a picture book writer I try to write cleanly and sparsely, letting the illustrations carry much of the story. In fact I like to think of each spread as a haiku, keeping the words very limited. Visually I love white space contrasted with bright (but limited) colours. I also love textured art - images that make you want to reach out and touch them. I tend to use a kind of digital collage - ink, watercolour, fabric, textiles and found objects all combined digitally.

I also write novels, which are obviously quite different. I'm drawn to adventures and coming of age tales and stories that are a little darker. I'd also love to create a graphic novel with more layered illustrations. All things I hope to explore more with time.

 What's next?

 That's a very good question, Renee! Like many writers, my creative mind is a bit manic and I have so many projects I want to be working on. There are a couple of picture books calling to me, one for the very young and one that is slightly more emotionally complex (for more mature readers). I'm just completing the edits on a middle-grade novel and also hoping to complete my first YA novel. Now if I can only eliminate the need for sleep, I'll be just fine...

Thank you Katherine for sharing your gorgeous picture book Squish Rabbit. You can read more about Katherine on her blog The Well Read Rabbit.