Wendy Anderson Halperin

I have loved the pencil ever since I can remember. I was born in Illinois and used to ride horses and ponies with my sisters and friends as a child. There was a hitching post at our grocery store.We would pack a lunch and come home at the end of the day.

My father always supported the arts. If I came home and wanted to glue plastic toys on the hood of my car he would say something like "Come on in here, Wendy I think I have the perfect glue." My mother is a sculptor and loves to talk about art and design. We always had very inspiring books around from amazing forts in trees to an artist making houses out of bottles and plaster. These books have inspired me to want to make things.

I studied art at Syracuse University and Pratt Institute. I continued to study with a painter, David Hardey in Oakland CA for 2 years. It was with David I learned to draw and drawing has been my main interest ever since. I have loved the audience of children for my work. I also like to consider the other person reading the book to a child and hope my work inspires some conversation beyond the text.

I find the natural world a constant source of fascinating material to draw. From interesting clothing in Bolivia to a bamboo forest to leeks in my garden. For me, drawing is a lovely way to get to know someone or something.

My favorite award was a nomination from an environmental award committee for "Planting the Wild Garden" as I like to think of myself as an environmentalist just because I like to show the abundance of beauty in our world.

I also like to draw relationships between people. Kindness between a child and a grandparent or just someone listening to someone else.

I would like to thank everyone for being part of my journey in these books.