Jack & Olive

Jack & Olive follows the journey of a child and an owl as they walk the ever-present green line through a changing landscape. Through small exchanges and interactions the importance and responsibility of friendship are explored.

Original artwork: 6"x9", collage made with photographs and paper. Hand drawn elements on bristol board with marker. Hand lettering on vellum with marker.

Jack and Olive was my 2nd children’s book. It was a work of love and with it I felt I was able to bridge the gap between art and illustration. As with, Well Stu Would You? the story for Jack and Olive was born from something I observed in the classroom where I worked with 3 year-olds. I wanted to tell a story but really get to the heart of it without having to hammer home a message. I also wanted to make something beautiful that drew you in visually, especially as I opted to use limited text. The original illustrations for Jack and Olive were hand drawn and collaged onto photographs taken with a 35mm camera in Boston, of spaces that gave a sense of abstract or in between space. In order to visually unify the pages I opted for a literal green line or path that Jack and Olive follow on their quiet journey together. In 2013, I again chose a limited run for Jack and Olive and with the help of a successful Kickstarter project, printed 100 books that went into the hands of my supporters. Jack and Olive was printed using a layflat method allowing each page to open fully without a seam.