ASTRID SHECKELS
fine art & illustration
ASTRID SHECKELS
fine art & illustration
ABOUT ASTRID SHECKELS
Astrid Sheckels is a native of the small farming town of Hatfield, Massachusetts, and cannot remember a time when she was not telling or illustrating stories. She grew up with her father's and grandfather's stories, therefore it's not surprising that Astrid herself enjoys telling stories - though hers are told visually. She says that, through her illustrations, she tries to give a story more depth and dimension - to take it to a new level.
Astrid began expressing herself artistically at age 2 when she decorated her family's new wall-to-wall carpeting with wax crayons. Home schooling and private art instruction laid the foundation for her artistic education, which was formalized at Greenfield Community College.
PUBLISHING PROJECTS
Her first two books, the award-winning The Scallop Christmas (2009) and the award-winning The Fish House Door (2010), were both published by Islandport Press. She has illustrated the picture book Hope Somewhere in America (Twin Lights Publishers) and done the interior illustrations for the chapter book Black Cloud in the Horse Diaries series (Random House). Both of these books will be released in 2012. She is currently working on the cover art/design for the YA series Fifties Chix (FastPencil PREMIERE, 2011-), the interior illustrations for the chapter book Tennessee Rose in the Horse Diaries series (Random House, 2012), and writing and illustrating the picture book Nic and Nellie (Islandport Press, 2013). She also has a number of additional children’s books in work, including several picture storybooks (Schooner Bear at Sea, Goodwill to Men, Rainy Day, Ivy & Burl), some wordless picture storybooks (Holger the Dane, Homer & Sasha, The Day I Met the King), and a number of book series (Max & Friends, Maestro Mouse, Hector Fox).
Astrid’s illustrations are primarily done in watercolor. Starting with a story board, she creates countless sketches and pencil drawings in the process of developing the layout of the book. Astrid goes on location photo shoots to discover the right setting and bases each of her illustrated characters on real people. Many of her friends and neighbors have modeled for her.
FINE ART & STUDIO
Astrid is a member of The Western Mass Illustrators Guild and The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She has won a number of art awards, including the Archibald McLeish Prize for Art (2003), the Medici Award in the Visual Arts (2004), the prestigious Lupine Honor Award (2009), and the Moonbeam Award for best picture book for all ages (2010). Besides illustration, she also paints portraits and landscapes in oil on canvas and watercolor, and teaches art courses at Artspace Community Art Center in Greenfield. Astrid now lives and maintains her studio in the rolling hills of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Astrid has spent much time in her mother's homeland of Denmark and her Scandinavian roots are evident in her fine art and illustrations.
PHILOSOPHY OF ART
Astrid describes her art as "an outcropping of who I am. I am a Christian and my art reflects my world view. If you see any life, vitality, light, order, or beauty in my work, it is but a reflection of God, the Great Creator."
BOOKS:
Horse Diaries #8: Black Cloud - Random House, 2012
Travel to Tomorrow (Fifties Chix series) -FastPencil PREMIERE, 2011
The Fish House Door - Islandport Press , 2010
The Scallop Christmas - Islandport Press, 2009
COMING SOON:
2012 - Keeping Secrets (Fifties Chix series) - FastPencil PREMIERE
2012 - Hope Somewhere in America - Twin Lights Publishers
2012 - Horse Diaries #9: Tennessee Rose - Random House
2013 - Nic and Nellie - Islandport Press
AWARDS:
2011 - Maine Literary Award, Best Children’s Book (The Fish House Door)
2010 - Moonbeam Award, Best Picture Book -All Ages (The Fish House Door)
2010 - Maine Literary Award, Honorable Mention (The Scallop Christmas)
2009 - Lupine Honor Award (The Scallop Christmas)
2004 - Medici Award in the Visual Arts
2003 - Archibald MacLeish Prize for Art
2003 - Deerfield Valley Art Association Award in Art
MEMBERSHIPS:
The Western Mass Illustrators’ Guild
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
WORK EXPERIENCE:
2005--, Art instructor for adults and children, Artspace Community Arts Center, Greenfield, MA
2005-2009 , Instructor for Private Art Lessons, Franklin County, MA
2005, Mural painter for an educational design company, The Holbek Group, Turners Falls, MA
2004-2008, Art teacher for Jonathan Edwards Academy, Turners Falls, MA (a Christian and classical school, K-12)
RECENT EXHIBITS:
Current - St. Louis Children’s Illustrated Art Museum, St. Louis MO
2011 - Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst MA
2009 - South Gallery,GCC, Greenfield MA
2007 - Elusie Fine Art, Easthampton MA
2007 - Hosmer Gallery, Northampton MA
2006 - Burnett Gallery, Amherst MA
2006 - 9 Mill Street Gallery, Greenfield MA
GALLERY REPRESENTATION:
2006--, Salmon Falls Artisans Showroom, Shelburne Falls, MA
Copyright © 2010 Astrid Sheckels Fine Art