At our most recent #HFGather, Pat Cummings chatted with author/illustrator and HF Diversity Fellow Daria Peoples. The two shared a powerful, honest discussion about art, race, mentorship and more. The Gather was also a celebration of Daria as our 2021 Artist of the Year. Original art from her book America My Love America My Heart will decorate the Barn walls at our Retreat Center all year. We also announced a 2021 Special Scholarship in honor of Daria.
Some of the topics that came up in their discussion:
- When you bring passion and personal interest to a work, you need to find an editor or agent who understands what you’re putting out there
- Honoring that little voice inside you that says “I am an artist”
- Thinking about what makes the rhythm of your heart beat
- Creating books that address contemporary racism and not historical racism
- Daria seeing that part of her role as an author/illustrated is to capture the “child heart”
- How Daria’s book America My Love America My Heart is partially a reaction to an incident that happened to her when she was 6 years old
- Finding the right mentor means it is a mutual experience. They are receiving just as much as you are
- How children are “professional picture readers”
If you missed it, you can watch the full Gather here:
Daria Peoples: 2021 Artist of the Year
