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Hello and welcome, fellow geeks to Kids Book Galaxy, an online interview magazine focused on kid lit, brought to you by Galaxy-Boy Delivery! Today, we have a very special guest with us. Kim Wagner Nolan is a talented children’s illustrator and museum exhibit designer with an impressive portfolio. Her work has taken her to some incredible places, and we can’t wait to hear more about her experiences. So, let’s get started!
A note from Kim Wagner Nolan…
First, I’d like to thank Galaxy-Boy Delivery and All Ages of Geek for having me here. I’m so honored that you asked me for this interview. Hello, little geeks and grown-up geeks! I’m Kim Wagner Nolan and I design museum exhibits. I’m also a children’s illustrator. I grew up in New York and I studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. My work has taken me to some really cool places and I even got to live in New Zealand for a little while. I also lived in Hawaii and now I live in Florida. What can I say? I like living near the ocean.
How did you get started as a picture book author and illustrator?
I’ve always known that I wanted to be a professional artist. In fact, I told my parents in preschool that I planned on going to art college. Thankfully, they supported my dream and encouraged me to pursue it. They even let me turn my room into a museum and paint a mural on the walls, the ceiling, and even the blinds! For birthdays and Christmas, I’d always ask for art supplies. In 2nd grade, public school art classes were only held twice a week. That wasn’t enough for me, so I asked my mom if I could sign up for after-school art classes, too. She signed me up and I worked hard and kept taking classes from 2nd grade all throughout high school. My 3rd-grade teacher used to have us do these assignments where she’d scribble on a piece of paper. Then we’d have to turn it into a drawing and write a story about it. My classmates would cheer for my silly stories and I discovered a love for making up stories about the characters I created! It was in 5th grade when I wrote and illustrated my first picture book (but I don’t know what happened to it). I remained steadfast and never wavered from achieving my dream of going to art school. I kept working hard and I got into RISD, the best art school in the country! It was there that I took my first class in writing and illustrating picture books.
Can you tell us about some of the picture books you’ve written and illustrated?
So far, I’ve illustrated the covers of YA novels, a book for adults, and I’ve had some illustrations published in small magazines.
I have five pre-published picture books of my own that I’ve written and illustrated. I can’t reveal the titles yet but one is a STEAM picture book about a polar bear cub who gets separated from her mother due to climate change. After drifting on an iceberg, she washes up on the sandy shores of Hawaii. The stray cub has to learn to adapt to a new culture and environment, and eventually find a way back home to Alaska.
Another is a funny STEAM bedtime book about a shepherd who keeps falling asleep every time he counts his sheep. He comes up with all kinds of creative ways to stay awake so he can protect his sheep from a hungry wolf.
Still in the works is a STEAM and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) story about a determined little dung beetle confronted with obstacles and adversity while rolling hisprized poo home. He perseveres
in the face of adversity and proves that dung beetles have an important purpose.
I also wrote a silly rhyming story about love and ketchup! And another rhyming story about a stubborn dog who refuses to eat anything other than cheese.
What themes or messages do you hope to convey through your picture books?
Love and hope are the most important themes I hope to convey through my picture books (and in life). As well as kindness, acceptance, being yourself, and never giving up. I want my books to encourage kids to let their light shine.
How do you balance writing and illustrating your own books with your work designing museum exhibits?
That is a good question. It certainly is a juggling act. It’s typically a feast or a famine with projects coming to me all at once or not at all. When it’s not at all, that’s when I’m working on personal projects, updating my website, advertising, and catching up (on sleep!). It helps to be disciplined and to create a project schedule, prioritizing projects by their deadlines. I keep a list of goals for the day, week, and month, which helps keep me motivated. Flexibility is also essential. I meet with my writers’ group and illustration critique groups late at night, often past 10 pm.
Can you tell us about some of the designs you’ve made for children’s museums, science centers, and zoos?
I’ve worked on A LOT of exhibits so I’ll share some of my favorites. Changes & Challenges at the Long Island Children’s Museum was an immersive exhibit that let kids experience how people with disabilities deal with the challenges they face every day. I got to be part of the entire process of developing, designing, fabricating, and installing it. I’m proud of that exhibit because it had a positive impact on people.
My favorite zoo exhibit was the Bronx Zoo Butterfly Garden for the Wildlife Conservation Society. I designed the interactives (the parts of an exhibit that move and respond when kids play with them), and I also designed, built, and installed five kinetic monarch butterfly sculptures throughout the garden.
These flowers and insects made from gardening tools were really fun to make as well. And they can actually spray water! In the interest of conservation, the water was usually kept off so not too many people know that little secret.
The daVinci Workshop was a really fun STEAM exhibit for the Discovery Center, a science museum in Acton, Massachusetts. The exhibit is a makerspace where kids get to tinker, design, and use tools to invent and build their own creations like artist and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. I created the environmental graphics and I love that I got to incorporate my illustration skills into this project as well.
One of my more recent children’s museum exhibits was a fishing and boating exhibit for the Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast. It teaches kids about boating safety, responsible fishing practices, and environmental protection.
How do you approach designing exhibits for children, and what challenges do you face?
My top priorities are to provide fun, educational, and ADA-compliant exhibits. I aim to ensure that the exhibits are universally designed so that kids and grown-ups of ALL abilities can enjoy them. This includes wheelchair accessibility, signs at eye level, and the correct angles. Tables should be at a specific height so kids can reach them and wheelchairs can roll under them. The type size should be large enough to read with enough color contrast for people who are color blind. Videos need closed captions for people who are hearing impaired. A braille or audio option should be available so people with visual impairments can read the labels.
In some cases, there will need to be a foreign language option available. Handles, buttons, flaps, and spinners must be easy for lefties, righties, little hands, big hands, and hands with difficulty gripping. There’s also the challenge of outdoor exhibits and finding suitable materials to withstand the elements. Traveling exhibits need to be able to be packed up and fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and fit onto a truck. And everything needs to be safe and sturdy enough to withstand a beating from thousands of enthusiastic children!
What role do you think interactive exhibits play in helping children learn about science and nature?
Children learn and experience the world through play. It’s so fun to see a child approach an exhibit and figure it out on their own or do something with it that I never imagined. Interactive exhibits provide a multisensory experience where children are allowed to touch, explore, and experiment in depth in a way that they don’t get to do in school.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in exhibit design or children’s book illustration?
If illustration or exhibit design is a career that you are passionate about pursuing, you need to be willing to work hard at it. Natural talent will only get you so far. Take classes and never stop learning–I still take classes and I’ve been doing this professionally for 23 years. Practice your skills every day and never say, “I can’t.” If you’re not so good at drawing hands, don’t avoid making illustrations where you have to draw hands. Draw hands over and over until you become amazing at drawing hands. And most importantly, don’t let anyone tell you what you’re capable of. In the art and design field, there are always going to be people who will try to discourage you from pursuing your dreams or tell you that you’re not good enough. From the age of 4, I had a goal of going to art school but my high school guidance counselor discouraged me from applying to art schools. She told me that a career in art was unrealistic and recommended going to a liberal arts college and minoring in art. I’m glad I didn’t let her deter me because I was accepted into the best art school in the country. Then, my first semester drawing teacher at RISD told me I couldn’t draw and that I should not major in illustration. I chose not to believe him and believed in myself instead. Can you tell us about a particularly challenging project you’ve worked on, and how you overcame any obstacles?
All projects have their own unique challenges. Small budgets and small spaces are always difficult but every creative problem has a creative solution. For example, one exhibit I was building required large quantities of clear Lexan. It’s similar to Plexiglass but much stronger. In fact, it’s 250 times stronger than glass! It’s also really expensive and we didn’t have enough money in our budget. But somehow someone found a bank that was closing down and they let us come in and “rob” the bank of all of their bullet-proof bank teller dividers. Guess what they were made of? You guessed it! Lexan.
How do you stay motivated and inspired to create new books and exhibits?
I try to do something creative every day like sketching, writing, or playing my ukulele. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of ideas or motivation. I have such a long list of ideas that I’m worried I won’t have time to create everything I want to create. If I’m feeling stuck, I take a break. It’s a good idea to stretch, meditate, read, go to the library, or just go for a bike ride. It really helps.
Can you share any behind-the-scenes stories or anecdotes about your work as an author and illustrator?
Behind the scenes, there’s a lot of research, color and value studies, a million sloppy sketches, failures, and revisions before getting to the final illustration or story that you see. To quote Michelangelo, “If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem wonderful at all.”
How do you think your background in exhibit design influences your work as a picture book author and illustrator?
My life and experiences are woven all throughout my stories and pictures. Like my exhibits, my picture books have a lot of animals, STEAM, conservation topics, and they’re informative and playful.
Earlier, I mentioned my story about the polar bear. That story was influenced by my time living in Hawaii but also my experience working for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo. Not too many people have the privilege of getting to see polar bears on their way to the office every morning! I love that I can channel all of my unique and wonderful experiences and make them into a story for kids to enjoy.
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or exhibits you’re working on?
Yes! I’m so excited to share with you all that there’s a new museum opening in April 2023 in Minot, North Dakota called the Magic City Discovery Center. I was hired in 2019 to create a concept rendering for one of the museum’s galleries and for the past year or so I worked on the environmental design for 5 of the other galleries. It’s so great to see it finally coming together!
What do you enjoy most about creating books and exhibits for children?
That’s a hard one because I love what I do, and I enjoy the entire process! I always feel like one of Santa’s elves, working behind the scenes to create something for children that will spark joy and a sense of wonder. I love collaborating with brilliant designers, inventors, scientists, machinists, muralists, and writers. Watching all the hard work finally come together and seeing kids enjoying something I created is probably the best part.
How do you approach incorporating feedback and criticism into your work?
I don’t look at it as criticism. I look at it as a way to improve my work. I belong to several critique groups and my critique partners push me to make my art the best it can possibly be.
There’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like your work, and there have been times when I’ve received feedback that was not helpful or accurate. There are roughly 8 billion people on the planet. Don’t let that one person’s opinion of your work bring you down, focus on the billions of others who admire it.
What are some common misconceptions people may have about exhibit design or children’s book illustration?
When I tell people I design museum exhibits, they usually think I’m a curator and then I have to explain what exhibit design is. With illustration, many people think it’s not a “real job” but rather a hobby and that we just draw all day. The reality is that we also have to manage a website or online portfolio, social media, contracts, bookkeeping, filing taxes, invoices, and meetings. Many of us supplement our income by selling our art in galleries, art fairs or online, so we also have to manage fulfilling orders with all of those other tasks.
How do you balance your own creative vision with the needs and preferences of clients or publishers?
I always want my clients to be happy, but you are inevitably going to have a difficult client who doesn’t respect the creative partnership. Before beginning any project, it’s important to set guidelines for the scope of the project and what the client can expect to receive. With every project, there are going to be things you have to change or compromise, so clear communication is important.
What do you think makes a successful children’s book or exhibit, in terms of both artistic expression and educational value?
When a story or exhibition is so captivating that a child is completely immersed and unaware they are learning.
Can you tell us about a picture book or exhibit that has inspired you, and why?
That’s an impossible question because they are all inspiring! There isn’t any one particular exhibit or book, but I think my first experiences as a child going on a field trip to the New York Hall of Science sparked my love for science and museums. The first zoo I ever went to as a child was the Bronx Zoo, and I wound up working for both the Bronx Zoo and New York Hall of Science about 20 years later. How cool is that?!
With picture books, there weren’t many female author-illustrators on the scene when I was growing up. Now, I’m so inspired by all the women author-illustrators like Debbie Ridpath-Ohi, Marla Frazee, TeMika Grooms, Vanessa Brantley Newton (and many more) who’ve paved the way for the rest of us. Last year, I won an original illustration from Debbie Ridpath-Ohi and I have it hanging on the wall of my studio along with artwork from other illustrators and artist friends I admire. I’m surrounded by things that make me feel inspired daily. SCBWI Florida recently awarded me a scholarship to attend the illustrator intensive with Debbie at the regional conference and I am so excited! I can’t think of an author-illustrator that I’d want to learn from and emulate more than her. She is so supportive and encouraging to other author-illustrators rather than treating us as competition. I believe that’s how all industry professionals–and human beings–should treat each other.
What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not working on books or exhibits?
I am an enthusiast of EVERYTHING! I belong to a ukulele club and we play free concerts throughout the community. I love traveling and have been all over the world. If you can’t find me, I’m probably at the beach on my paddleboard or in my kayak. And obviously, I enjoy visiting museums and reading books!
Thank you, Kim, for joining us today and sharing your story with us. It was truly inspiring to hear about your journey as an artist and a designer. We wish you all the best for your future projects and hope to see more of your amazing work in the coming years. And to our readers, thank you for tuning in. We hope you enjoyed this interview as much as we did. Don’t forget to follow Kim on social media and check out her website for more of her beautiful illustrations and designs. Until next time, keep on geeking out!
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Website: kimwnolan.com
Twitter and Instagram: @kimwnolan
Facebook: KWNdesigns
About Galaxy-Boy Delivery and Kids Book Galaxy Magazine
Galaxy-Boy Delivery is an exciting show for kids that explores the world of STEAM and children’s books. Hosted by a team of enthusiastic geeks, the show features interviews with creators, fun advice for kids, and lots of amazing content that is sure to inspire young minds. With a focus on science, technology, engineering, art, and math, Galaxy-Boy Delivery is the perfect show for kids who love to learn and explore.
In addition to the show, All Ages of Geek also publishes the Kids Book Galaxy Magazine, a publication dedicated to supporting diverse voices in the world of indie kids books. Each issue features interviews with creators and in-depth looks at some of the most exciting and innovative children’s books on the market today and around the world. With a focus on promoting creativity, imagination, and a love of learning, Kids Book Galaxy Magazine is the perfect resource for parents and educators looking to inspire the next generation of young readers and creators.
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