OHIO Lancaster students study professional illustrators, then learn from them

Ohio University Lancaster students don’t just learn in the classroom, they also learn from experts and professionals at special events throughout the year.

On Saturday, Nov. 8, a group of seniors studying early childhood education in Dr. Kevin Cordis' Children’s Literature class had the opportunity to attend MAZZA, a children’s illustrator conference at the University of Findlay.

Before attending, the students conducted a deep dive into the work of the illustrators presenting at the conference. Working with books that the selected authors have illustrated, they researched the techniques and processes these illustrators use when creating a book.

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At the conference, the Ohio University Lancaster students first heard from John Picacio, who is new to the children’s illustration space but has been illustrating sci-fi and fantasy novel covers for 30 years. His debut children’s book is “The Invisible Parade.”

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Next up was Suzanne Kaufman, who has both written and illustrated books and is best known for “All Are Welcome,” and “All Are Neighbors.” She shared that her inspiration for these books came from her daughters and what she observed happening within their school community.

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Concluding the morning session, Andy J. Pizza gave an entertaining presentation exploring why he illustrates, his creative process, and how his unique illustration style resonates with children. He uses techniques such as bright colors, pages filled with engaging illustrations, and objects with faces to make stories feel more alive to readers.

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The afternoon session began with Dena Seiferling, who focuses her artistic creativity on books featuring woodland creatures.

The final presenter of the conference was Aimee Sicuro, best known for her books “If You Find a Leaf,” and “If You Spot a Shell.” These stories grew out of her daily Instagram posts each fall, where she shared leaves and the imaginative ways she viewed them. Her book beautifully captures that creativity. A leaf might become a superhero cape or the sail of a tiny boat, taking readers on an imaginative journey across the page.

As Kaufman reminded the audience, “Stories are all around us.”