Mary Grandpre Quotations

I'd like to talk to her more because she's an interesting woman - and I'd like to tell her how much I enjoy her writing.

I get to show the reader the essence of the book without giving anything away.

It is an honor to illustrate for such an amazing writer as J.K. Rowling. She gives me, as an illustrator, so much to work with.

It's a challenge to take a character and make sure he ages correctly and make sure he looks like he would look if he were to get a year older.

It's like a candy store for an illustrator, I connected with Harry pretty quickly and loved the way J.K. described everything; she's such a visually thinking person. You can't pass that up.

It's such a high-pressure job, I drop everything I'm doing.

I think kids need to be allowed to be more creative and learn more about artists these days, so I'm all about that.

When I'm not working on a children's book, I'm painting abstract paintings. That's probably the most joyous thing for me as an artist. But I do love children's books.

Awards are great, but they're not who you are, and pop culture isn't who you are.

I grew up as this little Catholic girl who just wanted to make beautiful things. I expressed myself with paint.

I loved to draw. I always did. I started when I was about five years old.

I was quite nauseous every day at school - I had some real stomach problems. The thing that saved me was sitting in church and trying to get into these statues and windows and colors. Truly, it transported me. And I can see it now in my own work - my pictures have kind of that look.

When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing — she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision.

I will be sad. I've gotten very attached to Harry and all that goes on in his world, I guess I'll just be kind of tasting every bit of it because it will be the last one.

In creating the Harry Potter artwork, I try to bring a certain amount of realism and believability to the characters and setting, but still add an element of wonder and the unknown.