Yevgenia Nayberg: On the Artist as Inspiration
Yevgenia Nayberg is an award-winning author/illustrator, painter, and stage designer. Her illustrations have appeared in magazines and picture books, and on theatre posters, music albums, and book covers; her paintings, drawings, and illustrations are held in private collections worldwide.
As a set and costume designer, she has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts/TCG Fellowship for Theatre Designers, the Independent Theatre Award and the Arlin Meyer Award. She has received multiple awards for her picture book illustrations, including three Sydney Taylor Medals. She’s a 2023 Eisner Awards nominee.
Her debut author/illustrator picture book, Anya’s Secret Society, received a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection Award. She’s an author/illustrator of Typewriter and Mona Lisa In New York. Her latest book, I Hate Borsch!,is the Gold Winner of the 2022 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Awards. Born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine, she now lives in New York City. Follow her on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
Yevgenia Nayberg
Photo by Anton Krasnov
In this interview, Yevgenia discusses how being confronted with her doppelgänger inspired her to write and illustrate her new picture book, A Party for Florine, her hope for readers, and more!
Name: Yevgenia Nayberg
Literary agent: Anna Olswanger was the agent for this project.
Book title: A Party for Florine: Florine Stettheimer and Me
Publisher: Neal Porter Book/Holiday House
Release date: July 16, 2024
Genre/category: Picture book biography
Previous titles: Author/Illustrator of Anya’s Secret Society, Typewriter, Mona Lisa in New York, and I Hate Borsch!
Elevator pitch: A Party for Florine is a fantasy fan letter inspired by the art and life of the Jewish American painter Florine Stettheimer. Florine was a colorful, larger-than-life character. She’s a perfect imaginary friend for a shy, creative child.
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What prompted you to write this book?
In 2017, The Jewish Museum held an exhibition of Stettheimer’s work. A friend attending the show sent me a photograph of Florine’s early self-portrait. I was shocked by how much I resembled her! I was instantly inspired by this mystical connection to a painter born 100 years before me. As I explored her art and poetry, I became drawn to her exuberance, wit, and her way of looking at the world through an ironic lens.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I had a vague idea that I needed to do something with the story of my doppelgänger, but it was not a clear one. It just sat quietly in the back of my mind for about three years. I have illustrated several picture book biographies in the past but was never interested in writing one. Then suddenly, I had an idea of writing in the first person: If I were to meet Florine, how would it change my own melancholic and boring life? And that’s how this book wrote itself: a biography of Florine, but also a bit of my own story.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
As much as I like Florine’s work, my own artistic style is quite different. The most exciting challenge was inventing a style that resembled Florine’s without losing my own. I’ve lucked out with my editor, Neal Porter, and Art Director, Jennifer Brown, who were incredibly supportive and cheerful throughout the process.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
The Author’s Note! When Neal asked me to write the Author’s Note, I told myself, “This is my chance to play an art critic.” I really enjoyed switching from my succinct picture book voice to something a bit more adult. I’m also continuously surprised that I manage to write in a foreign language!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
It’s up to us to create “the world full of color and full of surprises.”
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Don’t worry about pleasing an unknown child with your story. Write for the child that you once were—or better yet, for the child that you are.
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