Melissa as the Leaf Lady, Ethan as the Prince, and Brittie as Princess Stupidhead, in a dream Ethan had about the book Nancy was writing, "whose forest is this?"
Amy wrote:
I sent some information about the artist for "Whose Forest Is This" to our list a year or so ago. His name is Michael Hague. Here's some biographical data from various Internet sources.
Amy
p.s. a bit of trivia: Which one of Hague's influences (from below) also garnered mention in the first season of "thirtysomething"? Describe the character (who mentioned this name) and the situation in which it was mentioned.
http://www.home.ch/~spaw3964/idart_html/idart_michael-hague_0.html
Michael Hague is one of America's foremost illustrators. He is perhaps best known for his series of children's classics, which includes such favorites as The Wind in the Willows, The Velveteen Rabbit, Mother Goose, The Secret Garden and Peter Pan. He has also collaborated with his wife, Kathleen Hague, on several best selling books including Alphabears, An ABC Book and Numbears, A Counting Book.
Hague was born in Los Angeles. He decided to become an artist when he first saw the Mickey Mouse Club on television and much of his early drawing experience came from copying Disney characters.
He has been influenced by a wide variety of artistic styles, ranging from the work of the Walt Disney Studios to the oriental printmakers Hiroshige and Hokusai. Another strong influence has been the work of turn-of-the-century illustrators such as W. Heath Robinson, Arthur Rackham, N.C. Wyeth, and Howard Pyle.
About his work, Michael Hague says "I count myself as one of the most fortunate of beings. For as an artist, I have not only the pleasure but the duty to daydream. It is part of my work. I have been a contented daydreamer all of my life, often to the exasperation of those around me. I strive to create something from an empty page that becomes a whole other world that people can visit for a while and totally believe in. The challenge of bringing that other world to life-that's what is exciting to me as an artist. It doesn't matter what type of book I'm working on, my approach is the same, to try to blend fantasy with realism."
In addition to his work as a book illustrator, Michael Hague has done greeting cards, posters, and some advertising work. Perhaps his most unusual commission was the work he has done for the television show "Thirtysomething". When the producers developed a plot line in which one of the lead characters started a career as a children's book author and illustrator, they asked Michael to create the paintings that were done on screen. "I really enjoyed that particular project," says Hague. "It's a little strange to create work that will be used as a prop, since the plot requires that some of the paintings be left unfinished, but the producers gave me such freedom that I feel I made a real contribution to the show."
Hague's original art is in great demand. Prices range from $1,200 to $3,000 per painting, depending on subject matter and size.
and from another source:
http://www.embracingthechild.com/ahague.html
Michael Hague was born in Los Angeles, his parents having emigrated to California from London just after World War II. Growing up, he was greatly influenced by the comics, especially Prince Valiant, and he attributes much of his interest in romantic fantasy to the prince's adventures. He went on to receive a BFA with honors from the Los Angeles Art Center College of Design. After graduating, Hague moved to Kansas City, where he spent two years working for Hallmark Cards. He then moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to work at the Current Company, designing greeting cards and calendars. He stayed on in the Rocky Mountains area with his wife, Kathleen, and their children. Kathleen Hague also graduated from the Los Angeles Art Center College of Design, and has written several books for children.
Michael Hague has been influenced by a wide variety of artistic styles, ranging from the work of the Disney Studios to the Japanese printmakers Hiroshige and Hokusai. He has been particularly influenced by the turn-of-the-century illustrators Arthur Rackham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth and Howard Pyle, and he is an avid collector of their books. About his work, Michael Hague says, "I count myself as one of the most fortunate of beings. For as an artist I have not only the pleasure but the duty to daydream. It is part of my work. I have been a contented day dreamer all of my life, often to the exasperation of those around me. "I have always wanted to be a book illustrator. Books are what got me interested in the art field in the first place. I try to infuse my illustrations with the same spirit that the author or the story produced in my imagination. I strive to create something from an empty canvas that becomes a whole 'other world' that people can visit for a while and totally believe in. That challenge of bringing a subject to life and making it believable - and that's what is exciting to me as an artist. It doesn't matter whether it is a Greek myth or an American legend, my approach is the same, to try and blend fantasy with realism."
Mr. Hague describes his technique: "Once the subject is chosen, I start out with very small compositional sketches which for me are most important. These small thumbnails are then enlarged to full-sized sketches, where I develop the details of the picture. From there I proceed to re-create these initial sketches in finished pencil illustrations. After the drawing is completed I am ready to begin painting. With a wide brush I put a neutral wash over the entire board, an ochre color for a warm painting, and a bluish wash for a cool picture. When the wash dries, I begin to paint the details. Only after coloring everything do I go in with my ink lines. This is in some ways working backward, but I feel comfortable with it."
