I will no longer be making in person school visits. I will- with great pleasure- respond to letters and emails from teachers and students at: akiak3@yahoo.com.
Although I enjoy painting outside, I also like to go inside and meet the the people who read my books.
I like to visit with schools because I get to meet my readers and talk to them. I also show lots of pictures and explain how I make my books- which can be very interesting when your subjects include the Iditarod, amusement parks, and Tasmanian Devils.
I also like to sign books for my readers
MY SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
When I go to a school, I usually make three different forty-five minute presentations about the creation of three different books. Because I get to travel to interesting places to make my books, I like to show the process visually with a PowerPoint presentation. I talk about the research I do on location, about making sketches on the spot, about writing with a beginning-middle-end, rewriting (and rewriting and rewriting), and making the finished painting. I often make a drawing with markers that I leave to the school. And I like to answer questions!
Going to schools and speaking with my readers is one of my favorite parts of being a writer and and illustrator and I am very enthusiastic about my visits!
I also like it when, after a school visit, my readers send me lots of letters, e-mails, and drawings. Here are a bunch of portraits the kids did of me.....
Some of my best school tours have been in Alaska. I have visited the villages of Koyuk, Shaktoolik, Golovin, and Elim, as well Nome and Anchorage. The kids in Alaska are great!