What You Need to Be Warm
Marie-Alice Harel is an author and illustrator. She started freelancing in 2016 after working in research and completing a PhD in geosciences. Her work can be found in illustrated books for readers of all ages, as well as galleries. She also teaches book illustration through Schoolism.
Where did you grow up and how has this influenced your art?
I grew up in a village near Toulouse, in the south of France. I had absolutely no plans and no conscious wish to focus on a creative career pretty much until I turned 30 in 2016, so it’s somehow hard for me to look at my childhood with that perspective. My work is fuelled by stories, imagination, and escapism, as well as, I hope, a sense of peace and compassion. Spending time alone as a child, outside in the garden or in the countryside at my grandparents’ farm, as well as having the privilege to travel thanks to my parents, must have all seeped into my work.
What, outside of art, has most influenced your work?
Nature and animals are a constant source of inspiration and grounding for me. Travelling never ceases to inspire: new sights, different ways to see the world, a diversity of human experiences, stories, and histories, each with their own visual language regarding colours, art, clothes, architecture, and landscapes. My personal projects, books, and stories often start with a place or culture that I’m curious to explore.
Is there a painting you saw in your formative years that changed everything? What was it?
Not so much a painting but a painter: Edmund Dulac. There was a retrospective of his illustrations in the winter of 2008 at the public library in Toulouse. I was studying fluid mechanics at that time. It blew my mind, and opened the door to the Golden Age of illustration; an enchanted rabbit hole for me.
What was your first ever paid commission, and does it stand as a representation of your talent?
My first paid work was for a French literary magazine called TétrasLire. I approached them at the Montreuil Children’s Book Fair with my portfolio under my arm, and will always be grateful that they were my first client. I had to do four illustrations for a Peruvian folk tale for that first job. I’m still very fond of the portrait I painted for the title page.
What’s the last piece you finished, and how do the two differ?
One of the last jobs I completed was illustrated stories about explorers and seekers. This is my second self-published book, which is now in its third printing. I have a tendency to draw characters bonding with animals. I like people, most of the time, but I often prefer to socialize with animals. They’ve been a constant source of comfort and wonder throughout my life, as I hope I was – and am – in theirs.
What advice would you give to your younger self to aid you on the way?
You’ve got this. What you are is all you need. You have more inside you than you think, and what you don’t know yet, you can learn. Trust yourself and make your own way.
What character or scene that you’ve painted do you most identify with?
I have a tendency to draw characters bonding with animals. I like people, most of the time, but I often prefer to socialize with animals. They’ve been a constant source of comfort and wonder throughout my life, as I hope I was – and am – in theirs. In my latest picture book, Pandora and the Story Forge, the last page represents a little girl writing at a desk, sitting in a world all of her own, complete with a curious black cat and a protective dragon. This image feels close to my heart and echoes some of my own dreams as a little girl.
What artist or franchise would be your dream collaboration?
At the moment I’m trying to prioritize my own projects and stories. I’m working on a novel, as well as other shorter illustrated stories and art books. These are the worlds I long to explore the most. But collaborations are always fun and give me the opportunity to visit other people’s imaginations. So far, I’ve had the chance to illustrate for exceptional storytellers: Diana Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle, Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story, Neil Gaiman’s What You Need to Be Warm poem, and work by Katherine Rundell. I’d love to keep exploring stories with such fantastic storytellers.
Conclusion
Marie-Alice Harel is an author and illustrator who has found her passion in bringing stories to life through her art. With a background in research and a PhD in geosciences, she has transitioned to a career in illustration and teaching. Her work has been featured in various illustrated books and galleries, and she continues to inspire through her art.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What inspires your art?
A: Nature, animals, travel, and stories are my biggest sources of inspiration.
Q: How do you approach your art?
A: I like to approach my art with a sense of curiosity and wonder. I try to tap into my own imagination and let my creativity guide me.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
A: Trust yourself, make your own way, and never stop learning.
