AN ARTIST AT HOME: GABI SWIATKOWSKA

Where do you work best at home?



At my desk.
It is mine, it is terribly messy, but I know where everything is,
until somebody borrows something without telling me (ZAK!!!!!!)

What time of day would we find you there?

Now that's a tricky one...
I use a different desk for Internet and reference.
I like frequent distractions ie: take 15 min. to wash a bit of a floor in the kitchen (am part polish!) Remember that haven't seen the red blouse
bought at anthropology and go look for it etc. etc.

So, you'll find me at my desk in between all the walk-abouts.
The 'walk-abouts' keep me fit (especially as our house is a 3-floor narrow-non-escalator stairs type-house, which makes it sound enormous, but it isn't.
It's a one + 1/2 room per floor)


(note:Amazing cookies made by Gabi. She says:"I'm the one on the very edge with a girl (Zak). There's one of me with one of my artistic edifice's "Ilona's anti-blackmail fairy.")

What is your favorite comfort food while you work?

Whatever I can find in the fridge.
And chocolate.

How does home feed into your work?

*Read above answer
+
Does home include kids?
Because my daughter
feeds into my work in most uncanny ways.
She's in fact, a super-star of my work.


A bit more about Gabi from Gabi:

I was born in Poland and er...
they didn't have any toilet paper.
Moved to States (NY, Brooklyn),
went shopping a couple of times,
got scared of the overwhelming abundance,
consequently developed a fantasy
of going to India.
I am currently on my way there.

I have won a couple of awards in the meantime:

2007 Show Me Readers Award winner by the children of Missouri.
2007 Young Hoosier Book Award winner in the Picture Book category.
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2005, 2003)
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year (2005, 2004)
Outstanding Science Trade Book for students K-12 (2005)
Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award (2004)
IRA Notable Books for a Global Society (2004)
American Library Association Notable Children's Books (2004)
Child Magazine Best Books of the Year (2003)
Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Books of the Year (2003)
NY Public Library Children's Books List - 100 Titles for reading and sharing (2003)
Chicago Public Library Children's Books 2003 recommended list- Best of the Best
New York is Book Country Festival- Bookmark Choice Book for 2003
USA Today - favorite books of 2003 for children and young adults
Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book (2001)


Visit Gabi's Website.


Want more? Visit these previous At Home profiles:



Tracy Porter




Hope Anita Smith







Kathi Appelt