Atlantic News, June 24, 2005
By John Deming
Drawing on the 'write' stuff

There's nothing like breaking into the business of your choice. Local artist and illustrator Neva Austrew, along with first-time author Breena Jacobs of Washington, DC will publish a children's book next month. The pair has worked on the 32-page picture-book, titled "Daddy's Girk," for more than a year now.

The story, arranged in rhyming couplets, is about a young African-American girl and her positive relationship with her father, according to Austrew.

Austrew's goal is to illustrate children's books to make a full-time living, she said, so the book is an important step.

"This is what I want to be doing, so I'm very excited about this," she said.
Jacobs and Austrew found each other on the Web site guru.com, which is designed to connect professionals in related fields. Austrew posted her resume and bid on the job. "It takes a lot of money to promote yourself," she said. "This was much easier."

When Jacobs chose Austrew for the job, she sent Austrew pictures of her daughter and husband. The book was inspired by Jacobs' family, particularly by the relationship between her husband and daughter, Austrew said.

Austrew's final paintings for the project are still with Jacobs, but she has the original prototypes. The pictures show a happy father and daughter spending time together. He brushes her teeth, he plays with her and all the while she keeps a big grin.

She also tumbles into funny positions. "Little kids are always tumbling all over the place," Austrew said.

The cute story touches on the intricacies and tenderness that can exist in a vibrant father-daughter relationship.

Austrew said it's not hard to find work as a freelance artist, but its hard to find the kind of work she likes. "I prefer to be picky and get stuff I enjoy doing," she said.

In and out of her work with children's books, Austrew commonly finds inspiration for her paintings in literature, she said. Her favorite thing to do in her art, regardless of the medium, is tell a story.

"I like taking a story and telling it my own way," she said.

Though they live so far apart, she and Jacobs were able to be "extremely collaborative," Austrew said. "That's the great thing about being able to find work online."

It's not easy to find the kind of work you want, she added, and she still works a day-job at an art museum. But her drawing looks like th eowrk of a seasoned pro.

"I don't give in to the temptation of doing other kinds of work because you know it will pay, but it doesn't satisfy any artistic desire," she said. "Then you won't have created anything you're proud of."

Austrew is a native of Raymond, New Hampshire, and holds a BFA in art from Syracuse University. She is looking to get an MFA in painting at the University of New Hampshire, and hopes to teach regardless of the level of success she sees in the illustration business.

"I've always thought about doing both," she said. "It's always been part of the plan in the back of my head."

The book will be available on Amazon.com and bookwormbooks.biz, Austrew said.

The book, for the talented young Austrew, is an important step.
"Children's book illustration is definitely where I want to go and what I want to do," she said.