David Udovic, illustrator of children's literature

David Udovic
illustrator of children's literature

There are two things that I just do without contemplating the reasons and they are draw and draw. As a silly, hyper kid, they were probably the only things that kept me quiet and seated, allowing my mother one less child to chase around the dining room table. Below is a photo of her young rascals circa 1959. Would you want to be a “stay-at-home” mom with this rambunctious gang? I'm the one on the far left.

My father worked hard as an industrial photographer but I think my mother worked the hardest keeping the reins on her sons and giving them religion. “You must become altar boys,” she said. So we all did and went to parochial school, too. I found my numerous laps around the dining room table paid off later in high school. Two state team championships in cross-country led to a full sport's scholarship at the University of Cincinnati where I majored in…what else? Fine Arts.

For four years I drew and drew until one day they gave me a diploma and I found myself looking for a job at the bureau of unemployment. “Can you draw?' asked the man peering up at me from behind the desk. “I can draw and draw,” I said proudly. And that was the beginning of a career as a graphic artist for a tradeshow display company in Cincinnati. I would draw display ideas during the day and at night retreat to the basement studio to draw on large canvases.

Several art exhibitions and a few career changes later my studio has moved to New Jersey, to a second floor room with a cathedral ceiling and large windows. Here I draw and draw and sometimes, just sometimes, get to do something really cool like a high-tech mural for the State of Utah or receive the Don Freeman Grant to continue work for children's picture books.

My wife, Susan, thinks I'm a big kid and she's probably right. Just give me a crayon and I'll draw and draw.