Illustrator inspires young readers
July 29, 2019
Every spring at libraries across British Columbia you can feel the excitement building! Librarians get busy designing marvellous programs and lively activities for the several thousand readers who participate in the Summer Reading Club!
This year young readers were invited to Imagine the Possibilities with the inspiration of artist Jami Gigot’s incredibly whimsical illustrations. We caught up with Jami to talk about her artistic inspirations and to offer some advice for budding artists.
As with many creative projects, Jami started in a very different direction when she was first asked to be this year’s BC Summer Reading Club Artist. In the end, she was inspired by the whole idea of how children can take a simple cardboard box and turn it into so much more. Once her characters’ adventures continued underwater, she knew she had found the right vibe for this summer! Our library staff have been inspired by her sensational art and have delighted VIRL fans with awe-inspiring displays.
Her early “bookish” memories include always being surrounded by stacks of books piled on her bedroom floor and trips to the library with her mother in Madison, Wisconsin. Jami’s childhood imagination inducing favourites included classics like Frog and Toad, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, anything by Shel Silverstein, and all of the magnificent adventures by Roald Dahl.
Jami has been travelling to different libraries during SRC and sharing her passion to increase creativity with young readers all over BC! For those of you who are budding illustrators and writers, she encourages you to join a community of other creatives. 
She credits much of her success to the encouragement and wise critiques of her peers. Secondly, she advises producing A LOT! Make time for your art and keep creating, it is only through making more that you will improve and grow. You can reserve a copy of Jami’s books with us! Jami’s art and imagination can take her anywhere, and yours can too. Thank you so much for teaching us to “Imagine the Possibilities” within each of us!
