My name is Mary Grace. I grew up in Upcountry, Maui. I went to Doris Todd in Paia for high school, and transferred from the University of Hawai‘i on Maui. If I were an artist's tool, I think I'd most likely be a camera. We all capture the same world in our art, but depict it through different angles and exposures.
The children’s literature market is highly competitive, and aspiring authors and illustrators must create eye-catching, unique book dummies that follow strict industry standards. These include formatting, physical construction, and even font and margin choices—essential details for getting a pitch noticed. Mixed media illustrations, though challenging, offer a standout visual style that has led to successes like Knuffle Bunny and the Juniper Hollow series. When done well, this approach can help a book rise above the noise in a crowded publishing field.
The concept of creativity has come a long way. The Old Greeks would call those creative forces muses, other religions referred to them as God. Today people still mostly treat creativity as an aha moment outside the area of influence. However, just by looking at the creative process one can tell, that creativity and creative work is more than just that one "Aha-Moment" (insight). It is clear that generating ideas demands planning and preparation, identifying something of interest like a problem, an opportunity or a challenge, doing research. This then leads to thinking of a solution, allowing time to incubate and iterations before arriving at something “complete.” Students learn that hard work is what makes their ideas come to life and sticktuiveness is what helps them get better.
Mary Grace brings imagination to life with her mixed media children’s picture book, crafted with heart and industry insight. Grounded in her research on what makes a children’s book stand out in a competitive market, she not only created a vibrant, visually engaging story but also developed a professional pitch document—already submitted to publishers. Her work embraces the creative risks of mixed media, following in the footsteps of hits like Knuffle Bunny, while meeting the meticulous standards of book dummies that catch an editor’s eye.
Dream big. Draw bold. Check out her process and picth! And check back often to find out results!