Illustrators champion creativity at Dobbins

By SARAH FOOR sfoor@vindy.com

Although their professional titles are children’s book illustrators, Jeanette and Christopher Canyon brought a unique celebration of art, music and literature during their presentation at Dobbins Elementary on Oct. 7.

“We want to teach the kids that enjoying a book is an immersive experience. It can be literal, as the kids read and understand the book, but for the picture books that we work on, it is also a visual experience that tells a story. We really try to celebrate and champion the creative process,” explained Christopher Canyon.

The husband and wife team lives in Columbus and makes their living illustrating children’s books. Christopher Canyon’s work includes adaptations of the songs of John Denver that display his watercolor illustrations and include accompanying music. Jeanette Canyon works with other authors and creates intricate scenes primarily using polymer clay.

Because their work is a mix of music, painting, drawing and sculpture, the Canyons told Dobbins students that any kind of creativity is a gift to be cultivated.

“To be honest, neither of us were naturally gifted artists growing up. Instead, we were passionate and we worked hard at it. If you’re not good at one kind of art, try another. There are so many ways to compose and bring your ideas to life,” shared Jeanette.

The illustrators were welcomed to the school with the help of the Dobbins PTO and principal Cheryl Borovitcky. She met the Canyons at an educational conference a year ago and knew right away she wanted them to visit her school.

“The Canyons are so interactive and exciting, and I knew they would be perfect for Dobbins. Today, they definitely motivated our students to express their thoughts and ideas in many different mediums,” Borovitcky shared.