Violet Lemay’s third collaboration with duopress, “Doodle New York,” is now available for pre-order at amazon.com. A must-have for lovers of the Big Apple of all ages, the activity book offers 120 pages of fun doodling activities stemming from iconic New York imagery: everything from the Statue of LIberty to the Anthora (those classic blue-and-white coffee cups you get at Greek diners). Violet’s ten-year-old son Gray Fruisen contributed as well! He made five drawings of his favorite NYC buildings. The book contains several QR codes with links to additional drawings, coloring pages and activities at duopress.com, including young Gray’s five renderings. “Doodle New York,” which will be widely available this spring, is the first in a series of similar city doodle books which dupress will continue to release in the fall of 2012 and beyond. As a result, Violet is quite busy researching and assembling ink drawings of various cities throughout the world.

Violet Lemay was hard at work all summer completing three children’s book projects, one for Highlights and two for duopress. The final art is on its way to the printer but will not be available for viewing until various dates in 2012. Meanwhile, Violet took this photo to prove that she hasn’t been sitting still: it took over a thousand sheets of paper to make the 144 illustrations required by these three books.

Violet Lemay created this image on a very quick turn-around for Jason Chiu at the Globe and Mail. The illustration, published March 18, 2011, accompanied a Facts and Arguments essay written by a woman whose father recovered from a brain aneurysm. She likened him to a cat with nine lives; no matter how many times he falls, he always seems to land on his feet.

Violet Lemay made this image to accompany a charming article in The Baltimore Sun, about new trends in the realm of marriage proposals. With art direction expertly provided by Jay Judge, the art was published on January 30, as part of the magazine included in the newspaper every other month.

Violet Lemay illustrated the cover for January’s edition of The Presbyterian Record magazine. Caroline Bishop was the Art Director.

Violet Lemay recently illustrated the cover for Food Service and Hospitality Magazine, expertly directed by David Heath.

Violet Lemay spent a lovely Saturday signing copies of My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet’s Guide at Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia, USA on November 14th, as part of the Savannah Children’s Book Festival. Over 20,000 visitors passed by, from early in the morning until quite late in the afternoon. Violet signed tons of books and was hoarse from all of the talking. Everyone who stopped by loved My Foodie ABC, a charming alphabet book for small children, written by Puck, published by DuoPress. They also enjoyed actual fruits and veggies from the book which Violet brought as table decor: Meyer lemons, jicama, radicchio, chanterelle mushrooms, xuxu, and one particularly enticing habanero pepper (which had to be hidden almost immediately, to prevent any little ones from trying a bite).

See all of DuoPress’ adorable titles for small children at their website, http://www.duopressbooks.com/.

Violet is usually sitting in front of her computer clicking away, either creating digital art, or writing, which she enjoys doing between projects. She does take breaks occasionally, though, sometimes even cracking open a tube or two of paint. As witness: these acrylic portraits of a friend’s children (Sonya, and the twins). Hopefully, more portraits and/or similar paintings will be forthcoming! Says the artist, “Sometimes, a girl’s just gotta have fun!”

Violet Lemay illustrated My Foodie ABC Placemats: A hearty serving of doodles, drawings, and other fun foodie activities. over the summer. Soon to be available in bookstores everywhere, the placemat activity book is the perfect companion to My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet’s Guide (both, written by Puck, published by DuoPress). Each page tears off to become a placemat, on which is printed a letter from the alphabet and corresponding artwork from the original book, as well as an activity related to the food pictured in the art. Available in bookstores soon!

How and when did you know that you wanted to become an illustrator?
When I was young I wanted to become a famous theatrical costume designer. As I was working toward that goal I realized that, although I was finding success, I was miserable. Thinking I might be interested in historic preservation as an alternative career (we studied lots of architectural history at the theater conservatory), a former professor suggested I look into an MFA program at the Savannah College of Art and Design. At the time SCAD had a relatively new historic preservation department. I wasn’t interested in preserving buildings for a living, but I sent for the catalog, and when I read about illustration I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Funny, because later when I told my good friend Edward this story, he reminded me that one night while we were working together at the National Theater of the Deaf, I confided in him that I’d much rather be illustrating children’s books. I had forgotten all about that.

Who was the first illustrator that you noticed and admired?
Whoever illustrated Lady and the Tramp for Disney. When I was a little girl, I used to try to draw those characters, copying poses from my Lady and the Tramp record album cover. When I was in high school though I loved Norman Rockwell… so much that I persuaded my dad to hang Norman Rockwell wallpaper in our den, which is still (horribly) there.

What is your earliest memory of creating art? (or drawing as a child).
I remember my first artistic frustration very clearly: Lying on the linoleum looking out the sliding glass door of my parent’s midwestern ranch house, I had my eye on a squirrel. And I couldn’t draw it. What came out on the paper didn’t look like the squirrel I saw with my eyes, and I couldn’t understand why. Guess I was probably five or six years old. I cried many tears that day… oh, the pathos! Now that I’m a mom, I see my eight-year-old son’s frustration with not being able to draw things exactly as he sees them, and it breaks my heart! His little-kid drawings are SO beautiful! Such great, effortless style, such amazing naivete… I’d give anything to be able to draw the world as he sees it. Which makes me realize that the squirrel I drew when I was a little girl was probably quite wonderful, just the way it was.

What type of artwork do you have hanging in your home?
We have a really nice collection of fine art, including a small pastoral landscape sketch by Gainsborough. Our friend Wyatt Graff recently gave us a gorgeous abstract, very contemporary piece which we had to redecorate to accommodate; without question, it is the nicest item in our home. I’ve also got some framed vintage Italian posters that I bought in Bologna, which I love, and of course we have our own stuff on just about every wall: illustrations and posters that we had framed for various exhibits over the years. Our son Gray’s work features prominently as well. He recently made a gigantic drawing of the Eiffel Tower which hangs in our hallway opposite a collection of European etchings that my husband bought for me on our first wedding anniversary.

What accomplishment so far stands out as most important?
My fifteen year marriage to my wonderful husband Fred, and raising our son Gray together with him, no question there.
Artistically, getting into American Illustration (20 & 21) was very cool. Right around that same time I got ten or eleven images into Applied Arts Illustration Annual, all in one issue. That particular achievement was probably the most crucial to my career, because that’s how Anna found me. She saw my stuff in the Applied Arts Illustration Annual, and sent me an e-mail inviting me to join her group. Quite an exciting moment, that!

Is there any publication that you still have aspirations to see yourself in?
Absolutely! There are tons of places where I’d still like to see my art: The New Yorker, of course (who wouldn’t). When I did more editorial work, I used to aspire to be published in The Atlantic. I’d still love that, although my work is not nearly as conceptual as it used to be (I credit motherhood for the softening of my brain).
Tied for first place with The New Yorker, however, are Target and Starbucks. I love the aesthetic of these brands. Having art featured on a gift card or in-store display, or on packaging, or print ads… any such job would be a dream come true for me. I’d also love to do children’s books. I did some years and years ago, and I’m ready to give it another go.