Part 3 of a tribute to notable Wisconsin women
After a much needed summer break, WI Women is back! In the third installment of my tribute to notable Wisconsin women, I would love you to join me in honoring Ellen Raskin. An artist, author, illustrator and yet another UW Madison alumna, Raskin’s achievements seem never-ending. Researching her childhood, career and adult life inspired the creative side of me, and I hope that hearing just a bit about this wonderful woman brings out whatever creativity lies within you.
Raskin grew up just west of Lake Michigan, near Milwaukee, WI. Born March 13, 1928, baby Ellen landed right in the midst of the Great Depression. Her childhood endeavors were a clear precursor to her adult work; she spent hours upon hours with her “nose in a book”, as she described it in some of her autobiographical writings. Raskin was imaginative, creating characters and plays along with her sister and performing for the other members of her family.
At the age of 17, Raskin entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a journalism major, combining her love of stories and talent for writing. But a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago during the summer after her freshman year changed her mind. After xxperiencing such an exhibit of fine art, color, shapes and light, her worldview shifted and she changed her major to fine arts, graduating from UW as a skilled artist.
Interestingly, Raskin’s career began in book cover design and jacket art when she moved to New York after graduating. Her daughter, Susan, was one of her inspirations, and her artwork graced the book covers of renowned authors such as Dylan Thomas and Edgar Allen Poe. By teaching herself the principles of letter printing and typography, she was able to earn a living as a freelance artist, eventually designing over 1,000 book covers. One notable jacket she designed was the original print of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (which happens to be my all-time favorite book!).
After designing all of these covers, Raskin began writing her own books. Her children’s books and full-length novels have earned her many awards, including the Newbery Medal for her novel The Westing Game, a mysterious and suspenseful read that I highly recommend if you’re in the mood to be on the edge of your seat. Even as an adult, I still find Raskin’s children’s novels to be captivating and goofy, the best of both worlds.
Ellen Raskin described her role as that of a “bookmaker”. She did not compartmentalize the aspects of a book; rather, she viewed the product as a whole. The writing, illustrations, cover and jacket worked together to bring a child into another world, according to Raskin. Combine this unique point of view with her humor, wordplay, intricate puzzle-making (and solving) and true, passionate respect for children, and you get one heck of a bookmaker.
This bookmaker title brings me to my final point. Raskin showcased numerous creative talents throughout her career, ventures that may seem overwhelmingly daunting to those of us who are less confident in our art-making abilities. I would like to take this opportunity to lend an encouraging voice and remind you (yes, you specifically!) of your innate creativity as a person. Drawing, painting and sculpting are not the final word in art. Art is snapping a photo, writing a journal entry, baking muffins and humming a song. Find the beauty in your daily creativity, because the fulfillment of creating something is part of the human experience. Ellen Raskin never imagined that those silly little characters she created with her sister would lead to a bookmaking legacy. Keep creating! You don’t know what could happen.