It’s Lavallee this time of year

WASILLA �” Whether most Alaska residents know it or not, they’ve likely seen a postcard, print or pin designed by Alaska artist Barbara Lavallee.

Lavallee, in Wasilla this weekend to sign copies of her books at Waldenbooks, is an award-winning illustrator who has received praise for her artistic collaborations with several picture-book authors, namely Barbara M. Joosse, who helped her produce the acclaimed “Mama, Do You Love Me?”

Lavalee also teamed with friend and author Vicki Cobb for the “Imagine Living Here” series of books, a move that ultimately gained her some attention. She has sold thousands of prints, postcards, books, pins, notepads and a bundle of more touristy things, making her the undisputed Norma Rockwell of Alaska. In the spring, Lavallee and Joosse will release another children’s book titled “Grandma Calls Me Beautiful.”

Bullseye sat down with Lavallee recently to talk about being a grandparent, the influx of print art and cats over dogs.

Bullseye: You’re a hard one to Google. I noticed there is no official Barbara Lavallee Web site as of yet.

Barbara Lavallee: Well, I don’t want to man one. My eldest son said he would help me set one up. Apparently, someone in Sitka bought my domain name, so if I want it then I can purchase it. A lot of these galleries have sites with just my stock of stuff on them, but the information is not updated I gather.

BE: Do you still describe yourself as a “very happy person?”

BL: You bet. Why wouldn’t I? It just keeps getting better. I get to drive today.

BE: Meaning?

BL: My career. I started out doing work I couldn’t control. That sense is different today, especially with the books I’m involved with.

BE: What was the first time seeing your pieces available to the public like?

BL: I still really get a kick when I go Outside and see my stuff. It’s hard not to get excited. In Alaska, it’s kind of expected to see the little souvenirs I’ve made. Here is the root of my experience. I understand my kind of work will never make the history books, but I’m tickled to death that I can still make a living at who I am. To keep doing, I diversify. The books I illustrate help make me legitimate as an artist.

BE: You’ve lived here for more than 35 years now. Any plans to pack it up and head south?

BL: I think about it on a part-time basis. My eldest son moved to Oregon with my grandkids, so I’m determined to not have those kids grow up without me. I’m in a state of flux. I think very seriously about getting a place in Portland, but then I don’t think I could handle the Oregon coast year-round.

BE: What is the normal process for a Lavallee work of art?

BL: I look at photographs sometimes, others I don’t need to, I just draw it. It really depends. Next on the drawing table is a poster for the Petersburg 50th Norway Festival, in which case pictures of Petersburg help me conceptualize the piece. My work is detailed the way I want it. I never sketch on-site though. Too many superfluous detailing. I design the pieces at the beginning like a color-by-numbers painting, except I create the numbers, the color. My work is very tight, very controlled. There’s not a lot of happy accidents, but I do end up with a lot of predictable results. For the books, it’s important for me that I don’t have any contact with the author. The one time I did I hated it. She kind of micro-managed. The editor sends me a rough manuscript and I go from there. Time constraints makes me usually turn down a lot of manuscripts, but I get a choice today. There is so many artists trying to make it these days that prints don’t really get pushed on the market like they used to. I’ll sell more cards than prints. People will make their own, I’ve noticed.

BE: What other artists inspire you to stay on top of your game?

BL: I tend to chose art that is similar to mine. I’m not too much into landscapes, but rather (works) with people and animals in them. I bought an Ameson painting for my son’s newborn a few weeks ago. She has everything already, mind you, but I couldn’t help it. I love shopping for the kids.

BE: What do fans usually ask you?

BL: They say, “I admire your work,” to which I reply, “I admire your taste.” I’m a cat person too. You won’t see me do many pieces with dogs, sometimes people wonder why.

Contact J.J. Harrier at valleylife@frontiersman.com.