The Magician next door: Ana Juan

She probably doesn't need any introduction, but if you don't know her yet, you are in for a treat. Ana Juan is an artist, an illustrator and a writer living in Madrid, Spain. She is best known for her illustration of the book Frida, which is a children's book about the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Ana's illustrations in the book are obviously inspired by Frida's work, but without compromising. The book was an instant hit when it came out and won her rave reviews. Frida was named an American Library Association Notable Book and an Américas Award honor book. It was honored as a Parenting Magazine Best Book of 2002. And it was featured in the Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibition. Like Kahlo, Juan grew up with a pen in her hands. “During my childhood, I spent hours over hours drawing or making copies from old illustrations,” she recalled. A treasured edition of The One Thousand and One Nights was especially influential. “The stories were full of magic, and the beautiful old illustrations caught me, and I read them again and again until I needed my first pair of glasses.”

Ana Juan is a storyteller, and has chosen the pencil and the brush to tell stories. Usually she illustrates stories written by others, but in the book Night eater she was also the writer. The book which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator awards, tells the story of the Night eater. With a gleam in his eyes, he gobbles up "every kind of night: cloudy nights as light and sweet as cotton candy and deep black nights that tasted like bitter chocolate.

Besides doing illustrations for childrens books, she's done covers for the New Yorker, illustration for various magazines, bookcovers and more. 

Ana Juan is without a doubt a magican - we are lucky to have her in the neighborhood. Check out her amazing website here.