Normandie Syken is an illustrator and printmaker from Queens, New York. She studied Art at the Frank Sinatra School of Arts and earned her BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. Normandie’s artist’s books, prints, and paintings are in collections such as the British Library, the New York Historical Society, and the Beinecke Library at Yale University.
Looking to classics in children’s literature and early Disney concept art for inspiration, and drawing from both life and her imagination, Normandie creates whimsical illustrations for books and stories. One of her recent self-published picture books, Little Red Witch, is now part of The British Library’s collection. It is a large yet exquisitely detailed book that is a contemporary re-telling of the infamous Brothers Grimm tale. However, there is a twist: the story is set in Salem, Massachusetts during the 17th Century witch trials that saw 185 people accused of witchcraft in a one-year period, resulting in 59 trials and 19 executions. In Little Red Witch, Normandie carves her very own dark fairytale, reclaiming the negative connotations of witchcraft.
Normandie mostly creates using block printing or watercolour with pen. However, she has recently been developing a series of woodcuts based on her own story. All of the prints in the collection are 12×16 or 16×20 and printed on White Rives BFK Paper. These prints will then go on to become part of a limited edition artist’s book.
Going forward, Normandie hopes to have her books professionally published, take part in some exciting exhibitions, and continue selling her work.
www.normandiesyken.com
@nsyken
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