Jenya Prosmitsky
Michael Almeida
Jenya Prosmitsky was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and lived most of her childhood and teen years in Kishinev, Moldavia (former U.S.S.R.). She studied fine arts, illustration, and graphic design at Repin College of Arts in Kishinev before coming to the U.S. For over 10 years Jenya has worked as an interactive/graphic designer and children’s book illustrator. She is the artistic creator of the Words Are CATegorical series for Lerner Publishing Group of Minneapolis. Jenya resides in Boston with her husband, Olivier, two daughters, Eugénie and Alexandra, and two cats, Ferruccio and Marcello.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Buratino (a Russian adaptation of The Adventures of Pinocchio by Alexey Tolstoy)
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Yan Falconer, Russian illustrators Victor Chuguevsky and Igor Oleynikov
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I started drawing at a very early age. And after attending several art schools, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Being a children’s illustrator is the most rewarding job.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
If your work can make one child smile, that’s all you need to move forward. Don’t stop creating!
