Maria Mola

Photo provided by illustrator

Maria Mola is a Barcelona-born illustrator living in Boston with her husband and three children. She creates whimsical art for books like Sparkle Boy, Maya Papaya, and Koala Challah, exploring the inner worlds of kids and everyday moments. When not illustrating, Maria enjoys crafting, reading, and cooking—often all at once. Visit her work at www.mariamola.com.

Interview

What was your favorite book when you were a child?: My favorite book when I was a child was one I am unable to recall the title of. It was about three little sibling cats wearing mittens. I really liked the pictures—they were not actual drawings, but puppets. I could spend hours looking at the images, very real.
What’s your favorite line from a book?: My favorite line is from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland: “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Very focusing effect…
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?: Authors: Dahl, Sciesca
Illustrators: Rebecca Dautremer, Anna Laura Cantone, E. Odriozola
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?: While I had always been passionate about drawing and creating stories, I never thought I could be a professional illustrator. At some point, when I was already an adult, I took an illustration class for fun and I realized I could not stop thinking about illustration, to the point that I remember going to sleep and dreaming with illustrations. The instructor of the class was very supportive and encouraged me to try to become professional… and here I am!
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?: Keep on drawing every day. And of course enjoy it!