Note from the editor: Please join us for the ISLJ Lunch Roundtable on Friday from 11:30pm-12:30pm in the Parklands room at Murphey. Feel free to bring your own lunch or pick up lunch from one of our many on-campus options. You may also elect to order one of these options from Panera. By placing a lunch order through us, you will be able to pick up your lunch at the main registration table at Murphey Hall right before the roundtable.
With our 2023 Conference fast-approaching, Jane Austen’s juvenilia is on the minds of all our future attendees. Her Teenage Writing has inspired four days of activities and lectures that will encourage us to reflect on Austen’s continuing influence and the value of a child’s artistic expression. But, though we know a lot about Austen’s childhood writings, how many children know about Austen?
From these questions and conference-takeaways, the Austen Coloring Contest was born. The coloring contest was created in partnership with Georgie Castilla of Duniath Comics. Georgie is a freelance comic artist and illustrator located in the New Jersey/New York area. He designed three coloring sheets for the contest (pictured below). Each provided parents with an opportunity to educate and encourage their children on all things Austen and art.
The contest ran for several months and was hosted by three libraries: the Durham County Main Library, the Orange County Public Library, and the Morehead City Public Library. Parents could also print the coloring sheets from the JASP website and submit online.
The contest wrapped up on May 11th, and from the many talented artists, two winners were selected based on their art and story-telling skills. Those winners are featured below, along with Georgie’s comments on their work!
Coloring Winner: Ellin, Age 6
“What a lovely piece. From the dedicated shading to the heroine’s eye shadow and hair shine, this one is definitely my top choice! Extra points for the pink and purple sky, which happens to be Duniath Comics’ signature style!”
Comic Winner: Elodie, Age 9
“What an absolute treat! This comic truly captures Austen’s wit, irony, and character. I want to know more of Grace and Michael’s story. Lovely indeed! The coloring details such as the rosy cheeks are great.”
Thank you to all the parents, young artists, and librarians who supported our contest! For more information on Duniath Comics (or this year's "More Pride, Less Prejudice T-shirt design), check our their website. To see the other impressive submissions by our young artists, explore our online gallery.
Feeling inspired? You can download the coloring sheets here: