About the Illustrator
Marie Crane-Yvon is an artist, always has been and always will be. She cannot help herself from noticing every little detail, staring at unique textures and loosing herself to the magical color play of sun and shadow. She is fortunate and she is humble, the gift that has wrapped itself around her journey is her constant.
In 1991, just out of college with an art degree and no great plan, Marie took the advice of her beloved Grandmother and found a job teaching pre-school. Working with Lead Teacher Essie Laflamme was divine intervention at its best. These two became fast friends because they shared these two things; humor based on the tiniest, joyous detail and an unwavering desire to bring joy to children. Together they brought their classroom to life; happy art and wall murals with hysterical circle times filled with stories, puppets and singing! For Marie, a future career was born from bulletin boards that had the parents asking for princess murals and sponge painted anything. When Essie also left teaching to care for her parents, their unique friendship remained the constant and welcome gift they both cherished.
Illustrating the “Caring For” series and working toward the goal of bringing these gentle stories to families is a labor of love. Marie has had the privilege of understanding the unique work of her friend. From the very beginning, just as these friends share a great love for children -they share this mission and have pictured these little books being placed in the hands of those who need them. Marie draws from her heart and takes her time getting to know these characters personally before bringing them to life. Capturing emotion with beautiful color and line is her unique signature style, woven like a tapestry throughout each little story. How lucky are we to stroll through these tales where her creations echo the tender message of her best friend’s stories?
Color is Marie’s super power and painting is her fuel. For 25 years she has worked as decorative painter and designer and shares Crane-Yvon interiors, a full service paint, cabinet and decor company, with her husband Jim. Over the past 25 years she has participated in Designer Showhouses, been featured in newspaper and magazines as well as guest appearances on local broadcast Mass Appeal. Marie spends her days caring for her two amazing sons — Josh and Ben, her business, her friends and and her dreams.