RAIN BULL x DENISE GALLAGHER
"How to Calm a Rain Bull" Is a Reminder of What Illustration Can Do
The team at Those 3 Reps has been having a lot of conversations lately about the uptick in demand for illustration. Clients are trusting illustrators with bigger and more ambitious projects, and it feels like the industry is remembering just how much range a great illustrator brings to the table.
Denise Gallagher is a perfect example of that range.
Two years ago she said yes to the biggest project of her career. A London publisher wanted her to research and retell folktales from around the world, one for every turn of the season, write the retellings herself, and illustrate all of it. She had written and illustrated books before, but never at this scale, and never with this much research behind it. She said yes anyway, and then she went and studied civilizations. Canada, Scandinavia, Nigeria, Romania, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the UK, and her own Cajun Louisiana all made it into the collection, twenty four stories in total, ranging from animal tales and nature stories about trees to myths about goddesses, gods, and ice kings.
That's the thing about Denise. She doesn't just illustrate a story, she goes and earns the right to tell it first.
Her editor at Moon + Bird Books said it best. She knew from Denise's portfolio alone that she'd found the right person for this idea, and once the work came in, she called the global reach of it fabulous, praising how fully Denise brought each culture's stories to life and paired them with over a hundred distinct and gorgeous illustrations throughout the book.
The finished book runs 166 full-color pages and includes Denise's own introduction on the history of myths and folktales, along with a glossary and resource section for readers who want to go deeper.
"As soon as I came across Denise's portfolio, I knew she would be a perfect fit for this folklore idea I had. Her art style is so distinct. The global reach of her suggestions was fabulous. She has truly worked to incorporate seasonal tales from around the world, from Canada, Scandinavia, Nigeria and Romania, to Japan, Korea, Mexico and the UK, as well as her own local Louisiana Cajun culture. Her stories range from animal tales and nature stories about trees to wondrous myths about goddesses, gods and ice kings. It really is an enthralling read, especially when paired with her over 100 distinct and gorgeous illustrations throughout the book!"
— Brittany Willis, Editor, Moon + Bird Books
"How to Calm a Rain Bull: And Other Stories of the Changing Seasons from Around the World" is available for preorder now through Barnes and Noble, Moon + Bird Books, Penguin Random House and Bookshop.org, with a release date of September 22.
For brands and agencies looking for an illustrator who can carry a project from research through final art, Those 3 Reps would love to make an introduction.
