Above: Illustrator and author James Yang.
next photo

Above: When illustrator and children’s’ book author James Yang recently held a reading of "Joey and Jet in Space" in Washington, D.C., he didn’t reckon with the short attention span of kids. Asian Fortune asked him to draw a cartoon based on the experience, and he gamely and graciously did so.
prev photo

Flashback to 1979. "Mom and Dad were arguing about sending me to art school. Mom was very concerned I’d end up poor for the rest of my life," recalled James Yang, grandson of a famous Korean painter. "Dad put his foot down and said I was going to art school and I would succeed. As he stormed out of the room, I thanked him. He glared at me and said, ‘You’d better succeed.’"

            Fast Forward to today. James, a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate, is now an illustrator and children’s book author. "Joey and Jet" taught kids about prepositions through a boy and his dog. It got rave reviews in 2004 from Publisher’s Weekly, Children’s Literature, Kirkus Reviews and Horn Book Magazine. (Joanna Rudge Long, reviewing for Horn Book, rated it "Not just a concept book, this is also a comical and satisfying story.") "Joey and Jet in Space," the second book in the series, came out recently. It’s getting excellent reviews as well. "The illustrations –especially–are sure to be a hit with young space nuts,"said The Seattle Times. A third Joey and Jet book is due in 2008. And there’s another, different book in the future.

            Mihae Kim, a friend who heads the P.R firm, Gimga Group, set a book signing in D.C. last month. The book (list price $15.95), is available at SimonSays.com and also at Barnes and Noble.com and at bookstores.

            Mom Kumsu Yang lives in Oklahoma City. Dad Kang Yang, head of research and development at Conoco, passed away in 1984. But he saw James on a steady path to success, and was proud of him. Since graduating in the area in l983, James has bagged over 200 awards for excellence in illustration. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History included his sculpture, "Clockman,"as part of a permanent exhibit. His work has appeared in Communication Arts Design Annual, Communications Arts Illustration Annual, Print Magazine, Graphis, and the Society of Publication Designers Annual.

            Wife Abby Man-Yee, choreographer and dancer, knows the secret of his success. "He’s like a boy, still growing up," she said, laughing, when reached in New York, where the couple lives. "That’s why he relates well with how kids are." An email interview with Asian Fortune showed James’s self-deprecating wit and zest for life.

What was the very first illustration you sold, and for how much? My first illustration was for a running magazine in Virginia, about joggers during the Third Reich. It was a black and white piece done for $35. For the record, my agent and I charge more these days.

What was your first drawing, and what medium? Crayon on the wall, or your mom’s favorite sofa? I don't remember, but I'm sure it was in crayon. I was a very messy toddler, so my parents would have been insane to give me paints. I liked to draw ducks, underwater scenes, space scenes and cars as a kid. I was a child during the 60s so in grade school, I really liked drawing ghosts with a peace sign necklace. I have no idea what that means, so don't ask.

This talent, did you get it from your mother or father’s side? Probably my father's side of the family. My grandfather, Yang Dal Suk, was a well-known Korean painter–his work is at the Busan Museum of art. Everyone from my father's side turned out to either be an artist or scientist. My younger sister, Julia, is a mathematician.

Tell me about your wife. Her name is Abby Man-Yee Chan (for work). She also goes by Abby Man-Yee Yang. We met in a bagel shop in New York. She asked to sit at my table. I said Yes. In Hong Kong, it is no big deal to sit with strangers, but I didn't know this so I thought it was something more. Also, the only empty table was next to a garbage can. You could say we got together because of a cultural misunderstanding. That, or I’m better looking than the trash can.

She’s an artist. What was her input on the book? As a choreographer, she has a strong sense of how to move a story along, plus she has really good taste when it comes to concepts. She did come up with some ideas fort the second book. The clever way robots communicated with Joey was her idea. I really like being able to bounce general story ideas off her. Her instincts jibe with what my editors think.

"Joey and Jet," what was the story on that? It literally popped into my head while I was working on another book, "Build it Up, Knock it Down" by Tom Hunter. I had all these landscape images I wanted to illustrate, and the device of an eternally bouncing ball that Jet chases seemed like the perfect device for linking all these landscapes. If the ball is going to bounce, you need a strong-armed child to throw it, so that's how Joey was created. Also, eternal bouncing ball is like a joke I loved as a kid.

What challenges did you face? The concept went through some minor revisions. Also, the look of Joey evolved a little. With ideas and executions, it took roughly a year. My first editor, the wonderful Simone Kaplan, said it wasn't the right book for her publisher, but she showed the book around. She recommended I sign with Richard Jackson at Atheneum. It was the perfect. I really enjoyed working with both Richard and the two books’designer, Polly Kanevesky.

Was the second book harder to do? Much harder from the narrative point. My editor Richard says illustrators who write books are very good on the big idea, the look (naturally), and how the story ends, but weak on developing tension. The story begins with the two exploring space, turns into a space race, and caps with Joey and a missing Jet. It took several months to get in shape. The execution was roughly a month. That may not sound like a lot of time, but it was one very intense month.

Who are the illustrators who’ve influenced you? Early influences are Saul Steinberg and Ralph Steadman. I was sort of this "angry" illustrator when I started out. Now that I've calmed down, I really am attracted to Tim Biscup's work. I'm also a big Paul Klee fan. Doing Joey and Jet in Space kind of changed my work. I really like some of the more design-like illustration these days.

Hobbies aside from golf, if that’s at all possible? I also like traveling, tennis, poker with my friends, and I’m a big movie buff. I was dragged into golf by my friend, Bryan Leister, an illustrator in D.C. I'm a big Tiger fan. Art directors will call to play sometimes, which comes as a surprise. Guess that thing about golf as a business asset is true.