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4 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2012 Acton illustrator's book Loon garners multiple awards and nominations From breaking out of an egg shell to migrating to Canada to mate ­ the award-winning book Loon, illustrated by Acton artist Karen Reczuch, carefully, faithfully and beautifully details the life cycle of two loon chicks. Loon has been very well received by children, their parents and critics. It is a 2012 Canadian Children's Book Centre winner, and also captured the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction. Loon won the Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada 2012 Information Book Award, and is shortlisted nominated for the student-assessed Silver Birch Express and Shining Willow awards. Reczuch said the book is winning ward because it is a "lovely text" written by Nova Scotia author Susan Vande Griek. "As much as I believe in my illustrations ­ a picture book is often made by the illustrations ­ in this case, I think it is an award-winner because the text and pictures together have a real lullaby rhythm." It takes Reczuch approximately one year to complete work on a book, before picking up a paint brush for this project, she spent approximately three months doing research ­ including multiple visits to the Royal Ontario M u s e u m 's O r n i t h o l ogy collection, looking at "drawers full of dead loons," and researching the environment. "I didn't meet the author until long after the book was done," Reczuch said on Monday, adding it helped that her publisher likes to give illustrators free hand. She said for her first two books ­ she has done 14 ­ she thought * * * of the book as hers, but then came to the realization that long before the text comes to her, "someone had been slaving over this for years." * * * Karen Reczuch "I try to be really respectful of that ­ I've actually developed a bit of reputation among authors for respecting their work because there are times when an illustrator will run off with the text and the author gets the book back, they don't recognise it, and I never * * * * * * * * * 19 St. Alban's Dr (519) 853-2711 St. Alban's the Martyr Anglican Church OUTDOOR DECORATING St. Alban's Church is offering outdoor Christmas decorating! Also offering take down! For more information please call Allan Hall December 6th - 15th 519-853-4425 want to do that," Reczuch said. Reczuch said as she reads a manuscript submitted to her by a publisher, it is quickly evident whether she can bring anything to the story. If she doesn't "see" images to connect with the words, she'll pass on the project. A realistic wildlife illustrator for 20 years, Reczuch said publishers and authors like the way she stages her books. "What I'm known for is capturing relationships and emotions. I work realistically, and something about the way I stage my books seems to capture the emotional content of the story," Reczuch said. She said when she saw a finished copy of Loon, it was one of the few occasions that she was pleased with the final result. "It's often a little traumatic because there are colour changes from the painting to the printing, but I did have some say in the intermediate stages this time and got to see press proofs, so I knew what to expect," Reczuch said, adding she worked in acrylics which allowed her to make changes more easily. Reczuch owns all of the paintings from her books ­ Loon artwork will be on sale at a meet-the-artist on Sunday, December 9 at the Williams Mill in Glen Williams, from 1 to 4 p.m.