Illustrator Elizabeth Lampman Davis rejoices in the great outdoors. Her imagination runs wild in wide open spaces, on mountainous trails and deep in magical woods. She recalls her childhood backyard and how a boxwood bush was transformed into a perfectly cozy fort for her 5-year-old self. Her grandparents’ plush area rug provided roads for her to drive tiny cars to along its designs. 

When Lampman Davis sketches out ideas for children’s books, this imagination serves her well. A wheelbarrow no longer only hauls yard trash but can also blast off like a spaceship or dive underwater like a submarine. Inspiration comes from her two children and their energetic spirits as well as memories from her own childhood. 

“It was back in the days when kids would be pushed out of the front door and parents would say to come back when it starts getting dark for dinner,” says Lampman Davis. “You have this wonderful freedom of exploring in the woods by yourself, or with a sibling or friend. I loved building forts in the woods, skipping rocks and fishing. It makes me happy to think about, which makes me want to create something that reflects that kind of joy.” 

Lampman Davis’ solo exhibition at the Artport Gallery this spring reflects not only that joy, but something far greater. “Turning the Page,” brings visibility to children who are often underrepresented in children’s literature.

In her description of the exhibit, she quotes statistics that she finds discouraging — only 11.9% of main characters in children’s books are African American, 8.7% are Asian, 5.3% are Latinx, 1% are Native American and 3.4% are differently-abled. As a mother of a mixed-race family, Lampman Davis strives to turn this narrative around with every brushstroke. 

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