Azby Whitecalf is a Plains Cree Character Designer and Illustrator based out of North Battleford, Saskatchewan Treaty 6 Territory. They have a Bachelor Degree in Visual Communication (Character Design) from the Alberta University of the Arts. They are the illustrator of picture books like Buffalo Wild (2001) and We Belong to the Drum (2022). Their most recent work includes bringing Sarah Ponakey and her magical companions to life in the illustrations of Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher, a new early chapter book series from Annick Press.
We caught up with Azby Whitecalf to chat about character design, Indigenous representation and what's next for Sarah Ponakey.
Sarah Ponakey is a loveable and relatable character. What is your process to design and bring a character like Sarah to life?
When designing characters for books and projects it's helpful if the author or the client has an idea in mind. With Sarah, that's what happened. Sarah is based on Sita MacMillan’s daughter. Sita gave me pictures and everything. It was perfect.
When I draw different scenes, especially scenes with emotional change, I have to consider how I can convey what the character is feeling. Sarah is shy and nervous at times. I tried to model her body language and expressions on young girls I've met in my life, including those I've met visiting schools.
It's a big part of my practice to create representation for Indigenous kids. For example, many of my children's books feature young boys with long hair. I draw them with a braid so the young boys at home in my community can see that and be like “oh, that's me!”
The second book in the series features a magical visit from Maskwa (Bear). How does your approach to designing a character change when there’s an element of magic involved?
Maskwa is a big character, both size-wise and in personality. When I was designing her–and when I designed other animal characters, like Âhâsiw in Book 1–I looked at old Disney and Looney Tunes movies for inspiration.
In the books, the animal characters start out as stuffed animals. I try to keep that softness. Âhâsiw is very cheerful and eager. So I wanted to make sure he always had his chest puffed out and his wings were very gestural. With Maskwa I wanted to make sure she didn't look too threatening. So I gave her the body of a teddy bear and just made it a little bit more proportional. I made her snout a little more cartoony and soft because she doesn't have this big maw with a bunch of teeth.
Each book in the series features many elements of Cree culture. What does it mean to you to share Cree culture with young readers?
It feels great. I've been taking Cree classes which have motivated and inspired me. I was at the Forest of Reading festival recently and met some kids who were fans of Sarah Ponakey. I got to tell them about the second book and teach them that Maskwa means bear in Cree. They were trying to pronounce it, feeling the word. It was so exciting!
A lot of the projects I work on have to do with cultural restoration or language revival. It means a lot to be a part of these projects. I'm learning and also helping the younger generations learn. This work is super important to our people.
The series showcases Indigenous pride and joy. How do you express pride and joy in your illustrations?
It always comes back to representation. I feel pride and joy and want to put it into these books so young people can see it. I hope the books can spark motivation and curiosity to learn more about themselves and their culture. I hope they feel encouraged to seek out family members and cultural leaders and ask questions. That's how we learn and that's how we keep this culture and language alive. When we ask and find out, that sparks pride and joy.
When I go to events, I try to talk about myself and share that I'm proud to be from Sweetgrass, from Treaty 6. I'm proud to be slowly learning my language. Anything's better than nothing. It makes me happy to show readers–children and adults–how I’m proud of my culture, especially at a time when it’s not always appreciated or respected. Given the history of our people, I think it's important to take every opportunity to showcase who we are, how awesome we are, and how much pride and joy we have.
Where is the series going next?
The series is planned for three books. In the third book, we’re continuing the animal theme. The main animal character of the story is going to be Wâpos (Rabbit). We meet a lot of new characters! We’re just getting started, but I'm already really excited. And I believe it’s coming out next spring.
Keep up to date with Azby Whitecalf's latest projects by following @wapimostosis on Instagram.
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Written by Spencer Miller