COLLIE schools were treated to an incursion from Fremantle-based author and illustrator Wendy Binks this week.
The visits were part of book week, which is this year celebrating 70 years in Australia with the theme ‘books light up our world.’
Ms Binks has been travelling the region as part of the book week event, spending the previous weeks at various schools in the Shire of Capel before heading to Perth, Newman and Kununurra.
Having previously conducted extended workshops at schools in Perth, Ms Binks said teachers had contacted her after to say the children’s literacy levels were raised because of her lessons.
“I think they (books) are really important, and I always try and make the incursions as diverse as possible so the kids get a lot out of it,” she said.
Ms Binks said talking the children through the process of being an author and illustrator and making the books helps the stories to come alive.
“It becomes more relatable for the kids to see the process of the illustrations and story and they see the books come alive,” she said.
“I can show the kids the whole process including what it is like to self-publish and I teach the older kids about royalties, so there is an element of maths there too.”
Part of the workshop includes a drawing session which Ms Binks said uses simple steps to help with drawing block.
“I go through a step by step process of teaching the kids to draw using simple shapes, I even get the teachers to join in and most people are surprised how simple it is,” she said.
“It’s about not being afraid that something isn’t perfect, some kids get a block because of this, but using simple shapes means everyone can draw.”
Ms Binks is well known for her ‘stunned emu’ designs which she sells at Fremantle Markets and her own Fremantle based gallery.
