Background

Michael Martchenko was born on August 1, 1942, in Carcassonne, Occitanie, France. He is a son of John Martchenko, a mining company employee, and Mary Martchenko (maiden name Jurczak), a seamstress.

Education

Michael Martchenko spent his early years in a small town not far from Paris, France. Michael developed a passion for humorous illustrations reading a great number of comics and watching cartoons.

In 1949, Martchenko’s family relocated to Canada. As early as in a Glenview Park Secondary School, Cambridge, Ontario, the boy decided that his future career would be related to art. To achieve the goal, he entered Ontario College of Art and Design University.

Martchenko received his diploma in 1966.

Career

The start of Michael Martchenko’s career can be counted from his service in advertising. Upon his graduation in 1966, Michael found a job in Spitzer, Mills and Bates Advertising Company where he had served as an art director for three years. Then, he occupied a similar post at Needham, Harper & Steers agency staying there for a year. From 1970 to 1972, Martchenko worked as a designer and illustrator in Art Associates, Toronto. In 1973, he joined the staff of TDF Artists Ltd. working there as a creative art director till 1993.

It was during this period when the illustrator came into view of Annick Press representatives and author Robert Munsch who saw his work at a graphic-arts exhibition. Martchenko was displaying a scene in a park featuring pigeons with the landing gear. The illustrator’s zany humor – and extremely quick working pace – appealed to Munsch and to his publishers, and Martchenko began a new career.

The first Munsch’s book illustrated by Martchenko, ‘The Paper Bag Princess’, was published in 1980. The following years, Martchenko has created images for many other writings of Munsch, including ‘Alligator Baby’ and ‘Andrew's Loose Tooth’ which had great success among readers. Their ‘Mortimer’ was exhibited at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair in 1985.

Martchenko has also collaborated with another author, Allen Morgan, providing his ‘Matthew's Midnight Adventure’ series with images.

In 1990, Michael Martchenko published his first self-written children’s book, ‘Birdfeeder Banquet’, a picture volume that some reviewers found similar in several respects to Martchenko’s work with Munsch. The second volume by the illustrator, ‘Ma, I'm a Farmer’, followed in 2003.

Apart from Munsch’s books, Martchenko has also illustrated some of Loris Lesynski’s works, like ‘Shoe Shakes’ and ‘I Did It Because...: How a Poem Happens’.

Martchenko’s illustrations have been exhibited throughout Canada, including the shows in Harbourfront Centre, Art Centre in Stouffville, and was also featured at the exhibition of Canadian children’s book illustrators in Bologna, Italy.

Currently, Michael Martchenko lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

Achievements

• Michael Martchenko is an accomplished illustrator whose images for Robert Munsch books are recognized both by critics and readers.
  
  A prolific artist, Martchenko has illustrated about thirty books for children. The fifteen Robert Munsch stories illustrated by Martchenko are included in The Munschworks Grand Treasury collection.
  
  The pair Martchenko-Munsch has won many awards for their co-ventures like Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for ‘Thomas’ Snowsuit’. Martchenko has also won such awards for his design and illustrations like Advertising Club of Toronto Merit Award and International Council of Shopping Centres Award among others.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Ma, I'm a Farmer

    (The book contains fun and dynamic cartoon illustrations w...)

    2003
  • Birdfeeder Banquet

    (The humorous story and the inspired satirical art from th...)

    1990

• illustration

  • I Did It Because: How a Poem Happens

    (The book illustrated by Michael Martchenko includes over ...)

    2006
  • Zoom!

    (Another rollicking collaboration of Robert Munsch and Mic...)

    2003
  • Shoe Shakes

    (The unconventionally active celebration of feet in motion...)

    2007
  • Angela's Airplane

    (A newly designed Classic Munsch picture book introduces t...)

    1988
  • Alligator Baby

    (Kristen's parents are expecting a baby any minute, but th...)

    1997
  • The Paper Bag Princess

    (The classic story of girl power by Robert Munsch with ill...)

    1980
  • Andrew's Loose Tooth

    (Andrew's tooth is killing him, but it just won't fall out...)

    1998
  • Mortimer

    (Mortimer will not be quiet and go to sleep. Not for his m...)

    1983

Views

Quotations: "While illustrating children’s books is hard work, it’s also great fun with the added advantage of having little interference and few restrictions placed upon you, such as you may have in the commercial art field."

"I’m sure that everyone visualizes pictures when reading a story. I feel very fortunate that in illustrating children’s stories, I can put my mental pictures down on board. I hope that I do it in such a way that children can not only identify with the story, but can use their own imaginations to bring the characters to life."

"I try to give the kids in my illustrations spunk and make them a bit defiant; they’re always sticking out their chests and standing up for themselves."

Membership

Michael Martchenko is a member of the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers, American Society of Aviation Artists, Canadian Aircrew Association, Canadian Airforce Association, and Canadian Aviation Historical Society.

Personality

Michael Martchenko’s prefers to use watercolor and pencil for most of his books.

Interests

• aviation art and history, books on art and military history, movies, collecting aviation memorabilia

Connections

Michael Martchenko married Patricia Kerr, a director of sales and marketing, on May 28, 1983. Patricia and Michael have three children named Holly Michelle, Susan, and Janet.

Father:

John Martchenko

Mother:

Mary Martchenko

Spouse:

Patricia Kerr

Daughter:

Holy Michelle Martchenko

Daughter:

Susan Martchenko

Daughter:

Janet Martchenko

colleague:

Robert Munsch