Assistant Professor
Yevgenia Nayberg
- School of Art and Design
- Illustration and Interactive Media
A Party For Florine
When a young girl visits the museum, she finds an unexpected friend in a self-portrait of Florine Stettheimer. They’re both artists; they both have Jewish families; they even look alike!
Florine’s life was wild and glamorous. She painted people in flight and buildings that grew from the ground like crooked trees, bright colors and shapes and animals. She threw parties frequented by other famous visionaries like Marcel Duchamp and Carl Van Vechten.
Soon, our narrator is dreaming up her own fantastical parties for Florine, with table spreads of colorful treats, and painting and dancing and poetry. With Florine in her life, even a rainy day can’t make the world seem humdrum anymore.
A Party for Florine is an unapologetically whimsical fan letter to an artist whose influence is clear in Sydney Taylor Honoree Yevgenia Nayberg’s captivating illustrations. Dreamers, creators, and budding modernists will be drawn into the young protagonist’s party just as strongly as she is drawn into Stettheimer’s paintings.
How did you first come up with the idea for this work?
In 2017, The Jewish Museum held an exhibition of Stettheimer’s work. A friend attending the show sent me a photograph of Florine’s early self-portrait. I was shocked by how much I resembled her! I was instantly inspired by this mystical connection to a painter born 100 years before me. As I explored her art and poetry, I became drawn to her exuberance, wit, and her way of looking at the world through an ironic lens.
What was your research process like?
I had to read many biographical accounts of Florine’s life as well as critical research of her artistic style. As an illustrator, my task was quite challenging. As much as I like Florine’s work, my own artistic style is quite different. The most exciting challenge was inventing a style that resembled Florine’s without losing my own.
How long did you work on this before it was published?
About two years
Does this work relate to your role at FIT? If so, how?
I teach illustration, and one of the classes I focus on is Book Illustration. In my teaching, I emphasize the role of the illustrator as both a storyteller and a creator of alternative worlds. My book reflects this approach.
What was your biggest challenge? What was most rewarding?
The biggest challenge as a writer was creating a unique angle that would distinguish this book from traditional picture book biographies. Rather than simply retelling life events, the book evolved into a fan letter—a fictional story about a real person.
Have you published any other books or have any upcoming publications?
I have published four other books as an author/illustrator, with three more on the way, including a graphic memoir, “My Chernobyl Year”, set to be released in 2026. I have also illustrated numerous books by other authors. Six of my books are part of the FIT library collection!
- Professor at FIT since 2022
- Book published in 2024