Interview: Kim Wagner Nolan
- Little Thoughts Press
- Aug 26
- 4 min read
Kim Wagner Nolan is an author/illustrator and museum exhibition designer, specializing in educational interactive exhibits for children. Her work has been showcased in over a hundred museum and gallery exhibits and has appeared in several print and online publications. She was the winner of the 50 Precious Words International Writing Contest (2024), the SCBWI Draw This! Contest (12/2024), and she once won two dozen doughnuts in the Krispy Kreme Doughnut painting contest. When she’s not painting for doughnuts, Kim enjoys going on adventures and playing the ukulele for her pet chickens. Find more at kimwnolan.com.
Little Thoughts Press: Your illustration, 51st Street, served as inspiration for some of the writing featured in Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure. While creating this piece, did you have a particular story in mind? Or to put it another way, if you had written a poem or story to accompany this illustration, what might you have written?
Kim Wagner Nolan: 51st Street was inspired by real life. The reference I used for the illustration was from a photo I took of the apartment building where I lived on 51st Street in Woodside, Queens, New York. I’ve always lived on the 3rd or 4th floor of every apartment building I’ve called home. All of them had an intercom and buzzer to let people in, but none of them worked, so we’d have to run down four flights of stairs or toss the keys down so our friends could let themselves in. We’d put the keys in a sock or make a little parachute for them so they wouldn’t hurt the person catching them.
Little Thoughts Press: Your illustration inspired the poems “Keys for My Sister” by Nick Fordham, “Catch” by Julie Stevens, and “Outside Upstairs” by Hilary Elder. Was there anything that surprised you in how these writers chose to interpret your art? If you are open to sharing, were there any lines or images in these pieces that you thought really captured what you had in your mind when you created this illustration?
Kim Wagner Nolan: I appreciate how different readers interpret my art. It helps me understand where my narrative illustrations are doing a good job of telling the story and where they need improvement.
Nick Fordham's "Keys for My Sister" beautifully conveys a sense of bittersweet longing for happier times. "Catch" perfectly captures the playfulness of the scene. I especially loved how the line, “No one sees us, no one looks up, upstairs, outdoors, so many floors,” in "Outside Upstairs" depicts observing the world from above. It highlights common city life activities like people-watching from windows or fire escapes.
Little Thoughts Press: This issue is all about celebrating and spotlighting artists. Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out?
Kim Wagner Nolan: Oliver Jeffers, Debbie Ridpath-Ohi, London Ladd, and Christopher Denise are just a few but I have a long list of authors and illustrators that I admire.
Little Thoughts Press: What initially brought you into the world of kidlit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about making art that will appeal to children?
Kim Wagner Nolan: I was brought into the world of kidlit when I was a kid. I just never left! I’ve always loved drawing and writing stories.
The biggest challenge is staying motivated despite criticism and rejection. The most rewarding part is seeing my art published and enjoyed by children worldwide.
Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up?
Kim Wagner Nolan: My favorite picture books growing up were Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold and anything by Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak, or Shel Silverstein. My favorite middle-grade books were Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson (I still have my original copy), Super Fudge by Judy Blume, The Pinballs by Betsy Byars, and any choose-your-own-adventure book.
Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young artists?
Kim Wagner Nolan: Study other artists to learn and be inspired, but don’t compare yourself. You have your own unique voice when creating art.
Little Thoughts Press: I have asked these questions of the young artists we’ve featured on our blog but I am curious to know your answers as well: What is your favorite thing to draw and how does creating art make you feel?
Kim Wagner Nolan: My favorite thing to draw is animals. Creating art is a superpower! Artists and writers have the power to create entire worlds and characters with their imagination. I think that’s pretty amazing.
Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share?
Kim Wagner Nolan: I’m excited to share that I created the interior spot illustrations for the Stirring Words issue of Little Thoughts Press (Issue 11), which will be available in September 2025.
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