Storytelling: Isabel Roxas, Studio Roxas

Isabel (Pepper) Roxas is an award-winning Philippine-born, New York-based author and illustrator. We have been big fans of her work ever since we discovered “A Day in the Market (Araw sa Palengke)" in Manila six years ago, and jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with her last summer on a series of illustrations for a Studio Roxas x Little Islanders collection. Recently, we had a quick chat with Isabel about what makes her tick.

You mentioned you were "raised on luscious mangoes, old wives' tales, and monsoon moons". What was your childhood like and what is your most meaningful memory growing up in the Philippines?

I grew up in the city, but my family often went to the provinces. My mother liked traveling to parts of the country that were off the beaten path, so it was a mix of playing on asphalt, visits to the palengke, riding bangkas — my favorite mode of transport! — and sleeping in huts.

I ran with a little crew of cousins… as soon as we all got home from school we would quickly change out of our uniforms and race out the door. We'd play kickball, ride our bikes to the park, or have snacks at the sari-sari store round the corner. 

Of course, the BEST days were Sundays! After our family lunch, we would sneak out of our grandmother's house and into my dad's office and just run wild. My dad ran a contracting firm so the office was crammed with architect's drafting tables, banker's desks, and pipes and giant cables — but for us, they were snakes in jungles, hills to climb, volcanoes, or even haunted mansions. My childhood was definitely filled with a lot of make-believe, screaming, and merienda.

Old wives' tales and folklore are important oral histories that have been passed down from one generation to the next. What are some of your favourite stories and who did you hear them from? 

I had a nanny who was from the province of Capiz and she loved telling me stories that would keep me up at night. Stories of monsters like the Tiyanak and Duwende. But I also got them from my peers and older kids! My mother enrolled me in so many classes — repertory, Bayanihan, ballet —  and each new group of kids would have a creepy tale to tell: a white lady in the Rizal Theater, the cold, mysterious draft in the Insular Life Theater, Balete tree stories… Needless to say, I was one sleep-deprived child.

You are now based in New York. Where do you consider home and how has that concept changed for you?

I still consider the Philippines home because of all the memories, but I have never been more comfortable in any place than here in NY (although the recent spate of anti-asian attacks have complicated matters). Ever since I saw my first episode of Sesame Street, I knew I wanted to live here.

But being away has certainly made me closer to our local foodways. In Manila, it was so easy to go to the Palengke or a farmer's market to buy prepared food and snacks. Here, when I crave ube jam, suman or fresh pandesal, I have to make it. I appreciate learning how to make it all from scratch: smelling, touching and tasting flavors from home.

Do you travel back to the Philippines often? What do you miss most about the country?

I go home about once or twice a year.  But due to the pandemic and my frantic work schedule, I haven't been back for several years and I am well overdue. I miss the mangoes, the beaches, my mother, and my friends.

You're an amazing visual storyteller and we love how explorative your illustration style is. How did it all begin for you?

Thank you! It all started in a specialty bookshop called Young Minds (now closed, sadly). I was an avid reader and a collector of children's books when I saw some people painting a mural on the bookshop wall. The painters turned out to be members of a newly formed local group of artists and educators who made books for children called Ang Ink (Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan). I was an eager teeneager and I begged them to let me sit-in their meetings.

Eventually, I was commissioned to design the character for a weekly column, the Junior Inquirer, called Iggy Ipis. The magazine published a lot of fiction and poetry for children and I managed to become a regular contributor there. I had to manage very tight deadlines on top of all the schoolwork I had to do. It was tough, but I learned a lot! My editor, Nats, also gave me a lot of leeway so I was able to experiment with different materials and formats. From there, I went on to work with Tahanan Books for Young Children and later with Adarna House.

What are some of your influences?

I was heavily influenced by Jim Henson. I loved his whole approach to education and entertainment for children. I loved the writing of Roald Dahl and also Rene Villanueva who made a lot of the Filipino children’s stories like Emang Enkantada at ang Tatlong Haragan and Unang Baboy sa Langit. These writers helped shape what I aspire my own writing to be: witty, earnest, mischievous with just a touch of the surreal.

I also use a lot of my childhood memories to give life and truth to my characters, even when they are about children of other nationalities. I recently finished writing and illustrating a graphic novel (my first!). Even though it was set here in Queens, I drew my inspiration from my own experiences of hanging around in a sports club as a kid.

Finally, could you talk a little bit about your personal projects, including your zines and comics? What is your inspiration for these and what is next for you? 

I've discovered that I enjoy making zines. Children's books take ages to make, but with a zine, once you have an idea you can quickly get it out and share it with the world. I love the spontaneity of it, its immediacy. I like to think of them as "short subjects". Most of my zines are inspired by home. I once made a counting zine about my favorite childhood sweets and another featuring a hazy memory of the truths and lies people told me when I was growing up. 

I started making mini-comics several years ago, because it allowed me to tell longer stories. One of my comics got picked up by Flying Eye and we’re actually launching the first book in the series this June. The Adventures of Team Pom: Squid Happens is basically a love letter to New York. It's set in Queens and follows a small group of oddballs who play, explore, solve mysteries and eat a lot of snacks. Oh, and they meet a Giant Squid, so of course, trouble ensues.

The Adventures of Team Pom: Squid Happens has just been released so do check it out! We are eagerly awaiting our copy that we purchased from Pumplepie Books.