Ravinia 2026 Issue 1

IFYOU’VE SPOTTED RAVINIA’S 2026 SEASON POSTER in the park, you have children’s book author and illustrator Sarah Kurpiel to thank for the bright, bold design. Kurpiel’s creative journey began not in an art school studio, but in the stacks. A full-time librarian, Kurpiel spent much of her time reading and cataloging children’s books before she ever thought of creating on her own; she loved to doodle but hadn’t considered art as more than a meditative hobby. “I always want to try to make it fun for myself,” she says. “What’s the point of doing this if I’m not enjoying it?” That enjoyment blossomed into something more in 2016, when Kurpiel started teaching herself how to draw digitally. The realities of working with a small team at the library meant “there’s no marketing person or anything. If you need a sign, you have to make it yourself,” she says. “We became accidental graphic designers, because what are you going to do?” With that, she started researching the ins and outs of the picture book industry, and created her own portfolio. By 2018, she was signed for her first book, Lone Wolf, which was published in 2020; several whimsical children’s favorites have followed. When comparing the organic swirls and sketches of Kurpiel’s book illustra- tions to the sleek design of her Ravinia poster, one would be hard-pressed to guess they were created by the same artist. Kurpiel says this contrast is in- tentional, a byproduct of thinking about the different emotional responses she’s hoping to pull from both her audiences. “Emotions really drive my work. They dictate what colors I choose, how thick of lines I’ll use,” she says. “I get a lot of inspiration from nature, from my pets, from my own past. I think a lot about my own childhood, and about the powerful emotions that I had.” In the case of her 2026 summer poster, Kurpiel said that what started with the shapes of Ravinia’s iconic Martin Theatre windows began to morph into piano keys and tree linings as she moved them around, with the array of bright colors captur- ing the vibrant variety of music at the festival. “With a picture book, people will pore over the pictures and they will pause,” Kurpiel says. “With a poster, it needs to be instant. One glance and a quick reaction.” With enough time spent “playing,” her poster design revealed itself, she shares. “I’m very serious about playing,” Kurpiel says. “I just have to move things around and just play, play, play, play, play and be like, ah, aha! You know, that looks right.” For Kurpiel, this tactile sense of play is deeply tied to her identity as a creator. As a disabled artist who uses a power wheelchair, Kurpiel finds that this ideology has helped her reframe her disability as part of what makes her work unique. She experiences physical limitations in her arm strength, but tells other artists that their limits might just be what sets them apart. “Lean into those limits,” Kurpiel says. “You can’t draw a straight line? Embrace the wobbly line. It’s oftentimes your limitations that bring out what makes your style unique.” To see more from Sarah Kurpiel, check out her most recent book, More Than a Tree , which was published in March, and visit sarahkurpiel.com . Ravinia 2026 Season Poster Designer Sarah Kurpiel Is ‘Serious About Play’ Meet the Artist BY EMILYWALKER RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JULY 11 – JULY 19 , 2026 30