THURMAN Mark
Owl, 11-1, January 1986: 21. Cartoon images of Emily Hearn & Mark Thurman on the 10th anniversary of “Mighty Mites”
This Toronto based illustrator graduated from the Central Technical School Art Program in 1966.
He has written and illustrated 16 books including the Douglas The Elephant series of books and designed and illustrated more than 25 books for other authors including Emily Hearn’s Franny and the Music Girl.
He appeared on TVO’s Kids, Romper Room and Polka Dot Door; CBC’s Mr. Dress-up, and CTV’s Caribou Club. He has toured Canada extensively, sharing his stories and ideas with children and teachers in hundreds of schools. “Constant touring means being on the road, I’m a travelling salesman — only I’m selling information, ideas and inspiration.”
His work has appeared in several galleries. His focus has been the human figure and portraits working in realistic, impressionistic and symbolic styles. He is a member of the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers, International Board on Books for Young People, Writer’s Union, and Alliance of Canadian Cinema Television and Radio Artists.
He taught life drawing anatomy and illustration/design at the Toronto School of Art, anatomy/figure drawing at Ontario College of Art & Design, and picture-book illustration and figure drawing at Central Technical School. He taught anatomy/figure drawing in the Classical Animation department at Sheridan College for nineteen years.
He was co-creator with writer Emily Hearn of the cartoon serial “Mighty Mites” which began in the first issue of Owl January 1976. Together they authored the book Mighty Mites in Dinosaur Land published in 1981. After doing it a little over 15 years they left it somewhere between January and October 1991.
ILLUSTRATOR
BOOK GRAPHIC :
Content story/Information & Cover front & back:
The Adventures of Kinder Surprise and the Eco Bunnies, Writ., Jane Drake & Ann Love. Ferraro Canada Ltd. 1998.
CO-CARTOONIST:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Content story/Information & Cover front & back:
Mighty Mites in Dinosaur Land. Co-car., Emily Hearn. Greey de Pencier Books, 1981.
PERIODICAL TEXT & GRAPHIC: Published by the Young Naturalist Foundation
Content information & adventure:
| Owl …: “Mighty Mites…” Co-car., Emily Hearn & Mark Thurman. Black & white. |
| 1-1, January 1976: Bee hive:20-23.
1-2, Spring 1976: Canada Geese: 18-21. 1-3, Summer 1976:Raccons: 20-23. 1-4, September 1976: About bats: 18-21. 1-5, October 1976: About a swamp: 18-21. 1-6, November 1976: About white-tailed deer: 18-21. 1-7, December 1976, Christmas Tree Adventure: 18-21. 2-1, January 1977: About otters: 24-27. 2-2, February 1977: “Go On A Wild Ride”: 18-21. Riding on Snow Buntings. 2-3, March 1977: “About rabbits and owls: 18-21. 2-4, April 1977: “In Hide And Seek”: 18-21. Sophia nearly eaten by Sea Gull. 2-5, May 1977: “Visit A Tiny World”: 18-21. About ants. 3-2, February 1978; “On A Quick Brown Fox”: 18-21. About a fox and an owl. 3-3, March 1978: “Riding A Curious Creature”: 18-21.About a mole and a pike. 3-10: December 1978: “Go Up And Down”: 18-21. About eagles and mountain goats.” 5-8, October 1980: “Milkweed Mysteries”: 18-21. About milkweed and caterpillars. 8-4, April 1983: “In a Deadly Trap”: 22-25. Nick nearly trapped in a Venus Fly Trap. 8-6, Summer 1983: “Meet a hungry gooseberry”: 18-21. Mark encounters a Sea Gooseberry 8-10: December 1983: “visit a penguin burrow”: 20-23. 9-1 January 1984: “in a sticky situation”: 20-23. Mites ride a fruit eating bat. 9-3, March 1984: “meet some unusual travelers”: 20-23. Encounter with Garter snakes. 10-4, April 1985: “go to fishing school”: 18-21. Encounter with Kingfisher. 10-7, September 1985: “meet a drag racer”: 18-21. Meet a Pronghorn antelope. 10-8, October 1985: “Meet the Blob”: 18-21. Encounter with a slim mould. 11-1, January 1986: “a Birthday Surprise”: 18-21. Creators themselves appear. 11-5, May 1986: “…in a Paper House”: 20-23. Visit a wasp nest. 11-8, October 1986: “ … on a Mouse Hunt”: 18-21. Encounter with owl. 11-10, December 1986: “ … and the Stowaways”: 18-21. Hummingbirds & mites. 12-1, January 1987: “… in Snowy Adventure”: 20-23. Exploring snowflakes. 12-3, March 1987: “… Meet a Mighty Toad”: 20-23. 12-5, May 1987: “… in Borneo”: 18-21. Nick nearly eaten by spider. 12-6, Summer 1987: “… Dive Into Danger”: 18-21. Nick trapped by crayfish. 12-9, November 1987: “… in the Galapagos”: 20-23. Bird uses stick to spear grub. 13-1, January 1988: “… Up a Gum Tree”: 20-23. Observing Koalas. 13-2, Feb. 1988: “… Meet a Mighty Mite”: 20-23. 13-3, March 1988: “… in Bolivia”: 18-21. Adventure with an armadillo. 16-1, January 1991: “… Take a Clock Walk”: 24-27. Explore a clack mechanism. |
SOURCE:
Article book:
Mighty Mites in Dinosaur Land. Greey de Pencier Books, 1981: 48
Brochure:
Walter’s Falls Group of Artists: An Annual Summer Exhibition 26,27,28 August 2023.
Internet:
“Mark Thurman.” https://secondstorypress.ca/authors-list/mark-thurman Accessed 17 August 2020.
“Mark Thurman.” https://www.markthurman.ca/bio/bio.asp?bio Accessed 17 August 2020.
GALLERY:
The Adventures of Kinder Surprise and the EcoBunnies, 1998: Back cover.