Inspired by everyday life and nature, Diana Lipnick-Feld delights in telling stories through her bookmaking, collage, painting, and sculpture.
Noonorse the bear, a gift from Diana’s parents to their great-grandchildren, became her companion on a transcontinental flight from France to the United States. Noonorse is the transliteration of “Nounours,” the French word for bear.
On her journey with Noonorse, Diana had to show the bear for scanning at every security checkpoint. During many hours lined-up at the airport and waiting to board airplanes, Diana began to sketch her surroundings.
Here are four samples of Diana’s favorite illustrations from her book, Airport Security with Noonorse.
Diana is no stranger to travel. She’s lived in London; Cairo; Paris; Oakland; Maryland; and now Los Angeles.
Airport Security with Noonorse virtually came to life while she sat around airports, people gazing and waiting for her plane to depart. Her research was done in situ, through observation and her frequent travels. She began to think about children in airports and their experiences. What happens when the TSA agent takes their backpacks and puts them on the conveyor belt to be scanned? Will it swallow them up? And then, what’s next?
Eventually, she took a class in children’s book making at Santa Monica College and used the idea of a bear going through security and dealing with TSA at the airport. The rest is history!