Fall River illustrator Nicole Wong inspired by city for latest work on children's book

Still waters run deep, as the old saying goes.

Sometimes, running water also runs deep: deep underground.

In Fall River’s case, that’s quite literally true: the city takes its name from the falls of the Quequechan River, parts of which were filled in for commercial development.

For Fall River resident and children’s book illustrator Nicole Wong, the origin story of Fall River’s name was just a happy coincidence when it came to the latest book she’s illustrated, “If the Rivers Run Free,” by Andrea Debbink, releasing on Aug. 15 from Sleeping Bear Press.

“I don’t seek out manuscripts,” Wong said in an interview with The Herald News. “They just come to me, and they’re always a surprise.”

Wong has illustrated a lot of books dealing with water, science, and environmentalism.

“If the Rivers Run Free” takes a look at cities from all over the world that have buried rivers beneath their streets, often because of pollution and industrial waste. The “solution” to those problems gave birth to new issues like flooding. A group of naturalists realized the true solution to managing urban waterways was to free these rivers, or “daylight” them. The book explores the restoration of that beauty, as well as the rivers as a source of general well-being.

Fall River landscapes, history inspire art

Wong, who was born in Fall River and has been an illustrator for 23 years, took inspiration from Fall River’s landscapes for her illustrations in “If the Rivers Run Free,” given Fall River’s own history.

The Quequechan River was a reference for her work on the illustrations for this book, as were her own frequent walks around Fall River. She’s an avid walker.

“I love drawing landscapes. I walk everywhere, like down by the Quequechan River path, and I’m always taking in the environment, and looking everywhere and observing,” Wong said.

Fall River’s history as a city of factories was also helpful as a reference, and Wong also took inspiration from factories in New Bedford.

There was also a lot of research involved for the science behind the book’s subject. Wong is nothing if not thorough.

“I love science and I love to research,” she said. She also noted that she’s a stickler for accuracy.

Wong also loves history.

For this book, she watched historical documentaries, movies about daylighting the rivers of London, and lots and lots of YouTube videos.

“Because I can’t go down underground myself, so I have to use the internet, and I watch a lot of videos and take a lot of reference from there, and I journey with them however I can,” Wong said.

Family memories inspire illustrations

For Wong, the work can also be personal.

Her dad was a designer and painter, and her mom was a fashion illustrator and art teacher. Her family is present in their own way in the illustrations she created for this book.

She was inspired by a lithograph that her mother had hanging on the wall when Wong was younger. It shows the waterways and streets of Fall River, all lovingly illustrated, with the water even featuring whimsical little ships.

“I always was just like, ‘Wow, I just wanna walk all the streets,’ which, now I have. I walk all the time. That’s why I do so many landscapes, because I am a walker, and I walk everywhere and see everything,” Wong said.

Those little ships also found their way into “If the Rivers Run Free.”

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Probably the most locally accessible example of a daylighted river, Wong said, is the Providence River, where she also walked around to get references for this book.

“Now that it’s daylighted, businesses are doing well, it’s safer. It’s brought in more foot traffIc, the fire and light festival have been an ongoing thing for years. There’s always something positive happening at the river, like kayaking, farmers markets and festivals,” Wong said. “People, wildlife and the environment are the better for it.”

She also noted that the Alfred J. Lima Quequechan River Rail trail has been improvement to the lives of local wildlife as well as residents.

“It’s good for them, it’s good for us. It helps people who are not as wealthy to have a place to walk through, from one tight city spot to another … they get to walk through a nice area. As far as studies show, we all need that to thrive a little bit. It makes us all better people, happier people.”

At the back of this book, Wong, who has already dedicated other works to the people she loves, pointed out that she dedicated it to “Q.R.”: the Quequechan River.

Connecting to green spaces: Fall River's Quequechan River Rail Trail has a new extension. More could be on the way.

The process of illustrating a children's book

When it comes to the creative process, Wong starts with thumbnail sketches and plans out how the book is going to flow. Illustrators like Wong work with an art director throughout this process, not the book’s author.

“It started with them,” Wong said, “but it also becomes my book. When it’s in my hands, it’s mine, and I will do what I can to make it the best it can look.”

She also thinks about the best way she can communicate what she’s learned in her research through the illustrations she crafts for any given project.

Wong, who wanted to be an illustrator her whole life, has been at it for 23 years. She’s a RISD graduate with a BFA in illustration, and has just signed her 30th contract for a trade book.

“I’ve always been very lucky, knock on wood, that I’ve just been able to get work,” Wong said. “It’s a hard business, so I feel very grateful to consistently have work all these years.”

Working with Caldecott Medal winner Jane Yolen

Her next work is expected out in 2024:

She’s the illustrator for “Quiet as Mud,” by Jane Yolen, Caldecott Medal winner and author of hundreds of children’s books.

Wong is also currently working on “A Cat Like That,” by Lester Laminack, depicting a day in the life of a big, round cat who lives on Martha’s Vineyard, planned for release in spring 2025.

She’s represented by James McGowan at Bookends Literary Agency, and other works she’s illustrated include: “Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Sumbersible ALVIN” by Michelle Cusolito (2018); “Sweet Dreaming,” by Julia Rawlinson (2018); “Three Lost Seeds: Stories Of Becoming,” by Stephie Morton (2019); “I’ll Be the Water: The Story of a Grandparent’s Love,” by Alec Aspinwall (2020); “Kiyoshi’s Walk,” by Mark Karlins (2021); “Branches of Hope: A Story About the 9/11 Survivor Tree,” by Ann Magee (2021); “Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean,” by Michelle Cusolito (2022); “Enough is…” by Jessica Whipple (2023).

Keep up with Nicole Wong's latest work

If you’d like to see some of Wong’s work in person, you’ll soon have the chance. She’s going to be part of a gallery show at the University of Rhode Island’s Providence campus, 80 Washingston St., beginning on Sept. 5 and running throughout the month.

Keep up with Wong on Twitter @PainterNik or on Instagram @painternik9. She also has work available in her Etsy shop and Ebay store.

Taunton Daily Gazette/Herald News copy editor and digital producer Kristina Fontes can be reached at kfontes@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Nicole Wong illustrates "If the Rivers Run Free", inspired by Fall River