Mary M. Preble, illustrator and author of five books, has been creating art since she was a little girl. She taught art for twenty-eight years and learned about the Gelli plate as a new medium to teach her students. Creating papers to use in her illustrations and teaching the Gelli plate to many schools and individuals is her passion. Mary uses recycled items to create the rich textures in her illustrations. Think bubble wrap, a comb, the bottom of a shoe or water bottle, or even the core from a head of lettuce. Many say her work reminds them of Eric Carle. Mary says she’s “Eric Carle on a lot of caffeine!” In Good Morning, Maine!, Mary was fortunate enough to work with its authors, Adalynn, Lillian, and Sara Frautten, to create many of the art papers she used in the illustrations.