The Night Before Xmas

By:   Takeya Trayer
Imprint:   Takeya Trayer
Dimensions:   Height: 235mm,  Width: 191mm,  Spine: 6mm
Weight:   281g
ISBN:   9781737285045
ISBN 10:   1737285045
Pages:   24
Publication Date:   10 August 2025
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Born in Pennsylvania to interracial parents, a DNA test later revealed my roots to be even more global than I imagined. I've always felt like a child of the world. Before becoming a parent, my art was bold, dramatic, and provocative-but in hindsight, it lacked the depth that helps art to be engaging and resonant over time. Being a parent has led me to noticing more subtleties in myself, others and the natural world around me. That realization of imperfections is also a realization of diversity that is intricately woven. The metaphors hold truths creatively. In 2010, after the birth of my first child, I received the Art and Change Award from the Leeway Foundation in Philadelphia. That support allowed me to write books and scripts, and mount a solo show-all while raising my children at home. It was a time of joy and relentless creativity, despite limited resources.My first self-published book, My Mommy Is My Daddy, came from that period. I illustrated it with my non-dominant hand, mimicking the innocent style I saw in my children's drawings. Later, with a grant from Creative Pinellas in Florida, I re-released the book in color with cut paper collage illustrations. Collage, to me, speaks to life's layers-raw, textured, imperfect, and real.My work spans mediums and geographies: painting exhibitions and spoken word in Pennsylvania, fashion and fine art in California, collage, puppetry, and stop motion animation in Florida. In 2024, I was awarded a residency with Greenbook and exhibited in St. Pete's WADA district. I also joined the Arts Annual at Creative Pinellas and connected with WeArt for mentorship.Currently my creativity is thriving and I am attempting to reimagine my unfinished work. I'm inspired by traditional and futuristic ways of making, sharing, and interacting with art-seeking not just to express, but to connect and engage on a deeper level.