Shaping Our Story
Introducing a new interview podcast hosted by award-winning PBS TV and documentary film producer, Louise Krikorian.
Backstory: Why start a podcast called Shaping Our Story? When I was in college, my mentor, Dr. Maurice Elias, talked about human behavior in his Psychology 101 class. I liked this because I had always listened to family, friends, and co-workers' stories about their struggles and successes. As a teacher, I encouraged my students to find their purpose and thrive. Over the years of producing for NPR, AFN Radio Europe, and PBS TV, I've interviewed world renowned musicians, artists, filmmakers, and scientists who have realized their true talent. Shaping Our Story is a community of entrepreneurs, educators, and creatives who have become exemplary leaders and want to motivate others to realize their gifts and succeed.
Please follow us here and on the Shaping Our Story FaceBook page or watch our videos on YouTube. Share which leader’s success story and questions you’d like to hear.
Shaping Our Story
BONUS Jeanne B. de Sainte Marie Illustrator Watercolor Artist
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Season 2, Episode 7 BONUS Jeanne B. de Sainte Marie Illustrator Watercolor Artist 🐝
Recorded: 4/16/26, 6/16/26
Released: 6/24/26
Length: 4 minutes 20 seconds
Welcome to this special BONUS episode of Shaping Our Story with renowned watercolor illustrator and children's book artist Jeanne B. de Sainte Marie. Shaping Our Story episode is where inspiring leaders share their passion, purpose, and perseverance to help you thrive. This episode is also meant to inspire publishers to find Marielle in Paris.
Whether you're an artist, illustrator, author, educator, parent, or lover of children's literature, you'll enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of a celebrated watercolor artist.
In this delightful conversation, Jeanne shares the story behind Marielle in Paris, a charming children's book created with author Maxine Rose Schur. Inspired by Jeanne's artwork, the story follows a talented little mouse dressmaker who travels throughout Paris in search of inspiration, encountering iconic Parisian landmarks, fashion, creativity, and adventure along the way.
🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• The inspiration behind Marielle in Paris
• Her stunning watercolor illustration process
• Creating art inspired by Paris and French culture
• Collaborating with children's book authors
• The journey of publishing illustrated children's books
• Why readers continue to search for this beloved out-of-print title
👍 If this inspired you
Please like, comment, and share to help others build meaningful connections and live with purpose.
💻 LEARN MORE about our guest
· Website www.jeannedesaintemarie.com
· Instagram @justjeanneb
· Facebook @justjeanneb
· YouTube: Illustrations of Jeanne de Sainte Marie
https://youtu.be/mxbTdVJ4kH4?si=eeJEQ1be7ro4y824
· Library-arts.org: profile
https://literary-arts.org/bio/jeanne-b-de-sainte-marie/
· School Library Journal
https://www.slj.com/story/best-of-apps-enhanced-books-september-2013
💡ABOUT US
On Shaping Our Story, inspiring leaders share lessons in passion, purpose and perseverance. Real people. Real stories. Real strategies to help you thrive. Hosted by Louise Krikorian, award-winning storyteller, educator, and filmmaker, this podcast brings you powerful insights from inspiring voices across industries. #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #businesslessons #businessleadership ##founders #founderstories #founderstory #angeladuckworth #grit #kellycorrigan #melrobbins #jeffberman #simonsinek #leadership #jeannebdesaintemarie #awordsabird #FrancoAmerican #illustrator #watercolor #children’sbookauthor #maxineroseschur #marielleinparis
🚀 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
⚪️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisekrikorian/
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⚪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShapingOurStory/
⚪️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/louisekrikorian
🏆 LIKE-MINDED COLLABORATORS
Kelly Corrigan, Mel Robbins, Jeff Berman, and Simon Sinek
🎙️ PBS Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan Angela Duckworth Oct 4, 2022 https://www.pbs.org/video/angela-duckworth-k8wbgb/
🎙️ The Mel Robbins Podcast How to Create a Successful Mindset: The Science of Passion and Perseverance, Oct 13, 2025 https://youtu.be/rmW3Afu9npY?si=T9mdbxzI9TGxbtcu
🎙️ Jeff Berman | Masters of Scale Angela Duckworth on her new book, the limits of grit, and her advice to founders, May 16, 2024 https://youtu.be/19CS4L8v4TE
🎙️ Simon Sinek | A Bit of Optimism Podcast What Grit Really Teaches Us About Happiness with Professor Angela Duckworth, Feb 3, 2026 https://youtu.be/KAi2L_b1V2I?si=Lsf7YtcA5I4EcS4M
ℹ️ Information
◽️ Creator, Producer, Host: Louise A Krikorian
◽️ Editor: Patrick McMullen
◽️ Years Active: 2025
◽️ Episodes: 17
◽️ Rating: Clean
◽️ Hosted with Buzzsprout www.buzzsprout.com
◽️ Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2550358/episodes/19396065-bonus-jeanne-b-de-sainte-marie-illustrator-watercolor-artist/edit
◽️ Available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@LouiseKrikorian
Louise: Hi, I’m Louise Krikorian and this is Shaping Our Story BONUS episode of Jeanne B. de Sainte Marie Illustrator Watercolor Artist. Here Jeanne and I talk about her children's books and she is describing her book Marielle in Paris. Her artwork is stunning. We hope you enjoy this BONUS episode.
Sainte Marie: This one is really, uh, this was. I love this one. And it was, it was published by Pomegranate in, um, they're in Oregon, but they started in San Francisco and they did our books.
Sainte Marie: They started doing children's books and I think they've stopped doing it, which is why they stopped publishing this. But the author, Maxine Rose Cher, who's in, um, San Francisco area, well she's in San Rafael. Um.
Cut to full screen of Marielle in Paris bookcover
She wrote this, and this is another S-C-B-W-I connection because she came to France for an event and she saw my work and she was inspired to write this story. So then we worked on the story together and it's about this little mouse who creates dresses. And she goes all over Paris to find inspiration. This, this
Cut to full screen of Mouse dress workshop
very snob mouse comes and orders dresses from her and she, she lives in, Garden de Luxembourg
Cut to full screen of Mouse in flowerpot
in a flower pot.
Louise: Hmm.
Sainte Marie: And then, so she goes, she flies all over Paris. 'cause the, she makes the dresses and then they fly off, she leaves them in at the window. So that's the catastrophe. Then with the pigeon, she flies all over Paris and like,
Cut to full screen of Mouse flying with pigeon over Notre Dame
you know, look at this, this is,
Louise: it was beautiful.
Sainte Marie: That's on my, on the, um, slideshow on my website that this, this.
Sainte Marie: But I mean, and we're trying to find another publisher 'cause the rights have reverted to us and I have all of the, the, uh, files and everything. So we'd love to get a publisher for this. But so far we haven't found another one. People like to start over, you know, and
Louise: mm-hmm.
Sainte Marie: But people write to me all the time, I can't find this book.
Sainte Marie: Where is it? And it is sad, but,
Louise: oh, we'll have to find you a publisher.
Sainte Marie: Do that.
Sainte Marie: I'll send you a bottle of champagne.
Louise: Okay. That's, you've got a deal.
Sainte Marie: Oh, we'll drink one when you come.
Louise: Okay. That sounds even better. Yes. Okay.
Sainte Marie: Okay.
Louise: And, um, I just finished working on a, a TV show. It was a, um. It was a comedy, a Christian based comedy for kids. And I met someone who has a, a, um, a publisher here 'cause his mom publishes with this particular publishing house.
Louise: I don't know if they'd be interested or not, but yeah. But That's cool. Just that little bit that we did. 'cause I kind of felt like there's more to this story. How can we get more to this story? Because you have all these beautiful illustrations. So I think that little bonus is gonna be nice. Okay. So, all right.
Louise: Wonderful. Thank you again. You inspire me.
Sainte Marie: Thank you. Thank you.
Louise: Alright, I'll talk to you soon.
Sainte Marie: We'll be in touch.
Louise: Okay. Bye. Bye.
Louise: Thank you for joining us for the Shaping Our Story BONUS episode. And thanks to our guest, Jeanne B de Sainte Marie, for sharing her love of watercolor. If you enjoyed this week's Shaping Our Story BONUS episode, click on follow and leave a comment to inspire us or suggest a guest. And remember, if this made you think, please share the thought with a friend. See you next time.