books

PRE-ORDER your copy of the Badass Women Portraits book!

| WildTomato

The design is done, the proof copy is on its way, and it’s time to announce your chance to pre-order the Badass Women Portraits BOOK! Yes, I always have big book plans from my art projects, and they always take so much longer to complete than I anticipate. But this one is DONE and ready to be printed.

This book is a great way to hold the entire exhibit in your hand, and savor it for years to come.

My goal is to sell 100 books by May 31, 2017….will you help me do it?

The book is really an exhibition catalog of all thirty-one pieces created in thirty-one days (including ones not shown at the Bamboo installation) created for the Badass Women Portraits project, plus bonus materials, like pages from my sketchbook, and scenes from the Bold Audacious Daring Women Painting workshop and opening reception at Bamboo.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I hope you will think of a woman or girl in your life who would be inspired by seeing the names and faces, plus a bit about these thirty-one Badass Women. Imagine the conversations you can start by looking at these portraits, contemplating these women’s lives, their contributions to the world we live in today, and the work we can each do, starting where we are now.

Plus, I’d like to think that my own story of being a “late-blooming creative”, pursuing the creative life in mid-life, will be a beacon of light to those who are wondering what’s possible for themselves.

This book is a great way to ask the question, “What makes a badass woman badass?“.

You can preview the entire book here, and place your pre-order (at a special price through May 31, 2017) here.

And even if you’re just inspired by looking, please share the links above and spread the word!

Thank you for your grins and giggles!

The price goes up on June 1st, so order yours now!

My first classroom reading of “Too Late For Pie”

| WildTomato

In 2015, I wrote and illustrated a story and self-published a paperback edition book called “Too Late For Pie“. I debuted it during my November Open Studio, to a warm reception by all the adults who read it. I read it out loud at an open mic, also filled with adults, to positive reception as well. Due to cash constraints, I only printed a handful of hard copies. At the last minute, I decided to throw two copies in my suitcase for Gettysburg.

While in Pennsylvania, a series of coincidences* led to my reading the book to Mrs. Cook’s third grade class at Rolling Acres Elementary School in Littlestown, Pennsylvania. What a fun, lively, engaging discussion we had! Led by Mrs. Cook’s questions, the students came up with several alternate endings, and plenty of ideas about the characters’ backstories that I had not thought about before.

After a second reading, we posed for a class picture, and a few of the girls in the class approached me.

“Will you be writing more books?” one of them asked me.

“Um…should I?” I asked.

“YES YES YES!” they chorused. “And you should send the books to us in the mail!” one of them said, while jumping up and down a little.

“Well, OK! I guess I will be writing more books! But here’s the deal. Will YOU keep writing and make your own books too? And send them to me?” I said.

“Uh huh,” the girls nodded their heads in unison.

None of us were quite sure what we had just gotten ourselves into.

All I know is I have made a promise to an entire class of third graders in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, and it’s time to get working on that next book!

*Details on these “coincidences” will be revealed in a future list of all the Pleasant Surprises that appeared for me during this residency in Gettysburg.

Now you can support my art on Patreon.com, a community of arts patrons revolutionizing the way creators of content are paid. Enjoy your day!

Illustrated Artist’s Way excerpt — The Virtue Trap

| WildTomato

Rainy day. This morning before I sat down to draw, I picked up my copy of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I received my paperback copy in 1993, as a high school graduation gift. She was an actress; he was a university chemistry professor and my dad’s PhD advisor. Both of them came to my graduation ceremony, as they were good friends of my parents and had no children of their own.

Continue reading →

Curiosity and the Importance of Images

| WildTomato

Well, I am in love.

I stumbled upon a description of a new batch of images released by the Wellcome Collection in the UK.

Engravings and colored illustrations from old books continue to fascinate me.

And today, taking a look at medical and botanical images from as early as the 14th century, I am reminded of the importance of our curiosity throughout human history.

Continue reading →