An Interview by Will Hillenbrand

Will Hillenbrand interviewed Tomie for an article in the July/August 2013 issue of THE ARTIST'S MAGAZINE.

www.artistsmagazine.com

Friendly Familiar Faces at an Autographing

Barbara Forste has attended many of Tomie's autographings. This time she came with her daughter Allegra, and Allegra's children.

Left to Right, Back: Allegra, Milo
Left to Right, Front: Barbara, Tomie, Moses, Hannah

(Barbara is also the mother of Sarah Jessica Parker.) 

Lilacs

450 Tulips

Second Grade Musings

Two second grade classes in Dracut, Massachusetts, wrote letters.

One child wrote with a question and some advice. "Do you like the mikdonels in New Hampshire? And dont forget to take a shower so you dont smell."

Another child has a wish. "I like to draw me and my family spending time with me because whenever I want to play with them, they have other things to do. I wish I had a little sister."  

A Dog and His Monkey

Azalea Bush

Happy Mother's Day!

Illustration from MY MOTHER IS SO SMART,

© 2010 by Tomie dePaola

Writing with Hearts

Markayla is in the first grade in Indianapolis, Indiana. She loves THE BABY SISTER. If you click on the image, you'll notice that Markayla turns letters into hearts.

And the Award Goes To...

Tomie has had art scholarships for Meriden, Connecticut, high school seniors for many years. The coordinator for the scholarship is Nancy Whitcher, a former art teacher in Meriden. Nancy and her husband, Paul Ott, visited this week with this year's portfolio submissions. It's always enjoyable when Nancy and Paul visit because they are both artists, and they engage Tomie in "artistic" conversation. This year's portfolios were very interesting.

A Reenactment?

 Illustration from MAGGIE AND THE MONSTER,

© 1987 by Tomie dePaola

Daffodils, Bleeding Hearts, Tulips, and Pansies

Thanks for the Memories, and Good Books

Top Photo:
Seated, Left to Right, are Peggy Holliday, Connie Appel and Lauren, Connie's daughter.

Bottom Photo:
Left to Right are Peggy, Tomie, Connie

Peggy and Connie, owners, for 18 years, of Morgan Hill Bookstore in New London, New Hampshire, have sold their store effective July 1, 2013.

The Literacy Committee of the New London Rotary Club arranged a Thank-You-Night at New London's Tracy Memorial Library to express gratitude for Peggy and Connie's contribution to the community.

Tomie was one of the speakers. He spoke briefly and gave them original drawings. The drawings depict each of them riding Tomie's gnu (years ago Tomie painted a gnu that stood in front of the bookstore during a town-wide promotion) on a yellow road toward a building in the distance. You can see from a speech bubble that they are singing "I'm off to see the wizard..." Strega Nona, Big Anthony and some children are in the foreground waving and saying goodbye.

Tomie attached the drawings to larger pieces of art paper so that the 100 or so people in attendance could sign the cards. If you click on the bottom photo, you might be able to get a sense of the drawings.

Me and You

Connor is a second grader in Barnesville, Minnesota. This is his drawing.

When I Grow Up

A second grade class in Rosholt, Wisconsin, wrote and shared their career aspirations.

I want to be an artist when I grow up.
I want to be a baseball player.
I want to be a teacher.
I want to be a doctor. I like to do crafts.
I want to be a bricklayer.
I want to be a professional football player.
I want to be an actor.
I want to be an art teacher.
I want to be a construction worker.
I want to be a scientist.
I want to be a firefighter.
I want to be a famous dog groomer.
I want to be a vet when I grow up. I like to chew so much that my mom wants me to get a squeaker bone!  

How to Get Noticed

Bini Szacsvay is a teacher librarian in New South Wales, Australia. Strega Nona books are being read at her school and this is the "notice board" in the library.