Daddy's Christmas Angel

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Loving Animals, Books, and Children




 
 






 An Artful Animal Alphabet, my first published children's book, has been released. What a thrill it is to hold this bright hardcover edition in my hands.

Because I've worked for many years teaching children to love art as much as I do, I suspect this book is greatly inspired by their work and their excited enthusiasm. It is also inspired by the love of animals I have witnessed in my own three daughters who grew up rescuing and protecting them.

We once had a baby blue jay sheltered in our garage for a while. We've had multiple stray feral cats. One daughter had a special little dog that she loved dearly for many years. Some of the animals in my book were inspired by photos taken of the unusual creatures two of them saw and photographed on visits to Tasmania and Australia several years ago.

Each animal has a little story to go with it. My hope is that someone will expand my stories or make up their own tales to go with each of the 26 paintings in my book.









4 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations on the release! That's so cool the paintings from the Challenge wound up in a book.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

How special some of the animals were ones you and others actually encountered. Congrats.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Yes, Alex, the Challenge always inspires me! Thank you for your contributions to making that blog experience possible.

Diane, it's amazing to follow the animals!

Julie Flanders said...

How wonderful!! I remember your fantastic A-Z paintings. So amazing that you've made them into a book. Congratulations on the release! It warms my heart just to read about the animals you and your family have helped and loved. :)