A YEAR OF CREATION

There was an old man who painted the sky,
But I don't know how he painted the sky.
It's up so high!

These are the opening words from my next book, THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO PAINTED THE SKY. It is beautifully illustrated by Stefano Vitale and will be out in the spring. The inspiration for the book was the fact that it was a child who discovered the first cave art in Spain, and it was teenagers who brought the Lescaux Caves in France to the world's attention. The sense of wonder and curiousity that young people have is something our society must continue to honor. If I were a non-fiction writer I'm sure I would have pounced on the story of the young girl, Maria and her father, and how the discovery changed their lives. But my mind works in a different way and it became a song parody of creation and the discovery of cave art.
If you are fascinated by the history of cave art, one of my favorite books from last year is THE CAVE PAINTERS, by Gregory Curtis.

So as 2009 begins, let's welcome in the new. It feels like a year to be creating a new future for ourselves as well as the children coming behind us...and often leading us into new discoveries. My only resolution is to embrace technology as a friend that can enhance my creativity. So I will be starting an Adobe Illustrator class at our local college.

And I don't want to throw out the old. Last year was a building block for many new ideas. To start with my grandson has opened a whole new world of discovery. My nephew, Mike Sloat worked with me and animated a short clip that I will post. As always, I found it a thrill, even in the rough stages to put music and art together. I am using the animation to help me form a book....any tool that helps, is my motto. Finally, last year was a year of gallery art. Many days and weekends of plein air painting, art classes, and putting my own folk art into print, my first art shows in Alaska as well as shows here in Sonoma County.

2008 ended with the loss of my dear friend and co-writer, Betty Huffmon. Betty and I have worked together on bi-lingual projects and have been friends for 35 years. She told me the story for THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE, and co-authored BERRY MAGIC with me. Her family graciously invited me to the village for her burial in Goodnews Bay, Alaska, and while it was a time of saying good-bye in December, it is her thoughts that I will begin the new year with. Betty, who always kept her sense of wonder, taught me to keep the parts you liked from the past and build on them for the future, and never to forget to notice the small things around you. Sounds like a good way to start the new year.