Creating Art in Response

It's WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!!!!!  

These first two photographs are of my picture book "You're Wonderful." 

That's my first-born in a sense. My first picture book, created in response to requests from teachers who had fallen in love with the original children's song that I had written earlier by that same name.

Way back before email, I used to get handwritten notes from teachers asking for a chart of the sign language for an upcoming performance. I'd get a post card from a music teacher wishing for the music notation. I got letters asking for the song's musical arrangement without my singing along. More than a few people wanted a copy for Kindergarten karaoke!!  It started to sound like a project -- getting these resources together. It started to sound like a book!!

After receiving rejection letters from every publishing company I sent the manuscript to for consideration, we took out a loan against our home and evolved into our own publishing company, too!!! You, too, can be an author/illustrator!!! It just depends on your credit score. LOL!!!! I made my illustrations for the book from fabric as small quilts. My quilts offer the perfect opportunity for a look at all things geometric..... an exploration of shapes and patterns.

One of my favorite parts of the NAEYC gathering last week, is hearing from my fan club. 
I got to see Polly from West Virginia and she shared the most amazing story of their children singing my You're Wonderful 'anthem' for their end-of-the-year graduation ceremony. 

She went on to tell how a daddy 'surprised' his wife and young son by sneaking into their big event in his military fatigues -- having just arrived back to this country from his deployment abroad. "You're Wonderful" has been described by some as a three tissue finale. Just imagine the response of the audience to see the daddy greet his newborn babe in mommy's arms for the very first time, while the preschool performers were singing and signing, 'That means we're wonderful, that means we're marvelous, that means we're beautiful and magical and filled with curiosity..... and DREAMS!"

Gives me chills just typing her retelling of the story. A Kodak/Hollywood moment to be certain.

Now that I have more readers here, I thought I would dig back in my blog-journal and share this most amazing response to my illustrations and bold fabric designs. These individual 'quilt' squares pictured here were created in Amityville, NY by kindergarten students -- in anticipation of my author visit to their K building, under the direction and guidance of their brilliant Art teacher. [If you have another minute click back to this orignal post to see more!! Or this one has my impressions after lunch and yet more photos. If you want to read my post on setting up an author visit, that is captured here.]

Each child was to choose 3 different colored squares to build their project. The amazing art teacher then mounted each of 330 finished squares on a fourth square to 'frame' their finished work. (You can see the LUV and significance of glue as portrayed in this student's work above -- LUV the symmetry!!)

 

The quilt squares of each class were then mounted on colored butcher paper.

Here's what one portion looked like for my arrival to their gym!!!

Here's the YouTube video that was filmed during my performance in their gym that morning -- the video features our singing of my song "Glad I'm at School" and their amazing energy and the collaborative artwork art quilt created in Amityville.

Their collaborative community quilt was somewhere between 25 and 30 feet long! It was about 8 feet high. Now that's a WONDERFUL collaboration!!

Here's another YouTube video, but  this one is indeed of the singing of my song, "You're Wonderful" as captured in California in a literacy program where the mommies are learning English and learning to read too, using my song as their vehicle. That makes it coast-to-coast!! Go ahead, take out a loan on your house! Amazing things can happen as a result!

Most schools this week will be using my newest book, "Red, White and Blue" the national INDIE award winner, in their observation of Veteran's Day... but it's been fun to show you where it all began!

****I've added this post to a LINKY Party over at Toddler Approved. One of my favorite author visits was to a 'Mommy-n-Me' class of toddlers. It was amazing to see the not-yet 2 year olds signing to my song!!

Toddler Approved chose this blog post as their favorite!!!

Long after the fact, I've chosen this as one of my personal favorite posts of the year and have entered this is a HUGE end-of-the-year round up of creative bloggers over at Creative Kids Connections.

I've added the post to the very first linkie-party for Teaching in Room 6!!! She has asked teachers to share their "Go-To" book. Obviously as an author/illustrator, I never leave home without my own work!

 Now added to year-long linky on all things Children's book related at The Educator's Spin on It!

Added to Ways to Play, Create a Reading Addiction, click here.