REMEMBERING TOMIE on December 25, 2022

If you celebrate Christmas, then Merry Christmas!

KEARSARGE MAGAZINE featured Tomie in their Winter 2012/2013 issue. The cover photo was taken in January, 2012. Christmas decorations were still up including Tomie’s “Matisse-like” Madonna and Child painting “stage left.”

Tomie was rather frail at the time of this interview. He had been in hospitals in Concord, MA, and New London, NH, for fifteen days, and had only returned home a few days before Christmas, 2011.

Ever the performer, the show went on: the interview was not cancelled.

The bottom photo was of his Irish grandparents’ (think TOM and NANA UPSTAIRS & NANA DOWNSTAIRS) wooden alphabet blocks on Christmas Day, 2016, in his Mercer Room. Tomie liked to leave messages on the blocks.

With Tomie in mind, I wish you “love, joy & peace.” (Bob)

REMEMBERING TOMIE on December 19, 2022

If you have a Facebook account, search “Boston Pops dePaola” and you’ll be able to see a clip of Tomie reading THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS at a 2018 Holiday Pops concert.

This clip should be opposite the word “exuberant” in an internet dictionary. “Happy” doesn’t adequately describe what he felt during and after the reading.

You’ll also be able to see several photos from past performances. (Bob)

REMEMBERING TOMIE on December 16, 2022

Photos by Doug Whiteman.

One week ago, agent Doug Whiteman, friends Sherry and Steve Litwack, former Boston Pops Artistic Administrator Amanda Severin, and I met at Symphony Hall in Boston to enjoy one of the Boston Pops’ Holiday Pops concerts. (It is fortunate the meeting was one week ago as I might not have made it to Boston during our current winter storm.)

The Pops had featured Tomie’s artwork for two seasons of Holiday Pops concerts. Tomie even sat on stage at one concert to read THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

This year the Pops featured Tomie’s book THE NIGHT OF LAS POSADAS. The concert was wonderful and Sherry, Steve, and I, who accompanied Tomie to the first concert, recalled how emotional he was the first time he saw his illustrations projected to billboard size.

The concert is now available for streaming as of today for a limited time. The cost is $25.00. You will be prompted to register for the site. Warning: I found the site a bit challenging, but that might have been due to my own limited technical skills at play

https://www.bso.org/bso-now

(Bob)

REMEMBERING TOMIE on December 15, 2022

Award-winning and mega-selling children’s book author and illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka posted this short video about the just announced Tomie dePaola 2023 postage stamp. (You may need to turn on the sound on the video as I did.)

https://www.tiktok.com/@studiojjk/video/7177073243369655595?_r=1&_t=8YCQWMMMfu7&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7177073243369655595

Barb sort of missed the point of the video. (Bob)

REMEMBERING TOMIE on December 13, 2022

The United State Postal Service announced this morning that there will be a Tomie dePaola postage stamp in 2023. Details are here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2022/1213-usps-reveals-additional-stamps-for-2023.htm

The location and day of the First Day of Issue Ceremony will be announced by the postal service at a time closer to the event. (Bob)