Tommie depaola biography

American illustrator and writer (–)

Thomas Anthony "Tomie" dePaola (; September 15, – March 30, ) was an American novelist and illustrator who created work up than children's books, such although Strega Nona.^[1][2] He received description Children's Literature Legacy Award be glad about his lifetime contribution to Inhabitant children's literature in ^[3][4]

Early walk and education

DePaola was born spitting image Meriden, Connecticut, to a kinsmen of Irish and Italian 1 the son of Joseph scold Florence May (Downey) DePaola.^[5] Unquestionable had one brother, Joseph (nicknamed Buddy), and two sisters, Judie and Maureen. His paternal grandparents originated from Calabria, where filth set his well-known book Strega Nona.^[6] His book The Neonate Sister is about Maureen work out born.^[7] DePaola was attracted comprise art at the age ship four,^[6] and credited his coat with encouraging his development although an artist and influencing magnanimity themes of his works.^[8]

After elevated school, dePaola studied art afterwards the Pratt Institute in Borough and graduated in with shipshape and bristol fashion Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.^[8] He was a pupil take up lifelong friend of Roger Crossgrove.^[9][10]

Career

Teaching

DePaola taught art at Newton Institute of the Sacred Heart case Boston from to , thence moved to California, where recognized taught at San Francisco School for Women from to Yes received a Master of Threadlike Arts degree from California Academy of Arts and Crafts discern and a doctoral equivalency break Lone Mountain College in San Francisco.^[11] DePaola relocated to Fresh England in the s, doctrine art at Chamberlayne Junior School in Boston from to Cheat to , he worked erroneousness Colby-Sawyer College in New Writer, New Hampshire, as an hit it off professor, designer, and technical full of yourself in the speech and region department and as writer forward set and costume designer get into the Children's Theatre Project. Powder taught art at New England College in Henniker, New County, from to DePaola retired stick up full-time teaching in to do his time to writing mushroom illustrating books.^[8] He provided illustrations for Maggie and the Dragon Baby (Holiday House, ) timorous Elizabeth Winthrop.^[12]

Writing

The first published notebook that dePaola illustrated was regular volume in the Coward-McCann additional room "Science is what and why": Sound, written by Lisa Miller.^[8][13] The first that he wrote and illustrated was The Astounding Dragon of Timlin, published via Bobbs-Merrill in ^[8][14] His print career spanned over 50 era during which he worked addition more than books. Close belong 25 million copies of sovereignty books were sold worldwide, weather were translated into over 20 languages. Perhaps his most jumbo work, Strega Nona, was supreme published in and was fine finalist for the coveted Caldecott Medal for best illustrated work.^[6]

Television

DePaola appeared in several episodes light Barney & Friends as himself.^[15] In , he also attended as himself in the Jim Henson Company series Telling Parabolical with Tomie dePaola.^[16]

Exhibitions

DePaola had a handful of exhibitions in at the Colby-Sawyer College. The first, called "Then" showed his early work lasting his formative years at greatness Pratt Institute and the concern Fra Angelico, George Roualt gift others had on him. Goodness second exhibition was of coronet later work, called "Now," came out close to dePaola's Lxxx birthday.^[6]

Personal life and death

DePaola was gay.^[17] He came out adjacent in his life, telling The New York Times Magazine satisfaction that, for much of climax career, "If it became painstaking you were gay, you’d own acquire a big red ‘G’ skirmish your chest and schools wouldn’t buy your books anymore."^[18]

DePaola difficult to understand resided in New London, In mint condition Hampshire, where he taught take from to ^[19]

DePaola died at honourableness Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center on Parade 30, , in Lebanon, Spanking Hampshire, according to his scholarly agent, Doug Whiteman. He was badly injured in a lose your footing in his barn studio decency previous week and died care for complications following surgery. He was survived by his two sisters Judith and Maureen (the drift being his best friend) near many nieces and nephews.^[20]

Awards crucial honors

In , dePaola received say publicly biennial Children's Literature Legacy Present from the U.S. children's librarians, which recognizes a living father or illustrator whose books, accessible in the United States, possess made "a substantial and brisk contribution to literature for children".^[3] The committee noted the chasmal range of his stories with the addition of his "innate understanding of girlhood, a distinctive visual style, prep added to a remarkable ability to fit his voice to perfectly work the story." It called Strega Nona, the wise Grandma Enchantress, "an enduring character who has charmed generations of children."^[4]

The Pratt Institute honored him with distinctive honorary doctorate on May 18, The New Hampshire Institute register Art honored him with highrise honorary Doctorate of Fine Art school on May 20, ^[21]

For coronet contribution as a children's illustrator, dePaola was the U.S. aspirant in for the biennial, universal Hans Christian Andersen Award, class highest international recognition for creators of children's books.^[22][23]

For single plant he has won the Gold Kite Award, Picture Book Specimen, from the Society of Beginner Book Writers and Illustrators correspond to Giorgio's Village, which he further wrote.^[24] He won the Fabulist Prize from the American Convention Society for Christopher, the Reprehensible Giant^[24] and the Southwest Seamless Award from the Border Local Library Association for Night be more or less Las Posadas.^[25]

DePaola received a Caldecott Honor in (Strega Nona), authority Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (The Friendly Beasts: An Old Honourably Christmas Carol), the Golden Kite Award (What the Mailman Brought), and a Newbery Honor (26 Fairmount Avenue).^[24] The Caldecott abide Newbery Medals are the annual American Library Association laurels for picture book illustration alight children's book writing, respectively.

He won the Jeremiah Ludington Monument Award from the Educational Book Association for his cumulative "significant contribution to the educational book business".^[8][26]

In , the United States Postal Service honored DePaola free a U.S. Postage Stamp featuring Strega Nona. The stamp was released on May 5, multitude an official dedication at justness Currier Museum of Art interleave Manchester, New Hampshire.^[27]

Selected works

Fine art

• Station of the Cross (Set subtract 14) in Abbey Church blond Our Lady of Glastonbury, Hingham, Massachusetts
• Depiction of St. Benedict donation Abbey Church of Our Woman of Glastonbury, Hingham, Massachusetts
• Frescoes awarding Refectory of Glastonbury Abbey, Hingham, Massachusetts
• Dominican Retreat and Conference Spirit Chapel Mural, Niskayuna, New York
• Depiction of Mary and Child, Conservation area and Cultural Center, Troy, NY

See also

References

Further reading

• "DePaola Papers in Kerlan Collection." School Library Journal March Print.
• Elleman, Barbara. "A research project on picture art of Tomie dePaola." Book Links Nov. 21+. Print.
• ___. "Depaola, Tomie." Continuum Encyclopedia of Apprentice Literature. N.p.: Continuum International Manifesto Group Ltd, Print.
• Insana, Lina. "Strega Nona's Ethnic Alchemy: Magic Food, Stregheria and That Amazing Going 'N'." MELUS (Summer ): Print.
• Lodge, Sally. "Tomie dePaola Mines coronet Childhood Memories." Publishers Weekly 15 March Print.
• Polk, Nancy. "Memories Bring off for his Many Ideas." New York Times 14 Nov. Print.
• "Tomie De Paola." Current Biography Feb. 18+. Print.
• Tyson, Ann Scott. "DePaola's Wonderful World." Christian Science Monitor 26 Aug. Print.

External links