TERRY GETS A GIG!

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A Trinidadian artist gets published

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Vanessa Soodeen comments on 'Go Barefoot', 'The Scottish-Island Girl and 'Sally's Way'

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It has been a wonderful experience working on the illustrations for Joanne's first three children's books. Being partly Caribbean myself (thanks Dad), I could see first hand how much these stories reflect the genuine Caribbean life. This enabled me to internalize and then externalize through my illustrations what Joanne communicates through her stories; the real picture.
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'Go Barefoot' was done in watercolour, inks and acrylics. That poem allowed for much play in the artwork, drawing the wind laughing through Lisa's hair and her singing along to the palm tree's song. It was a freeing experience, the kind that children have, the kind that the child in all of us has from time to time. Before long I too felt I had taken off my shoes.
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'The Scottish Island Girl' and 'Sally's Way' led us directly to real places and people in Trinidad. Yes, giant leatherback turtles do actually lay eggs on our beautiful beaches and yes, there are homes that still don't have any running water.
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There's one characteristic (among many) that stands out when we speak of Joanne, and that is her ability to see the whole picture. Yup, that's a 360 degree swivel. In her desire for authenticity, places were visited, characters chosen, notes jotted down and scenes photographed. With these references both 'The Scottish Island Girl' and 'Sally's Way' were first drawn by hand and then scanned into the computer for completion.
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Love Live & Laugh
Vanessa
www.vivotopia.org/vanessa