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Instructions on how to unsubscribe are at the end of this newsletter. Please do not reply to this email. The Tomie dePaola eNewsletter By Tomie dePaola Today is one of my favorite “feasts.” It is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the patroness of the Americas, and the most revered image in Mexico, along with Frida Kahlo for similar, but totally different reasons. Both are embroiled in the folk art and I “collect” images of both. When I say “collect,” I mean anything goes: Frida on napkins, the “VIRGEN” or better still “La Morena” – the little dark one – on scarves, august statues, real KITSCH. My life – and home – wouldn’t be the same without seeing one or the other everywhere I glance. I did a very nice book on “La Morena” for Holiday House in 1980. In 1979, my editor at the time, Margery Cuyler, was visiting me in New Hampshire. My non-art-book library was in a “loft space” on the second floor of my house. Margery grabbed a book to read before she went to sleep (my three guest bedrooms are also on the second floor). The next morning she appeared for breakfast with a book in her hands. It was an account of the miraculous apparition and subsequent miraculous image of “La Morena.” To tell you the story quickly – an Aztec convert, Juan Diego, had a “visit” from a beautiful Lady. Her command for him was to build a chapel on the hill of Tepeyac. The result of a very interesting story is that when Juan Diego went to the Spanish bishop for the 3rd, 4th, whatever time – Juan Diego opened his cactus-fiber tilma (cloak) to present the bishop with miraculous roses, and there on his tilma was the IMAGE. A miracle of no small order. You can still see it – her – in Mexico City. Read my book. I like it. It’s beautiful. Trust me. It’s titled THE LADY OF GUADALUPE. Viva, La Morena – and you, too, Frida. Tomie New Hampshire Public Television interview (January 28, 2007) THE BOSTON GLOBE (December 10, 2007) THE HARTFORD COURANT (November 8, 2007)
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