Tomie reclining, oh-so-naturally, on sofa below one of his paintings. Photo by Van Williams, 1967. (Bob)
Day Nine of the April, 2020, Peace Novena
Think and say the word.
REMEMBERING TOMIE on April 9, 2020
Mary Ann Esposito was very kind inviting Tomie several times to be on her public television cooking program, Ciao Italia. The set-up for this show. Mary Ann stopped at our local farm stand, Spring Ledge Farm, to pick up cardoons. (She travels with a film crew.) Tomie just happened to be at Spring Ledge, too. They bumped into each other. They decided to go to Tomie’s home to cook cardoons. Plausible scenario. In this photo, Italian Coleen in red. Tomie asked Coleen to assist with prep. Greg, owner of Spring Ledge Farm, is in back of Mary Ann and Coleen. During one of another of Ciao Italia’s visits to Tomie’s home, I was standing next to Mary Ann. She said to me, “You know, you can’t tell him anything.” Later in the day as I stood next to Tomie, he said, “You know, you can’t tell her anything.” Years later, during another visit, I told Mary Ann the full story and she said in faux indignation, “He said THAT about ME?!” The two of them. Separated at birth? (Bob)
Day Eight of the April, 2020, Peace Novena
Think and say the word, or think and say “Peace.”
REMEMBERING TOMIE on April 8, 2020
Here are Gina and Jarrett Krosoczka with daughter Zoe, and Gina’s parents. Tomie adored Gina, an Italian-bond-thing, I imagine. Tomie would talk about Gina’s dinners years and years and years after enjoying them. Jarrett. Tomie had a serious case of writer’s and illustrator’s block. So, Tomie asked Jarrett to visit and hang out with him, and talk through Tomie’s block. Jarrett stopped working on his own projects, drove hours to Tomie’s studio, and hung out with Tomie. Their friendship was so tight I had secretly hoped that one day they THREE would collaborate on a book project featuring family. (Gina would be a contributing writer.) Not to be. Time ran out. The following are links to a Facebook post (I think non-Facebook folks can see it) and a YouTube video made by Gina and Jarrett in which they honor Tomie.
https://www.facebook.com/studiojjk/photos/a.761286333986477/2835656173216139/?type=3&theater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9ABUgbxs2E
(Bob)
