Tomie’s twin cousins, Franny and Fuffy (Frances McLaughlin-Gill and Kathryn Abbe), were successful fashion photographers at a time when most of the photographers were men. Tomie was studying at Pratt when Franny asked him to be in a photo shoot for GLAMOUR magazine on a moving train with model Kathy Dennis. A selection of Franny’s work can be seen in this tribute in VOGUE magazine. https://www.vogue.com/article/remembering-photographer-frances-mclaughlin-gill-from-the-archives (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 16, 2020
High School graduation photo above, and Pratt graduation photo below. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 15, 2020
I’ve always thought this critter was a skunk. Tomie’s house had a big problem with skunks. They had found shelter underneath the house greenhouse which was not on a slab or on a foundation. When the outdoor temperatures were mild, the skunks might spray anytime during the year and the odor would spread throughout the entire house. Tomie’s bedroom was the least affected, yet he would wake up if a skunk sprayed while he was asleep. Tomie gave me pointers on how to humanely catch skunks and I moved dozens - maybe a hundred or more - and I never got sprayed. I assumed Tomie’s house skunks were on his mind when he created this drawing. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 14, 2020
New London’s Tracy Memorial Library just announced their 2020 Summer Reading Program, “Imagine Your Story,” and dedicated it to Tomie. Caroline Romans (formerly Caroline Heilmann) sent me copies of some materials for the 1986 Vermont Summer Reading Program, “Vermonsters Devour Books.” Caroline, Children’s Services Consultant for the Vermont Department of Libraries at the time, had asked Tomie to create art for the program. During one of Caroline’s visits, Tomie coached her on dancing because she was anxious about an upcoming date with a guy, John, who was going to take her dancing. (Caroline and John eventually married.) (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 13, 2020
Seven years old. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
