(Photo of Tomie with Dr. Clifford Levy and his family at the Currier Museum of Art. Dr. Levy practices at Concord Orthopaedics. The photo is only related to the story in that Dr. Levy operates at Concord Hospital.) A short story that is tangential to yesterday’s story of NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME magazine. Tomie was admitted to Concord Hospital for a reason I don’t recall. Tomie was greeted the next morning by an LPN although I think LPNs there are called something else. She led with, “What nursing home are you from?” He said he was taken aback for a moment but explained that he lived in his own home. I was appalled after he told me about the exchange. He was amused. I wanted to bring copies of Tomie’s issue of NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME to his room to subtly place on every surface. I do hope that nurse has come up with a better leading line. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 21, 2020
Andi Axman just announced she was leaving her longtime position as editor of NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME. Andi had written to Tomie several years ago to ask if the magazine could photograph him for a feature on New Hampshire authors in their homes. ONE photo was needed. Andi came to the house to scout a location for the ONE photo. After introductions, Tomie and Andi went into the house. Hours went by… for the discussion of ONE photo. The eventual result was a 14-page article, and the cover of the magazine. Tomie was the first PERSON ever to be featured on the cover of NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME. We became friendly with Andi and her husband, Mark. I wish her the best in her new venture. https://www.nhhomemagazine.com/tomie-depaolas-magical-new-hampshire-home/?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on June 20, 2020
Photo of Norman Stevens, Tib Shaw, Tomie, Nora Stevens after breakfast at MacKenna’s Restaurant in New London during Tib and the Stevens’ visit to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair at Mt. Sunapee. Norman was the longtime director of the University of Connecticut Libraries. Nora called yesterday and triggered these memories. Tomie was asked to speak at Norman’s 80th birthday celebration. Tomie was puzzled as to what he would say. I told Tomie that his comments did not need to be truthful. Just the permission he needed! He so convincingly told a tale about when Nora and Norman met for the first time that their relatives were heard to say at the gathering, “I didn’t know that about Norman.” Years later, Tomie spoke at Norman’s memorial service. Tomie explained that Norman was the elementary school librarian when Tomie was in the first grade. It was obvious that people were glancing at their programs and their inner calculators were at work to determine how this could be possible. (Norman was less than two years older than Tomie.) It wasn’t unusual for folks to look at me when the veracity of a tale Tomie was telling was, shall I say, questionable. I would comment, “After all, he is a storyteller.” (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 19, 2020
Tomie lived with Franny (McLaughlin-Gill) and her daughter, Leslie, in New York City for several months when he was younger. He credited Franny, her twin sister Fuffy, and their husbands for his love of folk art. When he lived with Franny and Leslie, he saw everyday their painting on a wall, “Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog,” by Ammi Phillips. This painting is now a signature piece in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum. Tomie told the story, confirmed by Leslie (daughter), that Leslie (husband and father) had bought it, rolled up, without fully looking at it, from a street vendor on 57th Street. It seems that Ammi Phillips painted four different girls in similar red dresses and poses. In a twin-ness twist, Fuffy and her husband came across Ammi Phillips’ “Girl in a Red Dress with Dog,” bought it, and lived with it for many years before selling. Franny and Fuffy were always cited by Tomie as major influences for him. https://www.1stdibs.com/introspective-magazine/leslie-gill-and-frances-mclaughlin-gill-at-howard-greenberg-gallery/ (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 18, 2020
Tomie and Carol Morrissey (eventually Greiner) were dancing partners even after Carol began to grow taller than Tomie. Tomie considered them to be the Mickey (Rooney) and Judy (Garland) of Meriden, Connecticut. They were “Senor and Senorita Swing” at one time during their “career.” Carol passed away six days before Tomie, but Tomie was able to FaceTime with her two days before she died. https://buffalonews.com/news/local/carol-greiner-84-former-ub-presidents-wife-was-way-ahead-of-her-time/article_40dec6ed-86c0-544c-881d-bf88f5d4d734.html (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
