Join us Thurs., July 27, 5 pm as Melissa Conroy will talk about and sign copies of The Lowcountry Coloring Book (Algonquin, pb., 96 pp., $12).
Melissa Conroy immerses readers in the graceful, haunting beauty of the South, from the stately mansions and intricate gardens of Charleston and Savannah to spots farther off the beaten path, such as the forest where the ruins of Old Sheldon Church stand, ancient and crumbling among the greenery; and the seashore, where shrimp boats find anchorage and the vanishing islands are home to sharks, alligators, monkeys, and egrets, but also to houses on stilts, half torn away by the tides and time. She also introduces local history and folklore, whether it’s in the Haint Blue Houses, painted a bright shade to keep away bad spirits, or the Waving Girl of Savannah statue, a tribute to the child who waved to all of the ships that sailed from the harbor.
As an added bonus, Melissa has created a technique wherein the drawings can be placed in a four-square pattern to create one larger piece of art. So, four 8-inch-by-8-inch drawings can be removed from the book and framed together to form a larger artwork measuring 16 inches by 16 inches.
Melissa Conroy grew up in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and every summer she returns with sketchbook in hand. She has MAs from the University of Georgia and Philadelphia University, in painting and textile design, and a BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design. Currently she lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter, and son. She is a part-time faculty member in the Textile Design Department at Philadelphia University.
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