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It’s OK to touch the art — in local author’s books
  
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Julie Appel will read from her books 1 p.m. Saturday at the Chatham Bookstore
By Karrie Allen
Children are encouraged to look but not touch the art in museums and art galleries, but in the Touch the Art book series, authors Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo encourage children to look at — and touch — the art.
The concept for the books came out of developing a television pilot, but its origins can really go back to Appel’s daughter’s knowledge of art and the teacher who taught her, Guglielmo.
Appel tells the story of when she and her daughter, Abby, who was 5 at the time, went to see an exhibition of artist Jacob Lawrence at the Whitney Museum in New York City. Abby knew the artist because “she had learned about him in school.” When Appel visited her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, Guglielmo, at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City, Guglielmo explained to Appel that she taught her students about artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollack and many others.
Appel said that after her daughter moved on to first grade, she approached Guglielmo about putting her curriculum on television and together they shot a homemade pilot called “Artopia.”
“We brought the pilot to a few TV networks and although there was significant interest in the pilot, it was never picked up for television,” said Appel.
One day, Appel joked, “Wouldn’t it be funny to ‘Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair’” and thus the series — and the first title — was born.
Appel and Guglielmo have been working together for the last seven years and have written eight books in the series so far. In addition to “Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair,” is “Pop Warhol’s Top,” “Feed Matisse’s Fish” and “Make Van Gogh’s Bed,” all published in 2006.
“Our publisher wanted to come out with all four at the same time, which was terrific since we could sell them in box sets,” commented Appel.
Their two newest books, “Tickle Tut’s Toes” and “Catch Picasso’s Rooster,” were just released this year and all of the books are board books.
Appel will be reading from her books at the Chatham Bookstore at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. It is the “first reading I am doing in the area,” she said. It will also be “the first reading of our new books,” she added.
She and Guglielmo have done book readings all across the country, said Appel, and while she is in Chatham, Guglielmo will be at the Barnes and Noble in Miami the same day.
Appel’s reading at the Chatham Bookstore is not by accident, but by design. In addition to her parents owning a home in Malden Bridge for “many many years,” she and her husband bought a house in Old Chatham seven years ago. They are part-time residents, living most of their time in New York City, where they work and their children, Abby, now 14, and son, Josh, a junior in college, go to school.
Before Appel turned to writing, she was a practicing lawyer and partner at a real estate law firm in New York City until her daughter turned 3. Guglielmo no longer teaches kindergarten at the school and is now a full-time writer and artist living in Plattsburgh with her husband.
The two newest books are available at the Chatham Bookstore. “Muriel [Faxon, owner] has always been a big supporter of my books,” said Appel.
All of the books are also available at Barnes and Noble stores and most independent bookstores, as well as online at Amazon.com and B&N.com. “They are also available at 170 museum stores,” added Appel. You can also visit their Web site at www.touchtheart.com.
Appel mentioned two more books coming out next June and this Monday night, Amazon released the titles of those books: “Count Monet’s Lillies” and “Find King Henry’s Treasure,” which she expressed excitement over. “The covers look great,” she said.
The reading on Saturday will also include spooky art projects for the kids and candy to coincide with Halloween.
“We like to do an art project along with the reading to help the children associate a special art project with a special piece of art,” said Appel.
“We have had great success with our first four books and we hope that the next four will be as well received,” she said.
The concept for the books came out of developing a television pilot, but its origins can really go back to Appel’s daughter’s knowledge of art and the teacher who taught her, Guglielmo.
Appel tells the story of when she and her daughter, Abby, who was 5 at the time, went to see an exhibition of artist Jacob Lawrence at the Whitney Museum in New York City. Abby knew the artist because “she had learned about him in school.” When Appel visited her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, Guglielmo, at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City, Guglielmo explained to Appel that she taught her students about artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollack and many others.
Appel said that after her daughter moved on to first grade, she approached Guglielmo about putting her curriculum on television and together they shot a homemade pilot called “Artopia.”
“We brought the pilot to a few TV networks and although there was significant interest in the pilot, it was never picked up for television,” said Appel.
One day, Appel joked, “Wouldn’t it be funny to ‘Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair’” and thus the series — and the first title — was born.
Appel and Guglielmo have been working together for the last seven years and have written eight books in the series so far. In addition to “Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair,” is “Pop Warhol’s Top,” “Feed Matisse’s Fish” and “Make Van Gogh’s Bed,” all published in 2006.
“Our publisher wanted to come out with all four at the same time, which was terrific since we could sell them in box sets,” commented Appel.
Their two newest books, “Tickle Tut’s Toes” and “Catch Picasso’s Rooster,” were just released this year and all of the books are board books.
Appel will be reading from her books at the Chatham Bookstore at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. It is the “first reading I am doing in the area,” she said. It will also be “the first reading of our new books,” she added.
She and Guglielmo have done book readings all across the country, said Appel, and while she is in Chatham, Guglielmo will be at the Barnes and Noble in Miami the same day.
Appel’s reading at the Chatham Bookstore is not by accident, but by design. In addition to her parents owning a home in Malden Bridge for “many many years,” she and her husband bought a house in Old Chatham seven years ago. They are part-time residents, living most of their time in New York City, where they work and their children, Abby, now 14, and son, Josh, a junior in college, go to school.
Before Appel turned to writing, she was a practicing lawyer and partner at a real estate law firm in New York City until her daughter turned 3. Guglielmo no longer teaches kindergarten at the school and is now a full-time writer and artist living in Plattsburgh with her husband.
The two newest books are available at the Chatham Bookstore. “Muriel [Faxon, owner] has always been a big supporter of my books,” said Appel.
All of the books are also available at Barnes and Noble stores and most independent bookstores, as well as online at Amazon.com and B&N.com. “They are also available at 170 museum stores,” added Appel. You can also visit their Web site at www.touchtheart.com.
Appel mentioned two more books coming out next June and this Monday night, Amazon released the titles of those books: “Count Monet’s Lillies” and “Find King Henry’s Treasure,” which she expressed excitement over. “The covers look great,” she said.
The reading on Saturday will also include spooky art projects for the kids and candy to coincide with Halloween.
“We like to do an art project along with the reading to help the children associate a special art project with a special piece of art,” said Appel.
“We have had great success with our first four books and we hope that the next four will be as well received,” she said.
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