“Teddy Bounces to the Front”: Notes from the Director’s Chair
By Vonda Givens, Executive Director
Among the staff, we batted around the idea of a children’s book for years. The conversations began between former Executive Director Heather Stivison and I (back when I was the Director of Education). Although I had always been a fan of children’s literature, at the time, I particularly admired Greene and Green for Kids by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen. Later on, I picked up the children’s book conversation with Kristen McCauley, who was then the Senior Manager of Education and Interpretation. It was easily a germ of an idea for 10 years (probably more) before any work on it began. As Kristen reminded me recently, we both loved the concept, but the museum’s daily operations took priority. Making it happen would be time-consuming and costly. Time and money are vital resources, and we didn’t have much of either to spare. So, a children’s book project was perpetually put on the backburner.
If memory serves, the book really began to take shape when Stickley biographer David Cathers, in a 2018 email message, told us that the Stickley’s had two dogs, one named Teddy. Kristen and I are both dog lovers, and this information felt like a gift! On top of that, I had always liked the lion mascots of the New York Public Library and Biltmore Estate. It would be fun to have a SMCF mascot. Could Teddy be it?
More time passed, but finally, all of the pieces of the project came together when I was introduced to Anna Szalc, who was then a college sophomore and a student in my husband Wes’ drawing class. Almost in passing, he mentioned an exceptionally talented student and showed me her work. At the time, I happened to be preparing a capstone project for a certificate program at Georgetown University. I needed drawings for the video I was making, and I asked Wes to put me in touch with her. We had such fun working on my project that I didn’t want it to end. The book idea came to mind, and Kristen and I wondered: Was Anna the artist who could help us finally move the Teddy book project to the front burner?
The answer: Well, sort of. The Teddy book project continued to bounce (and I promise this is my last use of the “burner” metaphor) from front to back burner for another two years.
Kristen and I met with Anna, and right away, they connected artistically. If you recall Kristen’s work for the museum, all of it was imbued with a specific sensibility: timeless, good-humored, and approachable. Kristen created Craftsman Kids and The Craftsman Kitchen, both initiatives that we used heavily during the pandemic. She also championed the museum’s blog (this Craftsman Kids Halloween blog is classic Kristen: Bat Jumping Jack). We discussed the tone of the book and considered cartoony illustrations (think Berenstain bears) or line drawings (like Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree), but in the end, we all agreed that the book should have the feel of a Little Golden Book (like The Poky Little Puppy). It suited the museum’s Craftsman aesthetic and brand identity. Fortunately, Anna was familiar with these books and loves working in watercolor, so it was a great fit for the team.
Kristen put together a folder of reference materials for Anna, a collection of pages from The Craftsman magazine and photos from Marion Stickley’s scrapbook (which the museum has on loan from her family, Robert and Linda Preim, and their permission to use the photos). Anna got to work right away and began sending us drawings. They were delightful–charming and lively and sure-handed. Teddy had so much personality! (I’m included a sampling of Kristen’s reference materials below–that’s Teddy with Marion Stickley–and Anna’s related drawings. Scroll down for caption info.)
But when the museum’s busy spring and fall schedules shifted into full swing, the project went fallow again (I feel like I can hear sad trombone music here. Womp womp). Then in the late spring, Kristen announced she was moving on to a different job. We held a going-away party for her, and after that, honestly, I got busy and forgot about the project. Months passed and one day I stumbled across Kristen’s Teddy Project file. Opening it, I was reminded of how lovely the drawings were. And there were more drawings than I realized (like the drawing below of Teddy encountering a honey bee after putting his nose into a rose in Craftsman Farms’ rose garden). It felt like such a shame to put the drawings aside and do nothing with them.
I contacted Anna and asked if she wanted to resume the project. Happily, she was thrilled to keep going. I worked on text to go with Anna’s illustrations, and this is where Kristen and Anna’s preparatory efforts really paid off. The pictures already told a story. Anna asked if I’d like more drawings to round out the book and to give it an even page count. So, I wrote a little more and sent her more reference material, and she produced the final illustrations. Now, the only thing left was for me to design the book.
We announced the project in February of this year. I wanted the museum’s fans to know about it, but announcing the project had the added bonus of ensuring I would finish it! We planned to launch it during Crafts-Mas 2024, and I expected to work on it over the summer. I did, but with graphic design projects, it is enticing to endlessly dither around with details. Finishing them is another matter.
By the fall, I was really under pressure to complete the book and send it to the printer. The last edits were made in early November. I sent the files off and to my amazement, about ten days later, a stack of boxes arrived, and I had the book in my hands. I still have a hard time believing they are real!
I’m excited to finally share Adventures at Craftsman Farms with Teddy (A Craftsman Puppy) with all of you! The books are available for purchase in The Craftsman Shop, and next week’s Crafts-Mas Open House, on Sat., Dec. 14, will feature a free panel discussion at 11:00 a.m. about the making of the book. Then Anna Szalc, who will be our special guest for the weekend (and will be flying up from South Carolina), will sign books and share coloring pages and talk illustration with visitors in The Craftsman Shop during the Open House from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. In between, we’ll host readings of the book in the Stickley Girls’ bedroom. (You’ll also be able to see Anna’s lovely watercolor of Craftsman Farms in Winter on Shop puzzles, cards, and prints).
Then on Sunday, Anna will return to The Craftsman Shop (on Sundays we are open for Holiday Tours. Visit StickleyMuseum.org for full details). We’ve commissioned her to work on some simple sketches of furnishings and interiors in the Log House, inspired by imagery in Stickley’s catalogs. Anna will be back at her table to draw and chat with visitors while she works. You’re invited to look on and see how the magic happens (I think you’re likely to see the drawings on future Shop merchandise!).
I hope you’ll come by to meet Anna on Saturday or Sunday to celebrate the launch of the book. We are looking forward to sharing it with you. It took more than ten years, but Teddy has finally bounced his way to the front!
P.S. I want to gratefully acknowledge the use of the museum’s reserve funds on this project, which made it possible for the book to be produced and printed. Thank you to all donors whose contributions made the reserve fund possible. Anna Szalc’s trip to New Jersey has been funded by the Amy Stahl Endowment. As always, we are grateful to former Trustee Don Stahl for his foresight in creating the endowment. And thank you also to David Cathers for inspiring the book years ago by sharing Teddy’s name with us!
P. P. S. If you’re interested, the video, “A Craftsman Farms Fable,” with drawings by Anna Szalc, which was part of my capstone project on storytelling as an expression of an organization’s values and identity, it can be found here: A Craftsman Farms Fable. There’s a written summary too, but the video is the fun part!
Collage photo:
- From top, left to right: Marion Stickley with Teddy; Anna’s drawing of Mildred Stickley and Teddy; Mildred Stickley feeding the chickens, featured in The Craftsman
- From bottom, left to right: Eda Stickley (far right) with two young women (presumably Stickley daughters); Anna’s drawing of Teddy napping on Eda’s lap.
Photo credit: Thank you for Robert and Linda Preim for permission to use photos from Marion Stickley’s scrapbook.