Oh Nikki McClure! You know how I adore her work. You have seen this post and this post and even mentioned here, because I just love how she captures the small moments of life in family and community. Her lovely images feel like visual haikus, the absolute essence that is captured.
She is now so big that she is illustrating children's books with the likes of Cynthia Rylant, All in a Day, and now has a new picture book, Mama, Is It Summer Yet?
When I opened the first page of this new treasure, the beautiful red endpapers had a design that grabbed me right away. I knew when I saw it that I loved it. Forever. And that I wanted it, forever.
I hadn't thought that I would get another tattoo, but as soon as I saw this image of strawberry leaves and vines and flowers, I knew it would be my next one. It is strawberry season here right now, in fact.
But it didn't feel right to do it without the artist's permission. Not just because I am a librarian who cares about intellectual property, but because I respect this artist's work so much that I wanted her blessing. She gave it and I am so grateful. I am also so grateful to the ink artist who used his steady hand and skill to slightly modify the design so it would remain a lasting and beautiful image: Seth, from Atlantic Studios in Rockland. His co-worker called it "the detail-iest" design. Indeed. 
And thanks to Kimberly who took pictures of the process and Sylvan who took pictures the day after.
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