Travels with a Blue Vase

For as long as I can remember I have loved to travel. My father traveled in
his work and frequently took us along. My mother said I was born with the
“go” gene. I also loved to draw. I was the one who drew pictures of Mickey
Mouse for my friends, the one the teacher called on for bulletin boards.
Even though my first love was art, I studied nursing in college. These were
the turbulent Kennedy years, and a bomb shelter had been built next door.
Later, when my children were in school, l wanted to be home on holidays
and summer vacations so I returned to school and became certified to
teach art.
When I began, I longed to go where they great artists had gone, lived and
painted. In 1994 I had a chance to go to Provence in the south of France to
paint. I visited the studios of Monet, Cezanne and Renoir, the scenes
painted by Van Gogh and Matisse as well. I took with me a blue plastic
vase so I could enjoy fresh flowers in my room. Sometimes it got into my
pictures. I filled a sketchbook, and I was hooked. Each winter I saved my
pennies, and every other summer I traveled and painted.
Many years and multiple sketchbooks later, I sat beside a lady from London
on the plane. She looked at my sketchbooks, noticed the blue vase and
suggested I put them all together in a book and call it Travels with a Blue
Vase. I had my title.
I decided to narrow the scope of my various travels to the Mediterranean
area: Provence, Italy and Greece. Because I am a foodie and love to paint
food, I included illustrated recipes from those countries.
Shortly after I began, I lost my daughter. I had retired from teaching to care
for her at home so I was at loose ends. I volunteered to do art with several
special needs groups, but it wasn’t enough. Putting together this book gave
me a focus, a reason for being. I relived each place I had been when I
made these sketches, and it made me happy.
When it was finished, I combed the bookshelves of stores and libraries to
find similar books and their publishers. I talked to authors and editors
before I sent a proposal to two of them. After six months I had two very nice
Travels with a Blue Vase
rejection letters so I decided to publish it myself. After all, our lives are
getting shorter every day.
Travels with a Blue Vase: A Mostly Mediterranean Sketchbook has
done very well. I’m not looking to become rich or famous - I’d just like to
share the beauty I see around me and the gift from God I’ve been given.
A second book came easily as I learned the modern technology of
computers. I called it More Travels with a Blue Vase: Paris and Beyond.
Currently I’m working on a third in the series. It encompasses England,
Scotland, Ireland and Wales. I have much of it done. I just need to take one
more trip...

Mary Ann Miller
Member of www.NLAPW.org, Jacksonville branch
Her book is available on her website and also at the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville, Fl