Whimsical illustrations add to the charm of this childhood memoir of what it was like to grow up in Jupiter, Florida in the 1950s and 1960s. Funny, nostalgic, and sometimes weird stories follow the author, her sisters, and friends as they navigate childhood in a subtropical paradise.
Kathleen R. Bates is a physician and a self taught artist. Her watercolors of birds are characterized by saturated, intense colors and a realistic, illustrative style after the tradition of classical nature and botanical illustration, such as Audubon. Her oil landscapes, on the other hand, are painted in the impressionistic style, and often en plain air as done by artists of the 18th and 19th century. Dr. Bates’ original paintings and prints are found in private collections across the US and Europe.
Dr. Bates grew up in Jupiter, Florida, which was at that time a tiny seaside village on the southeast coast. A strong interest in nature, especially the plants and animals surrounding her home developed in early childhood.
Dr. Bates is also the author of the award-winning book “Christmas Birds: Art and Inspiration for the Season and Beyond” and of the upcoming illustrated memoir “Childhood in Paradise: Growing Up by the Sea.”
