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Susan Bernardo
Author
The Artist Who Loved Cats: The Inspiring Tale of Theophile Steinlen

The Artist Who Loved Cats is a rhyming picture book biography of artist Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen, the creator of iconic French "Chat Noir" posters.

When Antoinette notices a little bronze cat in the window of her favorite Parisian antique store, she begs the shopkeeper Monsieur Arvieux and his clever cat Noir to tell her all about the artist. Steinlen moved to Paris in 1881 to pursue his artistic dreams, ultimately creating not just the iconic Chat Noir posters but also more than 700 journal illustrations, famous posters, sculptures, cartoon strips and paintings. Many of Steinlen's artworks feature cats, his favorite subject. Delightful verse, a sweet sprinkling of French vocabulary, and lovely illustrations by the award-winning team of author Susan Schaefer Bernardo and artist Courtenay Fletcher bring art history to life.

More than just a biography, The Artist Who Loved Cats is a celebration of art, inspiration, and following your heart to create a life that you love!

News
08/20/2018
If You Like Art, Cats or Paris, You'll LOVE This New Book!

Author Susan Bernardo and illustrator Courtenay Fletcher have teamed up again on a children's picture book. This time around, they are diving into the world of biography, with a rhyming picture book look at the life and art of Theophile Steinlen, the renowned creator of the iconic "Le Chat Noir" cabaret poster, a ubiquitous element of the Paris scene.

Steinlen was born in Switzerland in 1859 and moved to Paris in 1881 to pursue his dreams of being a fine artist. He settled in Montmartre, a thriving community of artists, musicians, writers and philosophers. Here he embarked on a prolific career as an illustrator, printmaker, painter and sculptor until his death in 1923. He is most known for his depictions of cats, his favorite subject.Steinlen is perennially in vogue, and you have probably seen his art many times in cafes and on greeting cards and calendars and posters. Steinlen's works are in permanent collections in museums around the world. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts recently mounted an impressive "Steinlen Cats" exhibit (with artworks from their substantial Frank Raysor collection, curated by Dr. Mitchell Merling).

Steinlen's art appeals to children as much it engages adults -- and so will this charming biography, which celebrates art, inspiration and following your creative dreams. Indie creators Bernardo and Fletcher are currently mounting a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to publish the book. They have run two successful campaigns in the past (to publish "Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs" and "The Big Adventures of Tiny House") and a third book that they collaborated on with LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow fame pre-sold 5,000 copies when it was offered as a reward on his immensely successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014.

For more information, and to see how you can be part of bringing their latest creative vision to life, visit their publishing website www.InnerFlowerChild.com. You can also check out their Kickstarter page. They are offering numerous rewards, from signed books to an opportunity to have an illustrated portrait of your cat featured in the book. Several of their reward levels also benefit the ASPCA and the Book Buddies program, which encourages children reading to shelter cats. Be sure to watch the engaging promo video, which features the voiceover talents of actor Tony Sears as "Noir."

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