Friends of Hanley Library present discussion with children's book author, illustrator

BRADFORD, PA – The Friends of Hanley Library will host “My Grama’s Garden: A Conversation with author Pat Drummond and illustrator Denise Drummond” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the Mukaiyama University Room in the Frame-Westerberg Commons at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.  

During the event, which is free and open to the public, Pat and her daughter Denise will discuss how they came to collaborate on a six-year project, which culminated in the publication of their first children’s book, “My Grama’s Garden,” in 2011.  

The program will include an informal presentation and audience question-and-answer period. Copies of “My Grama’s Garden” will be available for purchase before and after the program. 

The inspiration for the book was the women's love of nature and the beauty of Pat Drummond’s Pennsylvania perennial gardens. The book, illustrated by Denise Drummond, contains exquisite, vibrant, full-page watercolor illustrations authentically depicting the many varieties of flowers, butterflies, woodland creatures and insects. The illustrations are complemented by a story written by her mother, Pat Drummond, an accomplished writer and gardener. 

In June 2012, their book received the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Children’s Picture Book by The Independent Book Publisher’s Association, and also second place for Best First book. In September of that year, “My Grama’s Garden” was awarded the silver place Moonbeam Award for Best First Book.

Pat Drummond grew up in Texas and was influenced by her mother, who wrote poetry and had her poems published in anthologies. After marriage, Pat Drummond and her husband, Don, moved to his home in Pennsylvania, where Pat received a Bachelor of Arts degree in writing from Pitt-Bradford. She has written poetry, short stories and music. This is her first children's book.

Denise Drummond began her love affair with nature at an early age while growing up in the woodlands of Pennsylvania. She draws and paints nature scenes with a special love for our national parks and wilderness areas. A self-taught portrait and landscape artist, Denise Drummond’s works are created mostly using graphite and watercolor. Her work has been shown and collected nationwide.

Denise Drummond has placed five times in the prestigious Arts for the Parks contest, placing in the top 100 in the nation. Her works were on tour of the country with the “Top 100” show, traveling to art galleries and museums for a year at a time, then to be sold to collectors around the world. Her love of nature and the lure of mountain places, led her to spend three summers in Glacier National Park, where she began a series of National Parks drawings. 

Currently, she is working on completing illustrations for another book also written by her mother, titled “Grandpa Spence.” She continues to draw and paint landscapes, and has also been making panoramic giclée prints of some of her photography.

For more information, visit mygramasgarden.com.