My book, The Biggest Living Thing, published in 1983 by Carolrhoda Books, was illustrated with my own art. In 2014, I turned the illustration on page 46 of the book into a Christmas card. Here's what I wrote that year in our annual family holiday letter.
The full color cut-paper collage technique I now use is a far cry from the mostly black and white illustrations I drew in my early books. In one of those books, The Biggest Living Thing, I depicted a Christmas celebration at the General Grant tree, the huge giant sequoia that was declared to be the Nation’s Christmas Tree in 1926 by President Coolidge. Many years ago our family did a winter vacation in Sequoia National Park and experienced the wonder of seeing the huge trees in the snow. I thought of that recently as I read this quote from an early Christmas gathering at the General Grant tree: “That spirit [of America] is best expressed in the plain things of life, the love of the family circle, the simple life of the out-of-doors. The tree is a pillar that is a testimony that things of the spirit transcend those of the flesh." (Arnold holiday letter 2014)
The tradition of celebrating Christmas at the General Grant tree continues.
With best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season 2022!
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