2006.07.22: July 22, 2006: Headlines: COS - Eastern Caribbean: Art: Painting: Kids Point: Eastern Caribbean RPCV Chris Raschka took a roundabout road to fame as an Illustrator

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Eastern Caribbean: Peace Corps: Eastern Caribbean : Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean: Newest Stories: 2006.07.01: July 1, 2006: Headlines: COS - Eastern Caribbean: Happiness: Art: Painting: Horn Book Magazine: Eastern Caribbean RPCV Chris Raschka says: Being thankful is easy, being happy is a little harder, but being useful is the hardest thing of all : 2006.07.22: July 22, 2006: Headlines: COS - Eastern Caribbean: Art: Painting: Kids Point: Eastern Caribbean RPCV Chris Raschka took a roundabout road to fame as an Illustrator

By Admin1 (admin) (ppp-70-129-40-33.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 70.129.40.33) on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 12:36 pm: Edit Post

Eastern Caribbean RPCV Chris Raschka took a roundabout road to fame as an Illustrator

Eastern Caribbean RPCV Chris Raschka took a roundabout road to fame as an Illustrator

He and his wife spent time as Peace Corps Volunteers in St. Croix, then went to the Virgin Islands, where they had a chance to exhibit and sell their artwork. Afterwards, he thought for a while that it was time to settle down and become a doctor. But at the last second, he just couldn't bring himself to do it: "The morning of my first day of medical school, I called the school and told them that I wasn't going to come. That was when I knew I really wanted to be a painter."

Eastern Caribbean RPCV Chris Raschka took a roundabout road to fame as an Illustrator

The Rhythms of Raschka

By Virginia Johnson, CRRL Staff

2006 Caldecott Medal-winning artist Chris Raschka took a roundabout road to fame. His travels around the world and varied jobs give him a different perspective from most American artists. And, if fate hadn't taken a hand, this beloved artist might instead be knee-deep in muck as a crocodile farmer!

Chris spent part of his childhood in Austria, his mother's homeland. The children's authors and artists he loved were European: Madeline's Ludwig Bemelmans, Wilhelm Busch, and Winnie Gebhardt. His mother told him Viennese fairy tales and sagas. By the time Chris returned to America in first grade, he had forgotten most of his English and could only speak in German for a while.

He always loved to draw, and his big brother would help him out by sharing his paints with him. Sciences, especially the zoology (the study of animals), were his favorite subjects in school. Chris also tried to play the violin, but his music teacher begged him take up the viola instead. He played with both the high school and the college orchestras. For him, music was and remains a source of joy.

Chris graduated from St. Olaf College in Minnesota with a degree in biology. Ready to take on the world of animals, he thought he would fulfill a longtime dream of working on a crocodile farm in India. That job wasn't ready for him, however, so he spent some time at a children's orthopedic clinic in Germany. He learned a lot from those brave kids, including how to make them laugh.

Later, he and his wife spent time in St. Croix, the Virgin Islands, where they had a chance to exhibit and sell their artwork. Afterwards, he thought for a while that it was time to settle down and become a doctor. But at the last second, he just couldn't bring himself to do it:

"The morning of my first day of medical school, I called the school and told them that I wasn't going to come. That was when I knew I really wanted to be a painter."

He did not have a job lined up, but he checked out the classifieds and was soon working as a paralegal. From those contacts, he found his first steady work in the art field, illustrating the Michigan Bar Journal while his wife taught in a Montessori school. He also played his viola with two professional symphony orchestras.

Eventually, both he and his wife found themselves without work, so they took the plunge and headed to New York City. At this point Chris could not decide whether he wanted to follow his love of music or his love of art. He practiced on his viola all summer in preparations for orchestra try-outs. He practiced so hard that he developed tendonitis and could no longer play. Suddenly, the decision was made for him. He would be an artist. But he still kept his love of music.

He illustrated other people's children's books, and every morning while he worked he would listen to a radio station that played the jazz music of the legendary Charlie Parker. He created the book, Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, as a way to get kids interested in jazz music. He went on to write other books (Mysterious Thelonious and John Coltrane's Giant Steps) which teach the rhythms of music greats with images and a few carefully chosen words to young children.

Chris finds New York City to be very inspiring. While watching street scene one day, he was struck by the words people use and how they tell other people who they are. Yo! Yes? is the story of two city kids whose words are first a barrier and then a bridge to friendship. This book won the Caldecott Honor in 1994.

Bits About Chris

He and his wife have a son named Ingo.

His favorite color is yellowish-purple

His pets: two cats, Alaska Wolf Joe and Alma; one snail, Slimey; and two goldfish, Martha and Sigmund

His hobbies: Knitting and surfing

His favorite activities as a child: building with Legos

His favorite food: oysters on the half shell

Chris has illustrated and written A LOT of books. Many of them are quite short, but their careful rhythms in color and words make them very unusual stories that stay with readers and listeners long after story hour. Click here for a complete list of books featuring his artwork.

In 2006, The Hello, Goodbye Window, a story about a young girl and her loving grandparents, won the Caldecott Medal, the top award in American children's illustration. Chris' artwork was highly praised by the committee:
"With a few energetic lines, Raschka suggests a world filled with affection and humor. The richly textured tones of these expressive illustrations convey the emotional warmth of the intergenerational connection."

What's in the works for Chris Raschka? Among his other projects, he's creating a retelling of the musical favorite for children, Peter and the Wolf. He also visits schools to share his stories with students. When he comes, he makes sure the class joins in the telling so they can experience first-hand the wonderful rhythms of his books.





When this story was posted in July 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Support the US-Peruvian Trade Pact Date: July 20 2006 No: 930 Support the US-Peruvian Trade Pact
Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, the Peace Corps President, has been lobbying both Democratic and Republican legislators to support the US-Peruvian trade pact before July 28, when his term ends and a US congressional recess begins. If President Bush fails to get approval before Congress goes on recess, it will be a case study proving that the United States does not reward its friends. Please call your representatives.

Top Stories and Breaking News PCOL Magazine Peace Corps Library RPCV Directory Sign Up

The Peace Corps Library Date: July 11 2006 No: 923 The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

July 20, 2006: This Week's Top Stories Date: July 20 2006 No: 925 July 20, 2006: This Week's Top Stories
Friedman win could create new coalition 14 July
Bellamy writes: G8 summit lacks results 19 July
Peace Corps Fund Raiser in NYC on July 25 19 July
Hodding Carter writes "Flushed" on plumbing 18 July
Doyle places Peace Corps ad 18 July
Matt Taylor releases CD "Subject to the Wind" 16 July
Matthew Orosz builds reflective parabolic troughs 14 July
RPCVs run organic HERB FARMacy 13 July
Jerome Miliszkiewicz discusses Chavez in Venezuela 12 July
Ric Haas founded the Fistula Foundation 11 July
Susan Deller Ross helps women's equal rights 11 July
Mark Maxam installs solar lighting in Kenya 11 July
Eunice Kennedy Shriver at White House for 85th 11 July
Hastings gives $1 million for charter schools 11 July
Alejandro Toledo meets Bush in final days 11 July
Hill is hopes to reconvene Korea talks 10 July
"My World" takes Tanzanian children to Kilimanjaro 9 July
Bob Watada supports his son in court-martial 8 July
James Brunton Jr. builds boat for Embera Indians 8 July
Tim Wilson sews the Seeds of Peace 8 July
Petri says Guantanamo prisoners should 'face accusers' 7 Jul
Tom Murphy cuts deal with feds 3 July

Jody Olsen will be acting Peace Corps Director Date: July 20 2006 No: 926 Jody Olsen will be acting Peace Corps Director
The Senate confirmed Gaddi Vasquez to head the FAO on June 30. Jody Olsen will be acting Director until the President makes a permanent appointment. Olsen has been Deputy Director of the Peace Corps since 2002. She served in Tunisia as a PCV. Latest: "As of now (July 20), Gaddi Vasquez is still the Peace Corps Director."

Changing the Face of Hunger Date: June 28 2006 No: 915 Changing the Face of Hunger
In his new book, Former Congressman Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism. An evangelical Christian, he is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger. Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.

PC will not return to East Timor in 2006 Date: June 8 2006 No: 913 PC will not return to East Timor in 2006
Volunteers serving in East Timor have safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability. Latest: The Peace Corps has informed us that at this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.

Chris Dodd considers run for the White House Date: June 3 2006 No: 903 Chris Dodd considers run for the White House
Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton. PCOL Comment: Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.

The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan Date: June 6 2006 No: 912 The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan
Probably no RPCV has done more to further the Third Goal of the Peace Corps than John Coyne with the Peace Corps Writers web site and newsletter that he and Marian Haley Beil have produced since 1989. Now John returns to writing about his first love - golf in "The Caddie who knew Ben Hogan." Read an excerpt from his novel, an interview with the author and a schedule of his book readings in Maryland and DC this week.

Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee Date: June 3 2006 No: 905 Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee
Director Vasquez testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his nomination as the new Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture replacing Tony Hall. He has been the third longest serving Peace Corps Director after Loret Ruppe Miller and Sargent Shriver. PCOL Comment: Read our thanks to Director Vasquez for his service to the Peace Corps.

First Amendment Watch Date: May 4 2006 No: 883 First Amendment Watch
Maine Web Report hit with Federal Lawsuit
Website wins trademark suit against Jerry Falwell

Interview with a Hit Man Date: April 25 2006 No: 880 Interview with a Hit Man
RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests. In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.

PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended Date: April 14 2006 No: 872 PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended
Director Vasquez announced the temporary suspension of the Peace Corps program in Chad on April 14 and that all 29 Peace Corps volunteers have left the country. With a program dating back forty years (See Page 4 of the April 1966 "Peace Corps Volunteer"), RPCVs hope that volunteers can return to Chad as soon as the situation has stabilized. Congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the suspension quickly and professionally.

Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request Date: April 12 2006 No: 869 Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request
The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position — on March 2 — the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.

PCOL readership increases 100% Date: April 3 2006 No: 853 PCOL readership increases 100%
Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

History of the Peace Corps Date: March 18 2006 No: 834 History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Date: February 3 2006 No: 780 RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps
Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

Military Option sparks concerns Date: January 3 2006 No: 773 Military Option sparks concerns
The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger Date: October 22 2005 No: 738 Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger
When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Kids Point

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Eastern Caribbean; Art; Painting

PCOL33728
10


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: