Dale De Armond

You know how when you look back at your childhood maybe a few adults who influenced you stand out? Today I learned that one women who had a great impact on me as a child has died, which made me sad---even thought she was 85, and had a good life.

I am sorry and sad to learn that the well known Alaska artist Dale DeArmond has died--she was in important part of my life growing up in Juneau, Alaska. I spent a great deal of my childhood in the wonderful refuge (to me) of the Juneau library--which she, as the small town librarian, presided over like the "book Queen" (or so I imagined her)---she fed me books---and since books were one of the saving graces in my young life---she helped to shape me as I grew up. Thanks to her, I read every single Oz book by F. Baum, and Little Women, The Wind in the Willows, The Secret Garden, the Diary of Ann Frank, all the M. Henry Horse books, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Mrs, Piggle-wiggle, all of the Anne of Green Gables books, all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series....I could go on and on--and you see--I have not forgotten these books or the experience of walking into the library--returning some books and having a few more books suggested to me by the "library queen lady".

I was a budding teen artist the first time I saw one of Dale's woodcuts, and discovered the artist was the librarian! her prints inspired me to take my first printmaking class at the University of Ak (Fairbanks) when I was just 18---I have since not only become a bookseller ( a lifelong bibliophile, thanks to Dale), but an artist (for awhile I owned my own printmaking studio). I have to say--Thanks, Dale---for all you showed me, and goodbye....and Goddess Bless.

Here are a few of her woodcuts--she produced 100's over her lifetime, so this is just a small sampling...her woodcuts have been reproduced in quite few books including: DALE DE ARMOND, A FIRST BOOK COLLECTION OF HER PRINTS, if you want to see more.