Sunday, November 13, 2016

TLA Coloring Book - A Disaster Relief Fundraising Effort

This time last year an idea was planted. It took a few weeks for it to take root, but before I knew it a fundraising effort for the Texas Library Association's (TLA) Disaster Relief Fund was blossoming. The culmination of this year long project was revealed at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas on November 5, 2016.

TLA Coloring Book, Volume One & Volume Two
The TLA Coloring Book was unveiled and available for purchase on the first day of the festival at the TLA Booth. It was promoted with a huge coloring banner located in front of the state capitol.



Five images from the coloring book were displayed on the vinyl banner. Adults and children both loved using Sharpies to add their own personality to this collaborative coloring.



As the weekend progressed the backs of the banners were used by the festival attendees to show their own creativity and artistic expression. Even though the banner idea was not my own, I felt a great deal of pride seeing everyone having fun coloring together on images I brought together. The conversations of the young and old and the smiles were powerful to see as the weekend progressed. Everyone who colored on the banner walked away with a smile.


Of the sixty-six images in the two volume set, five were included on the coloring banner.
Image donated by Steve McDonald
(Chronicle Books)

Image donated by John Parra


Image donated by Nick Bruel

Image donated by Melissa Baker


Image donated by Betty Chapman


All of the images in the coloring book were graciously donated by the artists for inclusion in this fundraising effort for the Texas Library Association Disaster Relief Fund.  The fund started in 1999 with a raffle of the art work, The Bear Went Over the Mountain, donated by Rosemary Wells, who also donated a piece to the coloring book. Texas libraries impacted by disasters such as storms, fires, or flooding are encouraged to apply for financial support through the website. Over the years, funds have been used for a variety of reasons in libraries all across the state. Nine libraries received grants following the devastation of Hurricane Rita in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area in 2006 and eleven more grants were given to coastal libraries following Hurricane Ike three years later. In 2015 the Wimberley Village Library received a $2,000 grant to help with their photography recovery program following the devastating floods in the area.

The net proceeds from the sell of the coloring books go to the Texas Library Association Disaster Relief Fund. If you would like to purchase your own set of coloring books, they are now available online at the Texas Library Association website. The cost of the two-volume set is $20. However, if you purchase 4 sets, you will get 1 set free.

The coloring books will make a wonderful gift for all ages. In fact, it is two gifts in one because you are providing a one of a kind collection of images to color and you are helping Texas libraries who have been devastated by disaster.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of the talented artists who graciously donated their work for the coloring book. Here is a complete list of artists who contributed to the TLA Coloring Book.

  • Melissa Ann Baker
  • Winifred Barnum-Newman
  • Heidi Berthiaume
  • Sophie Blackall
  • Susan Branch
  • Lisa Powell Braun
  • Nick Bruel
  • Joe Cepeda
  • Betty Chapman
  • Sarah Cox
  • Bill Crawford
  • Christa Crawford
  • Bill DeOre
  • Tomie dePaola
  • Christopher Eliopoulos
  • Mary Ann Emerson
  • Denise Fleming
  • Brian Floca
  • Carolyn Dee Flores
  • Douglas Florian
  • AG Ford
  • Laura Freeman-Hines
  • Shinji Fujioka
  • Charlotte Garrett
  • Xavier Garza
  • Tad Hills
  • Molly Idle
  • CS Jennings
  • Pamela Johnson
  • Lita Judge
  • G. Brian Karas
  • Autumn Kinsey
  • Jarrett J. Krosoczka
  • Laura Logan
  • Loren Long
  • Rafael Lopez
  • Jeff Mack
  • Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Steve McDonald
  • Wendell Minor
  • Roxie Munro
  • Lisa Nowlain
  • Jessica Palmer
  • John Parra
  • LeUyen Pham
  • Rylie Philpot
  • Ronel D. PIerre
  • Lizzy Rockwell
  • Lynn Rowe Reed
  • Dan Santat
  • Judy Schachner
  • Maysa Sem
  • Diane Stanley
  • Elizabeth Rose Stanton
  • Mary Sullivan
  • Nicole Tadgell
  • Don Tate
  • Dan Thompson
  • Suzy Toronto
  • Evan Turk
  • Laura Vaccaro Seeger
  • Rosemary Wells
  • Kate Wiant
  • Salina Yoon
  • Toni Yuly
  • Paul O. Zelinsky

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