Pam Keaton - Artist and Author

 

                                    

                                                              

 

Under the tutelage of James McCarty, her Wilmington High School art teacher, Pam discovered an aptitude and a love for portraiture.  The school display cases often featured her work, and she sold her first painting to a member of the faculty.  Fearing it would be an unsteady income, Pam did not pursue a career in art, but chose, rather, to pursue a business degree.  While attending Southern State Community College, she worked as a secretary and supplemented that income with several art commissions--mainly watercolor paintings and pencil drawings.  She made the switch to oil paints when a friend gave her a starter set as a Christmas gift, and it quickly became her favorite medium.

As a young adult, Pam produced a few commissioned paintings but did almost no artwork for herself; and pursuing her “real life” as a real estate appraiser and wife brought Pam's creative writing to a complete standstill. Whatever free time that she and her husband had, they devoted to their hobby of purchasing and remodeling foreclosure properties. Little did Pam know that, all the while she was reading deeds and plat maps or tearing out old plumbing and rotting wood, she was doing research for her first novel. 

In 2002, Pam and her husband opened their own real estate appraisal business in southwestern Ohio, but Pam also became determined to devote more time to artistic creativity. A local librarian, on seeing some of Pam's paintings, encouraged her to consider illustrating children's books; and, shortly thereafter, Pam became a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators as well as the Brown County Writers' Group. It was through those two forums that Pam's desire to be an author was rekindled. 

Since that time, two of Pam's short stories have been published. In 2006, Pam's story, Road Trip to Albany, appeared in The Zinnia Tales by Mountain Girl Press; and in 2007, her story, The Baker's Cabinet, was included in the collection entitled Self-Rising Flowers, also by Mountain Girl Press

Malina and the Lost Art was first written for a yearly contest by one of the larger publishing houses in New York City. It was not chosen as a winner; nor was it accepted for publication by several other publishing houses at that time. Pam's painting for the cover; however, did secure her several book cover and illustrating assignments.  Since 2006, Pam's artwork has been featured on the covers of close to a dozen books published by Mountain Girl Press, Little Creek Books, and Ann Carol Publishing; and last year Pam illustrated her first full book, Burton the Sneezing Cow written by Lisa Hall. 

Pam and her husband now live in an old farmhouse near Lynchburg, Ohio, where she is remembering the joys of living in the country. She is still a real estate appraiser, and there is always a leaking faucet to repair or wallpaper to strip. Now, however, she and her husband also find pleasure in watching things grow and seeing an old stone cellar fill up with jars of home-canned vegetables. It doesn't leave an abundance of time for writing and illustrating; but with her husband's encouragement and support, Pam finds time now and then to remember old dreams. While clearing fence rows, picking green beans, or pulling weeds, Pam looks into the distant hills and remembers herself as a young girl...back when she climbed trees, waded through creeks, and dreamed of being a published author...someday. 

Over the past few years, Pam has looked at Malina and the Lost Art with fresh eyes; and, with the encouragement of Jan Carol Publishing, she has enthusiastically edited, lengthened, and strengthened the story. It is now even nearer and dearer to Pam's heart; and she hopes her readers enjoy reading as much as she enjoyed the experience of imagining and creating.