Prolific local author and illustrator of her own children’s books, Dolores Keaveney, from Belvedere, Mullingar, very appropriately saw her newest offering, “The Scary Spider”, launched in the Atrium of Westmeath County Council’s HQ building in Mullingar last Thursday evening, 30 October – the eve of ‘scary’ Hallowe’en.
Getting into the spirit of things, lots of children, with their parents, turned up in ‘scary’ fancy dress, and with face painter Carol O’Malley kept extremely busy all evening, plenty of the children soon had all sorts of personal “scary masks”, thanks to Carol’s expertise with face-paints.
Friends and acquaintances of Dolores also turned up in numbers, including famed local artist Anne Marie Leavy, a long-time mentor and friend, local historian Ruth Illingworth, and nationally known travel writer Manchán Magan (from Collinstown) who performed the official launch for Dolores on Thursday evening.
This was, in fact, the eighth book for children produced and illustrated by Dolores, who has been a keen painter for decades – since she first attended night classes four or so decades ago. Back then, she did so under the guidance of VEC teacher Valerie O’Brien, and then went on to further night classes, led by noted watercolour artist, Anna Marie Leavy from Mullingar. Dolores and the others in Anna Marie’s class found her tutorship so good that they decided to establish the Lakeland Art Group twenty-five years ago. About a decade ago, Dolores branched out on her own miniature watercolour work and work on slate, and then five years ago, embarked on her first illustrated children’s book, “If I were a bee”. She does her own book illustrations, and one book has led to another…..
Manchán Magan, who was introduced by Westmeath Arts Officer …… was generous in his praise of the imagination and and talent shown by Dolores in producing “The Scary Spider” and in producing such interesting and well illustrated books for children.
Dolores expressed thanks to all who had assisted her in producing and launching her latest offering, and then invited the children present to sit down with her, while she read for them the story of “The Scary Spider”.
Afterwards, she autographed copies of her new book for parents and children, with the latter enjoying not only the book but also the goodies and refreshments provided.
Copies of “The Scary Spider” are available at local bookshops and also on the author’s website, www. doloreskeaveney.com.
