While living in New York I've had the pleasure of getting to know a little about author/illustrator Meghan McCarthy.  She's a lot of fun to corner at parties, and her artistic style suits me every time I look at it.  It's that remarkable blend of kid-friendly and adult-pleasing.  Now with the auctions benefitting Robert's Snow nigh, I figured that it might be a good idea to feature one of my favorite artists (one of my favorite people too) on this here site o' mine.

She has what may well be the coolest website of any artist I know (but maybe that's just my own love of retro fifties design talking).  Lifting directly from it, I can tell you that she "was born sometime in the late 1970s. Ah, the '70s. As a youngster she painted trucks, ducks, and funny looking people. She also built space ships in the backyard, collected interesting looking rocks, built forts, climbed trees, studied tadpoles, nursed sick and injured rabbits and birds back to health (not always successfully),and ran around like any hyperactive child would. In the elementary school years she played baseball, ran cross country, started a rock band, organized a haunted house, beat all the boys at dodgeball, and painted some more pretty pictures." She's a rather remarkable photographer, which I envy to the extreme, and she's done some great book covers in her day.  I love her sample covers.  For example, check out her version of Sharon Creech's Love That Dog.

Her books have included Aliens Are Coming, one of the finest non-fiction picture books to come out last year, as well as Show Dog, George Upside Down, Patty and the Big Red Bus, and more.  She is currently working on a book about Seabiscuit, which sounds neat.

This year's snowflake features Charles Atlas and his admonition to "Be Strong".  Personally, I find this a very touching image.  The obvious connection is with Meghan's book Strong Man and Atlas's own personal story and struggles.  In the context of what Robert's Snow can mean to anyone with a friend or family member suffering from cancer, however, the snowflake's message hits a little deeper.  Strength is more than just shiny muscles.  It's what lets us carry on when, as Sheldon Harnick wrote, "our hearts lie panting on the floor."  There will a box for this snowflake as well, possibly with a leopard print pattern.

Of couse, Meghan is no newbie to the Robert's Snow snowflakes.  In fact, Meghan has contributed at least two times before. 

And this one popped up in 2005.  Let me just say that I find it rather magnificent, and I am not a dog person.  Said Meghan of it, "Do you think if I say how many Band-Aids I've gone through while making this box it will entice bidders?"

This year, though, you can own your very own Strong Man on your tree.  Or your wall.  Or you could buy it, take it into a tattoo parlor, and have the picture used as a model for an image you will carry with you for the rest of your fine blessed days.

To vote for Meghan's snowflake you will need to go to the auction website and put down your money between the dates of December 3-7th.  Money goes to a good cause and you get cool art out of it.  How could not bid on it?

Be sure to also check out the other snowflakes featured today!