In the world of Bill Brownridge, life is rarely static or stationary. More like perpetual motion. Of the mind and body. Last month, in October of 2019, Bill completed and self-published his latest project – A NEW BOOK!
Bill’s newest children’s picture book is titled: ‘A Prairie Boy’ and went on sale Oct. 31 /19. It can be found online at bookseller platforms such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon and many others, and through your local bookstores, and you can order them direct from us here on our website.
If you are familiar with Bill at all you will know he is already a best-selling author with his trilogy of children’s books following ‘The Moccasin Goalie’. His latest book is a departure in that it brings the artwork more into play.
“With a story that opens your eyes, and artwork that opens the rest of your senses, Brownridge reveals a new world to kids with his thick ‘pointillism’ paintings presented in wow-ly colorful double-page spreads.”
THE STORY
For Tony LaDrew, living on the farm with his grandparents is a lonely life. He only has his pony Trix and his dog Bingo for company. And as a Metis boy, it isn’t easy making friends. But playing hockey makes all the difference to Tony – whether on a slough, on a road, or on a rink – he loves the action. Swooping down the ice is like flying, like another world.
Too bad his grandfather doesn’t like hockey. On top of that, there’s a local tough guy giving him problems. At every turn, Tony seems to face another challenge. And now, with his big chance to join the team coming up, he has to take drastic action.
THE ARTWORK
Brownridge opens a new dimension to kids with his impressionist paintings of kids at play. His application of dabs and dollops of ‘fat’ acrylic paint in the Van-Gogh technique of pointillism accentuate tone and dimension, the vivid swathes of colour and diagonals exclaim action, while the moody blends heighten the wideness of the world and us in it. As the books says, it’s like another world. And the door’s open. Take a step.
Imagine reading a picture book together. You and your boy or girl look at the pictures together, take turns reading the words, compare words to pictures, talk about the people and the story. And you can talk about the ‘art’. Or isn’t it just funny pictures and comical renderings. For once it’s nice to have the real deal. Real fine art. With Brownridge, with his introduction of fine art into the picture book, he opens the door to talk about color and texture and technique and light and shadow and style and theme and feelings and fears and awe and wonder.
Go ahead. Take a step outside.