The Last TIme They Saw Paris

My Life as a Dog

When I was seven, my father went to Paris as a Fulbright scholar to study music. This marked the beginning of my longing for Paris.

He also played jazz bass at the Blue Note. 

When I was 14, he took me to my first foreign film, Elvira Madigan.

I finally made my first trip to Paris after graduating from Berkeley. Many years later, in the fall of 2009, I was living in a 4th floor apt on the corner of rue Vaneau and rue Babylon. When I took breaks from exploring Paris, I would stop at a park, take out my sketchbook and draw people and dogs. One night I dreamt about a little dog who had moved to Paris, but couldn't make friends because all the dogs spoke French, and he didn't. I realized this was my story: Though I had studied French from junior high to college and beyond, I still stumbled when I spoke. This was the inspiration for my first book, Paris-Chien: Adventures of an Expat Dog.

Hudson, a plucky terrier, can't wait to meet some French dogs while spending a year in Paris....Though he sees many other dogs running errands with their owners...everyone is "so busy going places" that he isn't able to make friends. When he finally finds a dog park, another obstacle arises: the dogs only speak French....

Visits to my husband's family in Provence inspired my second book, HUDSON IN PROVENCE. Hudson takes the TGV to the enchanting south of France where he discovers the country dogs have jobs. A believer in the “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” school of travel, Hudson immerses himself in Provençal culture. 

My last book HUDSON AND THE PUPPY: LOST IN PARIS, was especially satisfying to create. Hudson, who now leads a comfortable life in Paris, encounters a puppy who is lost. Although Hudson has no particular reason to help other than his kind heart, he takes the puppy on a tour of Paris neighborhoods hoping he'll recognize his home. 

This story about kindness, empathy, homelessness, and responsibility is the vehicle for sharing paintings of my favorite places in Paris along with a few of my favorite films. 

Children love dogs and they are a wonderful mirror of human behavior. What better way to model empathy and kindness than through the adventures of a small, friendly dog?

The series introduces children to dogs, and people, from other cultures, who may not look like them, or speak the same language, but who are the same underneath. Hopefully his will spark their curiosity about the world beyond them and lead to a desire to travel.

Hudson with Rufus, Maryn & Maira

• Love seeing my books on the same page with Rufus! 
• We're big fans of @mairakalman too! So, Rufus and I are literallly and figuratively on the same page. 
• Oh wait, it looks like his paw is poised to open #ParisChien next. I hope he’ll become my fan too. ❤️🐶💙

Rufus replied to this repost in the affirmative: "Rufus LOVES you! (And so do we)! 

HAPPINESS.

Save the Date: April 7 L.A. Book Signing

I’ll be at Monsieur Marcel in L.A.'s Original Farmer's Market from 11am-3pm on Saturday April 7 to sign my new book HUDSON AND THE PUPPY: LOST IN PARIS.

I'd be very happy to see you there!

On Sale April 2018 !

Glamourpuss

 

Glamourpuss, by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by David Small. hysterical.

se changer les idées

I love this French phrase.  

To take your mind of things, get a fresh perspective.  

coming soon

I haven’t been posting because... I’m working on a new Paris-Chien adventure for Spring 2018! Stay tuned.

Sold.

Thank you Watson Kennedy.

Baltimore Museum of Art

I’ve been wanting to visit the Baltimore Museum of Art ever since I saw an exhibit from the Cone Collection at the Jewish Museum in New York in 2011. It now appears that Hudson will beat me to their museum shop! Adding BMA to the list of museums that carry the books.  #hudsoninprovence#parischien #lalibrairieparisienne

"The internationally renowned Cone Collection is the crown jewel of the BMA. In the early 20th century, Baltimore sisters Claribel and Etta Cone visited the Paris studios of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso and began amassing an exceptional collection of approximately 3,000 objects, including 500 works by Matisse, which were displayed in their Baltimore apartments prior to coming to the Museum."

Watson Kennedy, purveyor of fine goods, Seattle

Watson Kennedy just started carrying my paintings. We’re off to a good start!

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New blurbs for the 2nd printing of Hudson in Provence!

Nabakov’s Typewriter

Nabakov’s Typewriter. 8x10. SOLD.

In 2006, we visited the childhood home of Vladimir Nabokov in St. Petersburg, Russia.  I finally got around to painting my photo of his typewriter.

A winter visit to Musée Rodin

Last December we visited the Musée Rodin in Paris. The magnificent Hôtel Biron, home of the museum since 1919, had been closed for the last three years for restoration, and reopened to the public on November 12, 2015, RODIN’s 175^th birthday.

The collection is fascinating but my favorite part has always been the sculpture garden. Today I painted from one of my photos from last December.  Hydrangeas at Musée Rodin has been SOLD. Prints are available from my Etsy store. 

“The Thinker,” amid the sculpted cone trees. There are benches throughout the garden where you can relax or read. We stayed until closing time. 

Citizen Canine: Author and illustrator Jackie Mancuso based her Parisian transplant protagonist on her friend’s Norwich terrier, Hudson, and her own misadventures in France

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The Feeling Is Mutual : We Adore Barneys New York

And Barneys, we adore you!


Selon Beatrice, on trouve les plus jolies chaussures chez Barneys New York. Je suis d’accord.

Beatrice demande, 
"Bonjour, Madame. Est-ce que je peux vous aider?" 
‪#‎frenchlesson‬ ‪#‎frenchvocabulary‬
‪#‎paris‬ ‪#‎parischien‬ ‪#‎chien‬ ‪#‎etiquette‬

Beatrice asks, "Bonjour, Madame. May I help you?"

More Puglia. Maldives of Salento

Thank You, Anthropologie

I've always felt that Anthropologie’s aesthetic and mine were a good match because I love so many of the products they carry, and the urban bohemian arty frenchy manner in which they are displayed.

Others see the similarity too. When friends come to our house, they think I painted the Natalie Lété dinner plates. I tell them, no, they’re from Anthropologie.

I wrote to Anthropologie a few months ago to introduce myself. Yesterday they placed their first order for Hudson in Provence! 

link to Anthropologie

5

Love the book, it's like being in Provence. "Who would have thought the adventures of a little expat dog could bring alive so vividly the experience of being in Provence? It seems that the provençal dogs Hudson meets have the same joie de vivre as the people of Provence. Makes sense, and somehow seeing it through the eyes of dogs captures the feeling of being there even more vividly. This book works for adults and kids I know love it for the bravado of the lead character. Hudson perseveres through all to find his place.”

Aesthetic 5/5

Quality 5/5

5

Cute Story Book

I bought this book for my nephew, named Hudson, for Christmas. The illustrations are adorable and the story is very cute. I am sure he will love.

Aesthetic 5/5

Quality 5/5

Painting Puglia

We had maybe the best vacation ever in Puglia. Two years ago we went to Otranto on the Adriatic (east) coast. We loved it so much we decided to return and this time also explore the beaches north and south of Gallipoli area on the Ionian (west) coast. I’ve started painting from the photos and sketches and posting them on instagram.

Painting my hillside walks