Mary Azarian was born in 1941, and grew up to be an illustrator, specializing in woodcuts. Further information about her is not plentiful.

Mary was (is?) a member of the Artisan's Hand cooperative in Montpelier, Vermont. All members of the group are required to work in the gallery a certain numer of hours each month. The group's president says Mary would bring half-finished woodcuts with her, and sit at the cash register, working on them.   "She'd have her apron on, her glasses on, and the chips would fly. She had woodchips in her hair, all over the counter, everywhere. So when somebody decided they would make a purchase, they would timidly creep up to the counter and wait until she noticed them, and she would finally pick her face up and say, 'Oh. All right,' and then finally permit them to buy something."

In 1999, Mary won the Caldecott for her illustration of Snowflake Bentley. Mary's last name is Armenian; she acquired it through marriage. She currently lives and owns a printing company in in Vermont, about an hour away from Wilson Bentley's (Snowflake Bentley's) home.


Books:

Barley Break

Barn Cat

Faraway Summer

A Farmer's Alphabet

The Four Seasons of Mary Azarian

A Gardener's Alphabet

Gridley Firing

Llewellyn's 2001 Herbal Almanac

Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute

The Magic Dulcimer

The Man Who Lived Alone

Sea Gifts

Snowflake Bentley   (1999 Caldecott Medal)

A Symphony for the Sheep

Visits With the Amish: Impressions of the Plain Life

Where the Deer Were


thanks to:
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/book/Apr00/grades3-4/au.html
http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9902/01/newbery.03/
http://www.vt-world.com/Archive/1998/November_4_1998/Features.htm
www.amazon.com

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