Yesterday, the world lost some of its innocence and beauty.
Donald Zolan, widely regarded as the premiere artist of children, passed away at the age of 72 after a battle with lung cancer.
My connection to Donald Zolan began when I was in college. Someone – probably my parents – gave me a calendar of his artwork to hang in my dorm room. As someone who has worked with children since I was barely out of childhood myself, I have always had a tender heart toward the pint-size set. His artwork mesmerized me, captivated me, touched my heart. He truly captured the beauty, the innocence, the wonder and curiosity of young children. Those who know me know I’m not much for art, but I quickly became a huge fan of his work. It’s beautiful, magical, emotional.
Shortly after I graduated from college, my oldest brother got married. Come to find out, my sister-in-law’s cousin was married to none other than…you guessed it…Donald Zolan. I still have the autographed calendar I received for Christmas that year.
He had a gift. An ability to see inside everyday events. Through his brush and paints, he was able to translate that vision to us as well. He allowed us to remember, to celebrate, to cherish the little things – and little ones. He invited us to view the world through a whole new set of eyes. His art invoked the wonderment, the exuberance, the absolute rapture of discovering our fascinating world.
The man may be gone, but his images will live on. These are some of my favorites:
“Waiting for Daddyâ€
“Christmas Prayerâ€
“Touching the Skyâ€
(I love it for the name alone!)
“First Kissâ€
(I just love where their lips ended up…so precious!)
“All By Myselfâ€
(it looks like me…and it looks just like my daughter.)
“Waiting to Playâ€
(another one I love for the name alone!)
Rest in peace, Donald Zolan. You will be greatly missed.