Valley Child
‘Valley Child’ captures childhood moments in stories and art
Book uses art, words to capture special moments
At the age of 80, Jockie LoomerKruger has created a book that uses art and words to capture the special moments of childhood.
“I’d been writing memoirs for about 20 years and had three binders full,” she said. “I always thought some day I should put them into a book. One day I thought, ‘I’ll soon be 79; I think some day is here.’ I decided to get it done the year I turned 80.”
Loomer-Kruger grew up in the Annapolis Valley, raised her children in Bible Hill and currently lives in Kitchener, Ont. Her book “Valley Child” contains stories from her childhood and images of her unique artwork, created with clay, paint and assorted things she’s found.
She began creating folk art in 1991.
“I was born in 1936 and grew up in a country family where creativity was respected and nurtured,” she said.
“I wanted to do realistic landscapes at one time but that isn’t what I’m able to do. As kids we used odds and sods and they became something other than what they were, so I’m able to look at bits and see them in a context other than what they are.”
The book includes 33 images of works created with clay on stretched canvas and painted in acrylic, which Loomer-Kruger began working on at the start of 2015. They are filled with colour, activity and joy.
“I’ve always been interested in storytelling, not necessarily big events but little things that impacted us in one way or another,” she said. “The response has been lovely. People say they laugh and cry. Local people can relate because they know some of the people and places and people who don’t know them can still relate because of the universality of the stories.”
One of Loomer-Kruger’s daughters, Heather Taylor, of Maritime Marionettes, still lives in the Truro area and shares her mother’s creative spirit. Another daughter is a veterinarian in the Wolfville area, while her son works in university administration in Ontario.
“Valley Child” can be ordered through www.jockie.ca or ordered through book stores and will eventually be on Amazon.