July 9, 2009 - As of today I am a regular contributor on a group blog called What Women Write. Many of my posts will talk about my book about Carl, my research, and my travels related to the book. Stop by and look for my posts. Even better, become a 'follower' of the blog. (You'll need a google account, but they are free.)
Recent News
July 1, 2009 - Thanks to this website, I have now located just under 300 works of art. Thanks to the generosity of many collectors, I have permission to post images of many paintings. So many, in fact, that the thumbnail images on my oils and watercolors pages were miniscule. I decided that the time had come to divide the paintings not by medium but by period of Carl's career. There are now pages for early, middle and late works of art. As before, you may click on any thumbnail image to see a larger image and details about title, medium, size, date, and any interesting tidbits about the history of that particular piece.
June 15, 2009 - Just wanted to report that the writing of my book on Carl should speed up considerably now that my youngest child is in preschool.
3/4/09 - The 2009 issue of The Fra, a magazine put out by the Roycroft Campus Corporation, mentions Carl in the article about the current Roycroft Potter, Janice McDuffie. Article found on page ten.
10/25/08 - There are still copies of the 2007 Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume available - the cover article is on Carl. If you live in Canada, click here. If you live in the US or other international countries, click here.
12/23/07 - I have added a COLOR ENHANCED photo of Carl on my family photos page. Click here to see what the artist looked like in living color according to details about hair and eye color and complexion given by his wife.
5/17/07 - I have returned from Ontario after speaking for the Waterloo Historical Society on April 28th. Please click here to read more about Carl Ahrens Day in Kitchener. I have set up a gallery of work that appeared at the show as well as photos from the event.
1/18/07 - The Waterloo Historical Society annual volume for 2006 will be released on April 28th, 2007. The front and back covers of the volume will feature headshots of Carl at various ages and there will be many photographs in both black and white and color throughout. The article itself is about 7,000 words. I have been asked to be the guest speaker at the launch, which will be on the same day as the volume's release, at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery in Kitchener, Ontario. Please e-mail me if you would like to order a copy of this volume.
9/13/06 - I have just returned from East Aurora, NY, where I visited the Roycroft campus, an important location in the history of the arts and crafts movement around the turn of the previous century. Carl Ahrens founded the pottery here around 1900. The place has special significance to me because it was where my great-grandparents met. On this trip, I was privileged to meet my cousin, Martha McGowan, a descendant of Carl and his first wife Emily Carroll. It was the first ever meeting between members of Carl's first family and second family. Many thanks to Janice MacDuffie, the current Roycroft Potter, for letting me stay with her.
To hear more about the trip and see photos please click here to go to the Roycroft Journal.
July 21, 2009 - I have finally learned how to create longer web pages, which will mean a lot less navigating between multiple pages to read Carl's biography, excerpts from my novel, and my research journals. I hope to have these updates done by the end of next week. I have also discovered how to make the guestbook for this site spam proof. If you have not already signed the guestbook, please do. Don't worry that your post does not show up immediately. All comments have to be approved before they are added.
July 24, 2009 - In the interest of having a book title that reflects it is the story of both Carl and Madonna, I have changed the title of my novel again. It is now The Oak Lovers, because he often painted oaks entwined like lovers, and the image represents them so clearly.
October 16, 2009 - I have just received a copy of the 1911 book published in conjunction with Carl's
exhibition of the Mercer Collection. This book includes small black and white images of all but one
painting in the collection. I have added those images to the information on each of the paintings.
Click here to see them.
December 5, 2009 - I have recently received several photographs of Carl Ahrens' first wife and
their children and have added some to the family photos page. While I was at it, I added more photos
of Carl himself, Madonna, and their children. Click here to see the page.
December 19, 2009 - Check out the winter issue of Canadian Art (magazine). In it, there is an article
by Ross King called White Feathers and Tangled Gardens. Carl receives a fair amount of coverage.