Featuring an illustration for
each letter of the alphabet
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SAMPLE PAGES
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Published in 2008
CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK
Paperback 10 x 12 Full Color
32 Pages $18.00
ISBN 978-0-9790205-8-2
Available from
The Arts Center in Orange
129 East Main Street
P.O. Box 13
Orange, VA 22960
(540) 672-7311
Available Wholesale from
Cedar Creek Publishing
"Gift a Book" Fundraising Initiative
of The Arts Center of Orange, Virginia
A is for Art! was published in 2008 to honor the life and work of Laura Lambe Burrell, an artist who courageously battled mental illness throughout her life. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go toward The Arts Center in Orange, Virginia, a nonprofit community-based arts center where Laura was a member of the Orange Studio, a program providing studio space and artistic support to adult artists suffering from disabilities.
It is the goal of The Arts Center in Orange to share this book, along with Laura's glorious celebration of life, her bravery, and her art with every school library and every pediatric waiting room in the state of Virginia.
Please support The Arts Center in Orange and this endeavor through the Center's "Gift a Book" fundraising initiative.
A is for ART! "Gift a Book" Program
(PDF form)
If unable to download this form, please e-mail cedarcreekbooks@aol.com.
To request more information
by mail, contact:
Laura Thompson (540) 672-7311.
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LAURA
LAMBE
BURRELL
1953 - 2008 |
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In 1953, the indomitable Laura Lambe Burrell was born. Because of her father's Naval career, Laura moved often throughout her youth. She got the chance to swim in both the Pacific and the Atlantic and attended only the best schools. She loved riding horses especially galloping bareback and she loved art.
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At the age of sixteen, Laura was diagnosed with schizophrenia. While pursuing an Arts degree at The Pratt Institute, her illness escalated and her family moved her home to Arlington, Virginia where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Arts from Marymount University. Laura married and had a daughter named Heather who was born with cerebral palsy, a brain injury caused by birth trauma. Soon after the birth, Laura experienced a reoccurrence of schizophrenia and both she and her child entered institutional care. Despite severe brain damage, Heather lived for seventeen years. Laura spent the next two decades in and out of hospitals and greatly mourned the loss of her daughter.
In 1996, Laura moved to Orange, Virginia and a happier phase of her life began to unfurl. She resided in President Madison Inn, a supervised facility for persons leaving mental institutions. On her first night in Orange, Laura phoned her father and said, "This is heaven!" Laura liked having a room of her own. She explored the town on foot bedecked in bright clothing and sparkling, tinkling jewelry, cherishing and finding magic and inspiration in places (most of us take for granted) like McDonald's and the public library. She particularly enjoyed sitting and drawing at the Fire House Cafe on Main Street. Owner Marty Van Santvoord recognized Laura's talent and hung her work on the Cafe walls.
In 2000 Laura was introduced to Megan Marlatt, a founidng artist of The Arts Center in Orange. Megan established the Orange Studio, an Arts Center program that provides studio space and support for adult artists with disabilities. Through this program Laura Burrell got her very own arts studio. For twlve years Laura stayed out of the hospital. She diligently maintained her studio at The Arts Center, producing paintings that brighten the lives of thousands. She won many ribbons at the Orange County Fair and exhibited and sold in galleries in Charlottesville, Richmond, Washington DC, and in New York SoHo district.
Beyond her ability with a paintbrush and palette, Laura was an integral part of the Orange community. She was an ambassador for other residents at Presiden Madison Inn, encouraging and inspiring them to explore and participate in local life. As a faithful member of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Laura enjoyed camaraderie in and out of the church building - swimming at the local pool and going on day trips to art museums in DC and Richmond with fellow congregation members.
In her last years, Laura's kidneys failed, followed by an infection that attacked her brain and heart. She endured months in a coma and countless hours at the dialysis center only to return to her studio toting an oxygen tank to produce some of her most important work. Despite the profound challenges she faced, Laura's belief in an all-loving God and the beauty of life remained strong and is vivid in her artwork even after her death.
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