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HomeNewsArchivesLynda McLaughlin to Do Book Signing at Dockside Bookshop on April 25

Lynda McLaughlin to Do Book Signing at Dockside Bookshop on April 25

April 13, 2009 – A recently published picture book, “Time Gone,” gives readers a glimpse into what everyday life was like on St. Thomas back in the 1950s.
The book’s author and illustrator, Lynda Wesley McLaughlin, was only seven years old when her family moved to St. Thomas in 1953. It would be her home for 42 years, and the experiences of her first years on the island made a lasting impression on her. Reflecting on the way of life at that time, in the community of which she felt so fortunate to be a part, gave her a yearning to preserve it in some way.
A self-taught artist, she began painting the St. Thomas of her childhood, depicting the customs, games and places she remembered so fondly. Working in acrylic on canvas, she rendered scenes of the market on Saturdays, the Carnival parade, and holiday celebrations, capturing the flavor of a different time on a much smaller island. During the creative process, she was in touch with many old island friends who provided photos and postcards from the 1950s for reference. The effort resulted in 14 paintings, done in a folk art style. Giving in to an irresistible whimsy, some prominent figures in the community are subtly incorporated into many of the scenes.
The idea of a book evolved when the artist found herself waxing poetic about life on St. Thomas when the collection was featured in an exhibit at an art gallery in New London, Conn., where she now resides. In describing what life was like on the island and responding to the many enthusiastic questions the paintings prompted, the artist realized a book would be the perfect vehicle to tie it all together, and she began writing “Time Gone.” The narrative is simple, intended to be the voice of a small child hoping to draw the reader back to a time she hopes will not be forgotten. It been described as a “keepsake book,” a treasure for those who love to reminisce, a delight to those who would embrace the past.
Lynda McLaughlin will be visiting St. Thomas and doing a book signing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Saturday, April 25, at Dockside Books in Havensight Mall.

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