Local Author To Visit Lacey Library for Art Reception, Talk, Book Signing

LACEY, NJ — Children’s book author and illustrator Katy Tanis will be at the Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library for an art exhibit reception, author talk and book signing from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, June 29. The free, all-ages program will also include a coloring craft for younger readers at the branch, 10 East Lacey Road in Forked River.

The exhibit, Love Under the Sea, is on display now through June 29 and features artwork from Tanis’s new book of the same title, according to the library announcement. Registration is required for the program. Registration opens June 15.

Tanis grew up in northern New Jersey and now lives at the Jersey Shore, according to the announcement. The library said she has an MA in Biology from Miami University, a BS in Computer Science and a BFA in Art from Carnegie Mellon University.

Tanis began her career in the fashion industry, traveling around the world to meet artisans and learn about their crafts. Those experiences included woodblock printing in Kyoto, graffiti in Berlin, ceramics in KwaZulu-Natal and Kantha embroidery in Bangalore, and that the work continues to inform her art.

The library said Tanis highlights unusual and lesser-known animals and explores evolution and biogeography concepts in her work. According to the announcement, she also travels to ecosystems including Madagascar’s spiny forest and Borneo’s tropical forest.

Tanis’s award-winning art has appeared on products and in art shows around the world. More information and selections of her work are available on her website, daughterearth.com, according to the library.

Ocean County Library cardholders can also borrow several books written and illustrated by Tanis for free, according to the announcement. The library directed readers to tinyurl.com/TanisBooksOCL to view available titles and request a copy.

People who want to attend the June 29 event can register at tinyurl.com/TanisOCL, call 609-693-8566, or stop by the Lacey Branch in person. The program is free, but registration is required, according to the library announcement.