Holly Meade

Holly Louise Meade, 56, passed away on Friday, June 28, 2013 at Blue Hill Memorial Hospital with her two children by her side. She was born in Winchester, MA on September 14, 1956, daughter of Russell and Joanne Meade. Holly lived in Sedgwick, ME where she worked as an artist and childrens book illustrator. She loved coastal Maine where she drew much of her inspiration from the natural world. In 1978, Holly completed a BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design. After illustrating her first childrens book in 1992, she began a flourishing career that followed with nearly 30 books, a number of which received recognition through awards, including a Caldecott Honor and the Charlotte Zolotow Award for Creative Writing. A deeply creative soul, Holly surrounded herself with art and was forever seeking an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual education through the aesthetic world. While she explored many artistic mediums throughout her life, including drawing, painting, basket making, and fabric design, she developed an interest in woodblock printmaking after taking a workshop at the Haystack Mountain School in 2002. During the past decade, she carved and printed diligently, receiving much recognition and applause for her work, which was shown in her own gallery, Reach Road Gallery, as well as in numerous art galleries throughout New England and beyond. Holly is survived by her father, Russell Meade; brother, Jeffrey Meade; sister, Andrea Lawson; daughter, Jenny Smick; son, Noah Smick and his wife Micki; and beloved grandson, Nathan Smick. An instinctively nurturing woman, Holly spoke of mothering her young children as the happiest time of her life. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at Rockbound Chapel in Brooklin, Maine.