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Transcript (Unedited)
Tom Heath
Welcome back. Once again, we are at the tucson gallery for another installment of meet the artist. It’s a segment we do every time we get one of these fabulous artists to spend a few minutes of their time with us here in the gallery. Today we have a very famous author, laura strang is joining us. And of course, if you ever want to see the past episodes of other artists, you can head over to our website, tucsongallery.com. There’s a section up there of all of our past episodes and there’s a newsletter. Sign up so you can find out when the artists will be live. We’re in the tucson gallery at the proper shops of 300 east congress. We’re right across the street from hotel congress on the same block as the rialto, so we are pretty darn cool. And speaking of pretty darn cool, we have the fabulous laura strange joining us today. Welcome.
Laura Streng
Thank you for having me.
Tom Heath
You’re an artist.
Laura Streng
We’re obligated to have you artist. Maybe not.
Tom Heath
Well, I’m going to have you move down a little bit closer.
Laura Streng
Okay.
Tom Heath
Well, you are an artist. You have taken something that was a passion of yours and you figured out a way to enlighten the world about it. I think that’s what artists do. They enlighten the world about something they’re passionate about.
Laura Streng
Yeah, I would agree. I mean, I’m passionate about dogs and I’m passionate about connor.
Tom Heath
All right, well, let’s talk. So a lot of our artists, they do painting and sculptures and I think when we use the term artist because I’ve written a book. You’ve written a book. And sometimes when they say we’re artists, like, not really, it’s not the same, but I don’t know. You wrote a really cool book. It’s called connor finds a it’s a I understand, it’s kind of a documentary, isn’t it?
Laura Streng
It is a true story. We left out some of the harsher details to make it a children’s book of his initial finding of the home, but it’s all true. It’s all written on him.
Tom Heath
Well, so let’s start at the beginning then. I know I don’t usually like to give away the ending of a book, but this one kind of speaks for itself. So we might be giving the book away. This is not a thriller, but tell us a little about how connor found a home and how that led to the book.
Laura Streng
So connor was we got him from the sanctuary project, which at the time was a fostering program, and he was one of our third or fourth fosters, and he had had kind of a very tragic story. And we got him when he was four months old. And then once he had to go through numerous surgeries and I always just felt like he’s going to feel like he’s so abandoned because he’s in the hospital for weeks on end. So I would go and sit at the hospital and lay next to him and just wanted to see him and be next to him, knowing that I didn’t want him to think he was alone. So that kind of led us to basically make it a foster fail. So Connor found his home because I just couldn’t let him go. And Trevor knew how much I loved we just we made him a home in our home.
Tom Heath
Wasn’t there some other homes that he was a part of?
Laura Streng
He had a few other foster families before he came to us. And for some reason he wasn’t able to be adopted at that time because he didn’t have his surgeries done. So we had to wait for his surgeries to be done. So, yeah, for some reason we just got lucky enough to get him one time and fell in love with him and that was it.
Tom Heath
So he goes from being concerned he’s going to be left alone to I think I’m home, I’ve got my people.
Tom Heath
It’s a story, and we hear that story often, thankfully, that dogs get adopted, but somehow this turned into a so what, what kind of led you to do the book?
Laura Streng
So the book was actually initially started as more of a passion project for Trevor. Trevor really loves doing this sort of thing, and I got into it because he was like, I just like the way that you write. And I like this. And I was, okay, like, let’s figure this out. So we did, and then we got Emily involved, who is our illustrator, and she is fantastic. That is one thing that I cannot do, is I cannot draw. But Emily has a gift.
Tom Heath
Let’s talk a little bit about Emily because she does have a gift. She’s a very special individual, and she loves Connor as well. And she’s your neighbor.
Laura Streng
No. So her dad and I have worked together for ten years.
Tom Heath
Okay.
Laura Streng
Yes.
Tom Heath
Okay. I’ve been telling people she’s your neighbor. So if you bought a book and I told you he was your neighbor, then sorry about that. But there was a relationship. And she loves Connor.
Laura Streng
Yes, she loves all dogs. She loves all animals. Actually, her birthday is today. She’s turning 22 today. And she’s autistic, and she is amazing at art and she loves animals. So she works at the keno school some days and she helps in their farm and all that kind of thing. And she’s incredible.
Tom Heath
And she started drawing pictures, I guess, of Connor, and that’s kind of where sort of this idea to marry the story with her illustrations came from.
Laura Streng
Yeah. So anytime I was sick or one of the dogs were sick, I would talk to her dad at work and he would be like, oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. And then the next day, I’d have this cute little card drawn from Emily, and it was pictures of the dogs. And I was like, god, these pictures are so heartwarming, and just kind like, you look at the pictures, and they’re kind I don’t know if you can describe it that way, but they are.
Tom Heath
There’s definitely a positive energy of every character that she draws. There’s definitely this sense of happiness that comes from them. They’re smiling and big eyes and usually a tongue hanging out. And for the dogs.
Laura Streng
Yes. Yes.
Tom Heath
So then you decided, so Trevor, your husband, he’s like, hey, I got this great idea. I’m going to write a book. I just need to help a little bit. And then all of a sudden, you’re like, you know what? I’m taking over. I’m doing this. You’re out. Was this like a hostile takeover? It was like, what’s going on? You took my book.
Laura Streng
No, he actually was all for it. He did everything else, though, I can say that, literally wrote the story. However, he put it all together and put it on Amazon and did everything that he needed to do in that regard.
Tom Heath
Your producer, your publisher, he’s the guy that makes it all happen. Yeah, which is good because you need the talent to write, you need the talent to draw, and you need the talent to get it up and out to the world.
Laura Streng
It was a collaborative effort.
Tom Heath
Okay. And how long did it take you to write the story? Did it just pour out of you, or did you keep going back and rewriting?
Laura Streng
It initially just poured out of me because I know it so well. It’s our know there was no writer’s block, as most people would have, but this is a true story, so it just came very naturally because it was our life.
Tom Heath
And then how did Emily illustrate? She because the book is so well laid out with a chunk of the story and a perfect illustration. So did that all happen naturally?
Laura Streng
So basically what we did was we printed out the words and then printed out what we wanted on each page, and then we would give them to Emily and say, this is what we want, and some sort of direction as far as, like, we want Connor with a bowl, or we want this. And she just took it and ran with it. And she was amazing.
Tom Heath
There’s many illustrations, and my favorite is that moment when Connor comes home and there’s balloons and a welcome home sign, and he’s like, what is all this partying for? What’s the celebration for? And I still get, like, goosebumps thinking about that moment because it’s so well drawn, it’s so beautiful. The words are perfect. So that page, I mean, I’m a grown man, like, getting goosebumps over a little children’s book, so it might be made for more than just children.
Laura Streng
Well, that’s nice. I hope it is. I feel like the story is made for more than just children.
Tom Heath
And so you’ve kind of taken this. Now, your primary profession is not as an author, as I understand it.
Laura Streng
Correct.
Tom Heath
So the proceeds you’re getting from this. I know you’re donating a lot of them back to local charities, but you’re also taking this opportunity then to spread the story about fostering and adopting, and you’re doing it in a sneaky way because you’re like, reading this story to people, like, oh, it’s story time. But then you’re subtly putting in a message in there that’s kind of sneaky.
Laura Streng
Yeah. Now that school is out, we haven’t been doing it, but once school gets back in, in a few weeks, we’ve been going to some schools and reading to the kids, and I think that there’s no better way than to start early so they know the benefits of this and being able to serve your community.
Tom Heath
And then they go home and they’re like, hey, mom. Hey, dad, guess what? And you’re like, I don’t know where they got that from. Story time. And I love the marketing and this may have been Trevor’s, but I love the marketing that you have a storybook that’s been fully colored by Emily with her vision, but then you’ve also created a coloring book that allows people to be more interactive and create their own color vision for how the story turns out.
Laura Streng
Yeah, we thought that it would be nice because some kids maybe are getting this book and they can’t read, so why not let them illustrate it themselves? As far as the colors that they want the dog to be? Maybe their dog is black. Maybe they want their dog to be know, who knows? But then they can kind of customize it for themselves.
Tom Heath
And let’s talk about Connor. Has this all gone to his mean? He came in for the Meet the Artist night. He’s wearing a tie. He’s a little standoffish. He’s like, you know, do you have treats? I’m not talking to you if you don’t have treats. I’m famous.
Laura Streng
Yeah, he’s kind of a big deal. I mean, in our house, he is a big deal.
Tom Heath
He’s a big dog, so he’s a big deal in any house.
Laura Streng
That’s true. We don’t have his best friend, which is our Nala. That’s his tried and true best friend with us. Otherwise he would be right next to her.
Tom Heath
And Nala is the size of, like, three peanuts.
Laura Streng
No, that’s karma.
Tom Heath
Karma. Oh, okay.
Laura Streng
Nala is the pit bull mix. So she’s like a medium sized gotcha. Yeah.
Tom Heath
And you have three dogs total for the moment, because that’s what I had this morning. But with you and Trevor, I never know this afternoon.
Laura Streng
Let’s hope we stay at three for a little while. They get expensive.
Tom Heath
I understand that. And then can you talk just a little bit about the message of the book? And obviously it’s a pretty clear story about fostering and adopting, but the services that are out there that you support, that are doing things the right way, that need help from others, I feel.
Laura Streng
Like there are so many as far as that need help, I feel like they all do at this point. I mean, you can even look at Pack and they need help. There’s always a need. You got to spay and neuter your pets. That’s just the end of it. We have over 400 right now, I think, at Pack, but on Facebook, 400.
Tom Heath
Animals or 400 dogs. Oh, my gosh, yes.
Laura Streng
So I think that just from the smallest thing or even we were involved with a foster.
Tom Heath
Like a group of people that get together.
Laura Streng
It was a collective. It was a nonprofit. It was a nonprofit. It’s like a cult. Yeah, we all love dogs and we just do everything we can.
Tom Heath
Some leader blindly just crazy. Now I have three.
Laura Streng
But there is plenty of fostering opportunities. Even if you cannot keep a dog, you can always foster with the pandemic. There was a ton of people that were bringing in dogs.
Tom Heath
As far as fostering, have you fostered successfully? Other dogs?
Laura Streng
We have.
Tom Heath
And what’s that process like that. How long do you have them?
Laura Streng
It depends. So it depends on first the dog’s needs. If it’s a dog that needs surgery, then obviously you’re going to have them a little bit longer. If it is a dog that is literally just waiting for its perfect match, then it could be a couple weeks, it could be a month. You never know. We had one before Connor and it was a black lab. His name was Harley. And when we gave him back, everybody’s like, oh, God, how do you do you how do you give them back? And I’m like, well, it’s not giving them back. It’s giving them to a family that you know is going to love and always keep them and safe and just adore them. So yes, it is hard. And yes, we cried. Trevor and I both cried our eyes out when we gave Harley back, but we knew he was going to a family that would be there for him forever. So in that regard, when you’re fostering, you know that that family has been checked out and you know that they’re going to love that dog forever. So that makes it a lot easier.
Tom Heath
Do you ever get a chance to see Harley or do you ever stalk him at the dog park?
Laura Streng
No, I wish I did, though. I’ve tried to find him on Facebook.
Tom Heath
So you’re not connected with the family then?
Laura Streng
No.
Tom Heath
You’re working through an agency. They say, hey, it’s time we’ve got a family for Harley. You cry for a while, give some hugs and kisses and treats, and then Harley goes and you don’t know ultimately.
Laura Streng
Where Harley ends up. Right. But you do know that they have gone through an application process. It’s not just like, here, have the dog. So I know that they’re going to a great family, but I may or may not know the if because I.
Tom Heath
Know for the human side of things, there’s services where you can put your name out there and say, hey, I’m adopted. And people can say, well, I put up a child for adoption. And sometimes they meet through this service. I wonder if there’s anything for the foster, the dog fostering world. Or you can put out there and say, hey, foster these dogs.
Laura Streng
That’d be great because I’d love to.
Tom Heath
See that there, you can so now Connor finds a home, we’re going to write another book about how Connor reunites with Harley. That’s going to be the sequel.
Laura Streng
Gosh, we’ve got plenty of sequels, I’m sure, in Trevor’s brain.
Tom Heath
Yeah, I don’t doubt that. And the love that you have and the care that you take for the pups, and it’s phenomenal. And we love selling the book in the gallery because it is a true story. It’s a Tucson story. It’s a story that a lot of people are familiar with, but the art really brings it home. The words, the illustrations, of course, but just that the way it’s put together. It’s called Connor finds a home. I know you had a website or do you have a website?
Laura Streng
Yeah, it’s Connorfinesahome.com.
Tom Heath
Okay. And then I know their social media, they can follow you on Instagram, on.
Laura Streng
Facebook, and Connor finds a Home.
Tom Heath
That’s pretty hard to track down.
Laura Streng
You’re right.
Tom Heath
And where else are there other places selling the book? Like, can they get them at any does Pack have any no, not yet. They can buy them on Amazon exclusive at the gallery.
Laura Streng
Yes, yes.
Tom Heath
Connor finds a home. And we’re lucky enough to have Connor visiting us tonight as part of the meet the artist event. So we get to meet the artist and the subject. He has not told us yet whether he’s signing autographs, but we’re hoping he’ll see to signing a couple.
Laura Streng
I’m sure he’ll be okay with that.
Tom Heath
And on the website there’s information about the book, but also the true pictures of Connor and all of that.
Laura Streng
It’s also on the back of the book, too.
Tom Heath
Okay.
Laura Streng
Because a lot of kids like that to see the actual pictures of the dog.
Tom Heath
And again, it’s not just kids. I talk to adults and they look this and I show them the back and I’m like, this is a true story. And I show them your photo and that’s Connor. And then they read your bio and then Emily’s bio, and they just fall in love with this, for it is a true passion project. And you’ve knocked it out of the park.
Laura Streng
Thank you. We really love it.
Tom Heath
Well, Laura is one of these fabulous artists that we get to talk to and interact with down here at the Tucson gallery. Just about every week we have an artist that will grace us with their time and they do a meet the artist event. They’re typically on Fridays from six to 08:00 p.m.. If you head over to our website, thetucsongallery.com, there is a calendar of events and a newsletter that comes out once a month that you can sign up to receive and get notifications of the artist. Events, VIP events, special nights, music. We recently did a pop up which was really well received and all that information will get sent to you via that newsletter. And I think probably the biggest thing though is knowing when these artists are going to be in the gallery live and you have a chance to interact with them. Laura, I really appreciate your time and appreciate your effort to put to the.
Laura Streng
Other Connor story well, thank you for having us.
Tom Heath
Thank you for listening to Meet the Artist this is a weekly production by the Tucson Gallery located inside of the proper shops at 300 East Conga Street in Tucson, Arizona. The mission of the Tucson Gallery is to support local artists by providing a space to show their art, a forum to engage with their audience, a virtual presence to connect with global patrons, an outlet to earn a fair price and an opportunity to hone their business skills. Head over to Thetucsongallery.com for more information about our live events. Listen to other Meet the Artist podcasts and check out the wide selection of art, gifts and other items created by Tucson’s modern, thought provoking and forward thinking artists.