NORWICH – Norwich artist Deborah Whitman is pleased to announce the publication of her coloring book “The Painted Ladies of Norwich New York” which features her illustrations of 18 Victorian-era houses on North and South Broad Street in downtown Norwich. Combining her skills of fine art and computer drafting, Whitman photographed a variety of houses on Broad Street and illustrated them to create the coloring book.

During the year that she and Carolyn Neidlinger (famed watercolorist from Made In Chenango) painted the murals at the Eaton Center she was directed to reference a book called “Daughters of Painted Ladies.” While purchasing that book she came upon a coloring book that featured historic houses from New York State and her dream was put into motion.

Throughout this past year Whitman could be seen walking Broad Street, camera in hand. She says, “As I began drawing the houses, which at a glance were beautiful in their own right, I realized that there were fine details that I only noticed as I would attempt to draw various places on the houses. I would have to go back to the house and get more closeup pictures to see what was going on at that peak of the gable, or along the bottom edge. I would be in more awe of their beauty each time I would see another finely crafted part. I hope that my drawings show the respect I have for not only the original builders but also for the people who currently live in them and keep their beauty in tact.”

The public is invited to meet Whitman at Made In Chenango, 20 S. Broad Street on Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. and also at First Edition Bookstore, 13 S. Broad Street on Saturday, Dec. 18 from noon to 2 p.m.  Her coloring books will be for sale at Made In Chenango and First Edition after Dec. 11.

This project was made in part with public funds by the New York State Council on the Arts.  In Chenango County, the Decentralization Program is administered by the Chenango County Council of the Arts.