Journey Fantastique: Verse in Many Voices

COMMUNITY NEWS Journey Fantastique

Verse in Many Voices

You’ve probably walked by the colorful one-of-a-kind wild and whimsical artistry of James Aschbacher adorning a wall by the Santa Cruz Farmers’ Market.

Now thanks to Scotts Valley admirer Trish Black Melehan, who paired her original poems with his original paintings in a book, “Journey Fantastique,” to enjoy at home.

Melehan, a mother of three and a middle school teacher for many years, has directed plays through the Youth Shakespeare Program of Scotts Valley Performing Arts. As an arts commissioner for the City of Scotts Valley, she annually coordinated a poetry contest for the local community. She’s a grandmother of six and a leader in the project to open the Scotts Valley Performing Arts Center next to the library.

She was so taken by Aschbacher’s paintings that she began collecting them. She asked him about putting the paintings together into a book, and created a multimedia show with music for vignettes based on the paintings, but Aschbacher died in 2018 at age 66 before the book was complete.

Now the poems are written, and the large-format book is available in time for Christmas.

Look for “Ode to a Frog” kicking up his heels, “Newborn,” a new mother and her infant in repose, and “River Walk,” lessons learned in nature.

In the foreward to the book, Aschbacher’s wife, Lisa Jensen, writes, “James would be delighted that his work continues to inspire a creative spark in others.”

“Journey Fantastique: Verse in Many Voices” is available at Bookshop Santa Cruz and Zinnia’s Boutique in Scotts Valley. n

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