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Judy Benson and Roxanne Steed are co-authors of Earth and Sky: Nature Meditations in Word and Watercolor. A collaboration between friends, Earth and Sky is a beautiful collection of Benson’s short nature essays paired with Steed’s watercolors. According to the authors, “The book is intended to inspire reflection, be a focus for meditation, and encourage the reader's own creative expression." Benson and Steed will share their process, inspiration, and excerpts from their book.

AUTHOR BIO: Judy Benson spends as much time as possible outdoors, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, gardening, kayaking, taking photos, meditating and wandering. Since 2017 she has been the communications coordinator at Connecticut Sea Grant and editor of its award-winning biannual magazine Wrack Lines. Before that she worked as a reporter and editor at several Connecticut newspapers, concluding her daily journalism career as the health and environment reporter at The Day of New London. She earned both her bachelor’s degree in journalism and a Master of Science in natural resources from the University of Connecticut. In addition to writing articles for Wrack Lines, her creative non-fiction essays and opinion pieces have been published in Appalachia, Connecticut Woodlands, Connecticut Hearst newspapers, The Connecticut Mirror and The Day. A resident of New London, she appreciates living in southeastern Connecticut for its many public parks, hiking trails and shoreline.

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR BIO:

Roxanne Steed is a painter of well-loved places, a traveler, gardener, nature lover and teacher. She began painting in her younger years, trying out watercolors, pastels, oil and acrylics and savoring them all. Throughout her years as a Navy wife, she found opportunities for great training in each of the many places she and her family lived. Formal study at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT; The Art League School in Alexandria, VA; and Watts Atelier in Encinitas, CA, gave her a classical foundation. Roxanne focused on oil painting for 20 years before being drawn back to the natural beauty of watercolors in 2013. She teaches in that medium and her biggest thrill is watching her students discover and grow their love of painting. While her home, studio and main teaching venue is in southeastern Connecticut, she also leads artist workshops in the U.S. and abroad.