| Title | Solanum Melangena |
| Subtitle | A Botanical Study |
| Artist / Creator | Katie Delay |
| Press Name | Black Cat Graphics |
| Place of Publication | Ottawa Hills, OH |
| Publication Date | 2012 |
| Image Process | Prismacolor pencils |
| Structure / Binding | Hard case bound in book cloth |
| Medium / Materials | Illustrations rendered in Prismacolor pencil; text laser printed on 90# white sulfite drawing paper. |
| Paper Stock | Black Stonehenge |
| Number of Pages | 10 pages as five two-page spreads |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 9 x 10.5 inches |
| Edition Size | Unique |
| Signed & Numbered | Yes |
Intrigued by this opportunity, I grew an eggplant in my garden this summer, drawing it 2-3 times each week. At my local farmers’ market I found more eggplants of every conceivable color, shape, and size. I studied the botany of the flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit. I included this in the illustrations along with a traditional botanical illustration, which includes a pop-up. To complete the experience I added a recipe for eggplant parmesan, seeds, and directions for growing.
Artist Bio
Katie Delay is a visual artist, author, educator who lives, works and plays in Northwest Ohio. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from Emmanuel College (Boston) and a Master’s Degree in Art Education from the University of Toledo (Ohio). She has exhibited nationally, and her work can be found in the collections of Information Systems of America, Roosevelt University, Calphalon Cookware, the municipal collections of Holden, Massachusetts and Toledo, Ohio, as well as the Omagh Museum, Northern Ireland, and numerous private collections. Katie created her first hand-made books as a pre-schooler, making teeny little books for her dollhouse. There was no turning back. Eventually, she took classes to learn skills like bookbinding and letterpress printing. She is now a self-professed book junkie, making all kinds of books and teaching bookmaking workshops. Her day job is teaching visual art and design at a career-technical high school. In 2010 she was honored by the Ohio Art Education Association with a regional award as Outstanding Art Teacher.