Ann JonesAnn Jones taught elementary school for many years, but her love for art found full expression ever since she moved to Orcas Island, Washington, in 1992. She lives there with her husband, three cats, and thousands of honey bees. Her studio is very nea to the ocean. She likes to work with soft, colorful pastels, using her hands and fingers to apply the paint--a very tactile experience. She was just getting ready to start painting Granny for this book when she heard the distinctive sound of orcas exhaling. She ran to the shore and there was part of the clan, only about 20 feet away. What an auspicious start! Because individual orcas are identified by their fins, color patches and other markings, Ann made a point of painting the individual IDs so readers can identify the main characters in the story visually. www.annjonesstudio.com. Read More Read Less