I am longing for one of these magical drawings from the mind of artist Mel Kadel. When I first saw her drawings they reminded me of the illustrations by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends, one of my favorite childhood books. Then I read that she grew up in Harrisburg, PA, where my siblings and I spent some of our most imaginative family vacations, which made me feel even more of a connection to her work. Grandma Helen and Grandpa Doc lived in a spooky but very cool penthouse apartment overlooking the Susquehanna River. I don’t remember watching television on our visits, but who needs one with Grandma Helen acting out poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends and Grandpa Doc’s medical offices to explore downstairs! This might sound strange but as 6,7, 9 and 10 year olds, it was heaven. There is something really sweet and a little bit dark about these pieces that reminds me of the fantasy world we created for ourselves in that apartment on Front Street. For Sale at Richard Heller Gallery.

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