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Generations of Imagination
Grandmother & Granddaughter, Local Teen Featured in Agency's May "Artists for Aging" Exhibit
From the May 2025 Issue of THE CAIRN STONE
For artist and writer Dana Allison, storytelling has always been part of how she engages with the world. But her latest project, a children’s book titled Snowflake the Little White Kitty Disappears, is especially meaningful. That’s because it’s a collaboration not just across mediums, but across generations.
The inspiration? A drawing made by her granddaughter Persephone when she was just five years old.
Now 25 and an accomplished costume and clothing designer working in New York City, Persephone Bennett has teamed up with her grandmother to illustrate the tale she once imagined as a child. Persephone’s early love of art has blossomed into a career — she’s a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and has created theatrical costumes and fashion for designers and markets across the country. “From the time she could hold a crayon, lines and colors have been her joy,” writes Allison in the book’s acknowledgments.
Dana Allison has worked in a wide range of artistic media for decades, including porcelain, fabric, and fiber. Her latest creative venture, however, answers the age-old question children love to ask: “Grammie, can you tell me a story?”
Together, Allison and Bennett oblige.
Dana Allison and granddaughter Persephone Bennett read their new children's book
at the Agency's May Art Walk event.
With Snowflake the Little White Kitty Disappears, Allison has written a sweet, imaginative story that began with a child’s sketch and grew into a collaborative project between grandmother and granddaughter. Allison created the story, while Bennett's drawings — done more than 20 years apart — bring the story of Snowflake to life in art.
Snowflake begins with some insight into the daily life of a master quilter who lets her cats join the dog outside on a winter’s day. One cat — Snowflake — does not return. The story continues as the household adjusts to the change, only to have Snowflake return. Relatable to anyone who has owned a pet, the illustrations bring the characters to life as the story unfolds, helping a new generation gain confidence with their reading skills.
The book also reflects Allison’s commitment to her community. Proceeds from the sale of the book benefit the Aroostook Agency on Aging, helping support programs and services for older adults in northern Maine. The project itself was born from an initiative with the Agency and made possible in part by the support of community donors and the guidance of Mark Putnam, Communications and Development Coordinator for the Agency.
Contributors include multiple generations of the Allison family, with Orpheus Allison, Dana’s son, serving as the book’s editor. Orpheus, a seasoned producer and educator, brings his own legacy of storytelling and language instruction to the project, having worked in both the U.S. and abroad on language acquisition programs.
Dana Allison and Persephone Bennett’s Snowflake the Little White Kitty Disappears is more than a charming children’s book — it’s the perfect reminder of the magic that happens when generations come together to create something lasting, one that is especially welcome during Older Americans Month. Copies are available at Neighborhood Books in Presque Isle.
Also featured in our May exhibit is Olivia Reid, a promising 16-year-old artist from Fort Fairfield who is currently a sophomore at Truth Learning Academy in New Brunswick. Just starting her career in art, Reid specializes in both oil and acrylic painting, with a particular fascination for sketching and painting faces.
Olivia turned to art as a creative outlet during the educational disruptions in 2020 and 2021.
Initially, her style featured predictable still life models and geometric shapes, but it quickly evolved into a focus on portraiture. As she continues to develop her artistic style, Olivia strives to create a striking balance between realistic portraiture and abstract elements.
Olivia Reid shows her work at the Agency in May
Reid is self-taught and draws inspiration from other artists through their social media channels and physical artwork. She states, "Art allows me to express emotions and stories that words sometimes can't capture. I love exploring the beauty of faces and the feelings they convey.
To learn more about the book or how to support the Aroostook Agency on Aging through its sale, as well as the Artists for Aging program, visit aroostookaging.org or call the Agency directly at (207) 764-3396.