Plumbing 
Violet Lemay
Cover for ‘Alithia Ramirez was an Artist’ by Violey Lemay.
Children’s books, simple as they seem, often deliver important messages in the subtlest ways. Author and artist Violet Lemay exemplifies this in her latest book.
“When an artist dies, her art lives on.”
It’s these few words, written on the final pages, that underscore the gravity of Lemay’s otherwise lighthearted composition.
“Alithia Ramirez was an Artist,” follows Robb Elementary student Alithia Ramirez’s passion for art. Ramirez was among 21 people, including 19 children, who were killed in the May 24, 2022, shooting in Uvalde. Lemay, in collaboration with Ramirez’s parents, spent the past year compiling personal stories and Alithia’s art to weave a plot of child-like passion for craft, artistic frustration, love and loss.
The book, published by Michael Sampson Books, makes its debut Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. at El Progreso Memorial Library in Uvalde. Lemay will be on site for a book reading and to sign copies of her book, which will be available for sale. Proceeds will be used to establish a scholarship fund for aspiring artists.
Alithia’s art will be on exhibit at the library throughout October.
Art contest
Jessica Hernandez, Alithia’s mother, founded Alithia’s Art Angels, a website that posts children’s art from all over, to ensure all young artists get the recognition they deserve. In time, Hernandez and Lemay started an art contest in Alithia’s name.
At 2 p.m. following the Oct. 12 book launch, Lemay and Hernandez will announce the winners of the second-annual Alithia’s Art Angels art contest. Submissions will be accepted until 1:30 p.m. that day, and they can be made in person or emailed to hello@alithiasartangels.com with the name and grade of the artist.
Violet
Lemay
The announcement of winners and the awards ceremony will be streamed online, Lemay said. Anyone present will be given their prizes in person, and anyone who isn’t will receive theirs by mail.
The contest is open to all children in grades K-12.
This year, Lemay and Hernandez have received about 20 submissions so far. Although they originally planned to focus this year’s contest on posters about ending gun violence, Hernandez and Lemay ultimately decided to open it up to all art forms. So far, they’ve received one “End Gun Violence” poster.
“Our other 19 entries include everything from sunsets and self portraits to Harry Potter characters painted on rocks!” Lemay wrote in an email.
Last year’s contest brought in 52 submissions from all over, Lemay said. Winners were Aliyah Arizmendi, Ariel Villareal, Brandon Maldonado, Sofia Cantu and Ana Vargas. They each received $100 gift certificates for art supplies.
Mendell Morgan, director of the library, the marketing at Michael Sampson Books and Maira Carrier of Maya’s Love have all been instrumental in organizing the contests, Lemay said.
How it all began
Shortly after the May 24 shooting, Lemay got to drawing. The faces of the lives lost at Robb Elementary decorated her social media page as part of a campaign to raise awareness.
As descriptions of Alithia as a young artist with aspirations of studying the craft in Paris circulated, the children’s book author gradually developed a deep connection to her, Lemay said.
Alithia Ramirez
She drew Alithia again, but in her true form — an artist at work, surrounded by crayons. The idea for a book blossomed there.
“It was while I was drawing Alithia as an artist that the inspiration for the book bopped into my head,” Lemay said. “And this was not just a glimmer of an inspiration, it was a fully formed idea. I could see the whole book in my imagination from beginning to end.”
Alithia’s father, Ryan Ramirez, engaged with Lemay’s posts of Alithia, and the two connected online. In a June 2022 Zoom call, Lemay, Ramirez and Hernandez all met for the first time to discuss the idea of putting together a children’s book in Alithia’s memory.
Ramirez and Hernandez shared stories of the young artist, as well as samples of her work that would later be incorporated into the story. In November came a draft book and a deal with publisher Michael Sampson Books.
After that June meeting, Lemay and Hernandez developed a friendship. When Hernandez came up with an idea to share kids’ art with the world, Lemay hopped on board.
Alithia’s art matters, and so does that of her classmates and all other children, Lemay said.
“Alithia was not able to realize her dreams,” Lemay said. “Now, Jess’s goal is to support young artists everywhere, to help them realize their dreams.”
In an email to Lemay, Hernandez wrote:
“Alithia was such a talented, kind and caring to others and was just so full of life. Alithia loved her life that she was having and she knew the more older she was getting the more opportunities she was going to have on things she loved doing.”
The duo hopes to keep expanding efforts to provide scholarships to students from all over.
difficult topics
May 24 isn’t mentioned in the plot of Lemay’s book, but it is referenced in an end note. This allows adults to decide how much about the shooting, if anything, they want to share, Lemay explained.
Alithia’s death isn’t explicitly stated, but is instead visualized by a tunnel of various colors carrying her artwork from dark to light on two wordless pages.
“The book celebrates Alithia as an artist who added color to the world and celebrates art itself,” Lemay said. “Art remains in the world even after the artist is no longer with us.”
Ahead of the release
Lemay is, admittedly, nervous ahead of the release. It will be her first time visiting Uvalde in person, and she’s not sure how the book will be received.
She hopes this will offer comfort to those affected by the shooting, adding that every student and victim should be celebrated and remembered. She also said she hopes the book will help Americans recognize the issue of gun violence in this country.
“Children are especially creative, and childhood is fleeting,” Lemay said. “If I could write a book that in any way helps adults appreciate and nurture their children’s creativity, that would be a dream come true.”
Sofi Zeman (szeman@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335) covers education and crime for the Uvalde Leader-News as a Report for America corps member.
