I have to thank my dad for my artistic talents. He is a real artist. His creativity, whether it be through woodworking, on paper or canvas, or the endless re-structuring (not to be confused with mere remodeling) of his and my mother's home is a constant source of inspiration. He has always encouraged me to draw and to not be afraid to be bold in my artwork. I have fond memories of watching him paint an impressive rendition of Thomas Gainsborough's Blue Boy as a gift to his mother. I also owe great thanks to my partner in life, Maureen and her daughter Lida. Without their support, encouragement and care taking through the trials of a broken ankle, many of these drawings would never have been completed. I have always enjoyed drawing plants and animals, old broken down fences and buildings. Things that, while human-made, have almost completed their return to the natural world. While pen and ink are not my favorite medium—that's reserved for color pencils—I do enjoy the challenge and boldness of the lines. I've been drawing as far back as I can remember and have taken formal art classes off and on throughout my high school and college career. I think my best accomplishments are reserved for my mother's home. I appreciate her creativity and perpetual requests for artwork. I try to provide her with a drawing of something at least once a year, usually in full color. I've never sold any of my artwork, it's simply never occurred to me to do so. This songbook is the closest I've come to that. It is a true pleasure to be able to contribute to this collection of wonderful and soulful songs. Palmer's songs weave great imagery in my mind, some of which is reflected in the drawings in this book. I love the uniqueness of each song. So thank you Palmer for inviting me to share some of my talents with yours. I wish you much success and continued inspiration.

ROSANA COSTELLO