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THE ARTIST, Ladoga, Indiana is a memoir by Kelly O’Dell Stanley, where the brushstrokes of her father, Hoosier watercolorist Rob O’Dell, echo long after his passing in 2017. As Kelly moves into his restored turn-of-the-century building in a small Indiana town, she finds herself wandering the same roads he once traversed, enveloped by the vibrant landscapes he painted and the emotional landscapes of her own heart.

In her quest to understand her father’s legacy, Kelly dives deep into his art—discovering that its true beauty lies not just in technique, but in the profound connections it fosters. Rob found magic in the broken and the overlooked, reminding us all of the power of being seen and celebrated.

Through vignettes of Rob’s life, interwoven with heartfelt stories from those he touched, Kelly embarks on a journey of grief and self-discovery, navigating the delicate dance between loss and reinvention.

This memoir is a love letter to creativity and an exploration of what it means to redefine oneself in the wake of change. Framed by the legacy of a remarkable artist, The Artist, Ladoga, Indiana invites readers to embrace their own extraordinary, ordinary lives, reminding us that art can be a bridge connecting hearts across time and space.

Find purchase links at the bottom of the page (others coming soon!). Available now as paperback or ebook on Amazon (click here).*

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