MCALLEN, Texas - An artist knows he or she has reached a career pinnacle when their painting graces the cover of a book. Judee Koester-Soendker, an artist living in Raymondville, Texas, has recently experienced this milestone in her life. Her painting, “It’s Still Me,” is being featured on the cover of the upcoming book of fictional stories, Strawberry Fields, written by Chuy Ramirez of San Juan, Texas.

“Finding out that my painting would be on the cover of Strawberry Fields was so exciting for me,” Koester-Soendker said. “Being recognized and having your work viewed and appreciated in this way is a major accomplishment for any artist.”

A self-taught artist, Koester- Soendker was born in Sabetha, Kansas, but has lived in South Texas most of her life. She says through her art she is able to unburden her pain or release her joy by using layers of color and bold strokes to build her expressive canvases.

RAYMONDVILLE ARTIST Judee Koester-Soendker pictured with Chuy Ramirez, author of Strawberry Fields. Koester-Soendker’s painting, “It’s Still Me,” is featured on the cover of Ramirez’s book. (The book cover is on the left.) In Strawberry Fields, the character Belinda ripped the hair out of her three dolls in a fit of anger and threw them in the trash. Later, her mother retrieved them. An excerpt from the book: “Belinda had not really paid attention to her dolls until after she made them bald and Grandma sewed some raggedy dresses for them.”

“I found the three dolls in an antique store laying in a box. They looked like three sisters just laying there with no hair,” said Koester- Soendker recalling the day she found the dolls depicted in the painting. “I have a doll collection, but it is not your typical doll collection with elegant, pretty dolls. I like the dolls that have been played with; the dolls that have a story to tell.”