Artist Mattie Rose Templeton of Bethel holds her 3-year-old son, Henry, on April 15. Growing up off-grid and “in the dark,” she is the illustrator of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s first children’s book, “If You Can See The Dark,” which teaches children the importance of dark skies for animals, plants and people. Rose Lincoln/Bethel Citizen

BETHEL — Bethel artist Mattie Rose Templeton grew up off-grid “in the dark” and rather ironically is the illustrator for the Appalachian Mountain Club’s first children’s book, “If You Can See The Dark.”

The book teaches children about the importance of dark skies for animals, plants and people.

It is written by Timothy Mudie and AMC’s Jenny Ward, who contacted Templeton to ask her to illustrate it.

Templeton had just three months, March through May 2023, to create the 11 illustrations. She said the book, in part, promotes AMC’s Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park at the edge of the North Maine Woods. It’s an expanse of more than 14,000 square kilometers of largely uninhabited forest land that stretches from Monson, Maine, to the Canadian border.

According to the AMC website, the region is one of the darkest places remaining on the East Coast and has been identified as an area of exceptionally high habitat connectivity and climate change resilience.

The book’s first run sold out. It is featured on the Storybook Walk at Bethel’s Valentine Farm and one copy is available at every Maine library.

“I grew up off-grid, in the dark, Templeton said. “I remember hearing peepers on the pond at night … I grew up sleeping in pitch black and when I would be somewhere where there was any sort of light, I couldn’t sleep … I can imagine for animals (the dark sky) is really important.”

A Palermo native, she said her passion is art. “It’s all I wanted to do when I was a kid … I would go into the woods and make things out of sticks.

“When it comes to being a creative person, it doesn’t matter the medium, you will create something,” she said.

Bethel artist Mattie Rose Templeton created this illustration for “If You Can See The Dark,” the Appalachian Mountain Club’s first children’s book. Submitted photo

Templeton said her parents nurtured her interest, buying her the best art supplies when she was a child. As she grew older, she tried other careers like nursing and furniture restoration.

“‘Don’t worry about failing in the art world, just do what you love,'” she said her parents told her when she called crying.

“It blows my mind how many people recognize my art and don’t even know me. It’s a beautiful thing,” she said. “I have more work today then I have ever had in my life.”

She studied Spanish and Native American art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for 10 years before moving back to Maine about 11 years ago to be near family. She held a pen and ink show at Bethel’s Mill Hill Inn owned by Woody and Lee Hughes. Every piece sold.

She said, it was then that she knew she could make art a career. “I just had this realization at that show. I can do this.”

Bethel artist Mattie Rose Templeton created this illustration for “If You Can See The Dark,” the Appalachian Mountain Club’s first children’s book. submitted photo

Templeton’s art is unique and known throughout western Maine. Animals and nature come together in mystical creations. Color jumps from pen and ink backdrops. Sometimes faces are found in unexpected places.

She uses an old-fashioned inkwell, nib pens, similar to fountain pens, and holders, and sometimes a brush. Her watercolors are professional grade by Winsor & Newton. Giclee reproductions are done by Steven Traficonte at 100 Acre Wood in Norway. He cuts her mats and has equipped her with all the tools she needs to make her own frames.

Later this year, Templeton will get to work on another AMC book about clean waterways and fish.

Templeton and her husband, Spenser Williams, live off-grid in Bethel with their children, Henry, 3, and Ruth, 1.

She said she recognizes in her son a passion to take things apart and put things together. Appreciative of her parents’ guidance, Templeton said, “whatever your child really loves, it’s important to kindle that the best way you can.”