I had pretty much forgotten about a painting I did celebrating 'The Wizard of Oz.' It hangs in the kids' playroom I thought mostly unnoticed. Now I find my young daughter suddenly interested in all things Oz. I got so excited that I read the book 'The Wizard of Oz' for the very first time. I loved the book and it is very difficult for me to say if the book is better than the movie. I think the movie may have the edge just because Oz lends itself so much to color. The ruby slippers (in the book they are silver), the Emerald City, the yellow brick road, are all so vibrant. And not only is the cast perfect, with Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley and the rest of the gang, but Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West has got to be one of the top villains in cinematic history. Luckily for my daughter, not only do they have the movie and book still available, but many good cartoon versions as well. I don't know whether the painting had any influence or not. I'm just glad she's made it to Oz.
