Author & Illustrator
Pat Rochkind - Author
Author Pat Rochkind has had lots of fun caring for the eight horses and four cats who shared her life at different times over the last 20 years. McGooster & McGyman was inspired by her two Burmese cats, Schuster and Simon, affectionately known as ‘The Boys’.
Animals have always had a place in Pat’s life. There were quite a few dogs that “followed” her and her siblings home. Since the family lived in a semi-rural area, there were also rescued birds and rabbits. Horses entered her life when she and her husband began riding together, eventually competing in horse shows. But, until ‘The Boys’ entered the scene, there were never any cats.
When Pat’s husband handed her two little balls of dark brown fur with big green eyes, she had no idea how deeply these two kittens would burrow into her heart and how much she would learn from watching them play, jump and deal with the problems of growing up. As the kittens matured into cats, they became even more interesting companions – ‘helping’ prepare dinner, answering the door bell, seeking human help when one of them was trapped in a closet, becoming lap cats at reading time. It is from these wonderful years with ‘The Boys’ that the tales of McGooster & McGyman are drawn.
Pat is a graduate of the Sloan School at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as the University of Pittsburgh. While living in The Netherlands, she translated the works of the award winning children’s author, Annie M.G.Schmidt. Pat now resides with her husband in Morristown, New Jersey, together with two cats. This time it is ‘The Girls’ – The Princess and The Peanut.
Pat Wozniak - Illustrator
Pat Wozniak has illustrated over 15 books and numerous other publications and catalogs during her 30-year career. Her graphite images of animals and people convey a “touchable realism” in hair, fur and skin.
In 2002, she was inducted into the Society of Animal Artists. Pat’s work has received awards each year she has entered the Western States Horse Expo art show. She was invited to participate in the May, 2007, Peppertree Art Show in Santa Ynez, California and is one of 15 artists invited to participate in the September, 2007, Art of the Equine show at the Art Center at Fallbrook.
Clients have included the University of Hawaii Press, Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the American Horse Show Association. Pat’s work can also be found in private collections throughout the United States and Europe.
Pat was born in Boston, MA and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Massachusetts College of Art, Department of Illustration. She currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Pat is an avid horsewoman and dressage competitor. She is pictured here with her beloved equine partner, Soda.
Visit Pat's web site at patwozniak.com