A CHANCE encounter in a Barnard Castle pub led to a Teesdale artist illustrating an American author’s best-selling book.
Three years ago, Leonardo Casey, from Barnard Castle, was having a quiet drink in The Old Well Inn, when he sparked up a conversation with two American tourists.
Little did he realise this encounter would lead not only to a lasting friendship, but an adventure overseas and the job of illustrating Iowa-based writer and real estate entrepreneur Steve Ames’ latest book.
Mr Casey, who raised more than £1,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind selling prints of his painting depicting former Government advisor Dominic Cummings outside Specasavers, in Barnard Castle, said: “I got talking to these two US visitors. They were over for a birthday party and one of them told me that he was involved in real estate and we hit it off immediately.
“Steve and I swapped numbers and stayed in touch and became good friends. When Steve found out I was an illustrator he invited me to his home in Marshalltown, Iowa, to meet his friends and family.”
While in America he was tasked with creating 60 unique illustrations for Mr Ames’ memoir, Only Broken Seeds Grow, which was published this summer and is now an Amazon best-seller.
Mr Casey added: “I stayed there for six weeks, but it was quite difficult sometimes to get the illustrations done as Steve was keen to show me around where he lives during the day. So sometimes I worked through the night to get the work done.”
All the illustrations in the book, depict stories from Mr Ames’ life detailing the poverty he experienced and how what he learned as a child helped him created his $50 million real estate empire.
He added: “I have done a book cover before but it was the first time I’ve had to do so many illustrations for one book. But I wanted to do a good job for Steve as he’s a friend.
“All the faces of the figures are left blank, so people can make their own mind up about them. But one thing Steve was particular about was he wanted them to be historically accurate to be correct, so he gave me a map showing the layout of where shops and buildings were.
“I did most of the illustrations while I was in America, but when I came back, I did have a few to complete. Steve likes them so much that he’s going to frame them to put up at his home.”
Only Broken Seeds Grow by Steve Ames and illustrated by Leonardo Casey, is available for sale on Amazon.
