An Interview with Paula Kerman

Paula Kerman grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, but has made Des Moines, Iowa, her home since attending college at Drake University, where she completed a bachelor of fine arts degree. She also has a master’s in education and was an art educator for forty-three years in the Des Moines Public Schools, at the Des Moines Art Center, and at her in-home studio. She is passionate about her art practice and has exhibited and sold her work. After experiencing significant loss, she began researching and painting strong women who inspired her. Hooligans, Rebels, and Rabble-Rousers is her first book.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

My title was fun to work on. The Hooligan part was inspired by the first woman I painted, Emmeline Pankhurst, who fought for women’s right to vote in turn of the century England. She and her fellow suffragettes were considered troublemakers. She said, “I am what you call a hooligan.” I also loved the word “rabble-rousers,” so the title came pretty easily.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

It was exciting to finally see my book in print, after all the hard work that was put into it.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I started out as an artist creating these mixed media portraits of amazing women, because it was therapy after losing my mom, husband, and dad within a few months of each other, then a few years ago, losing my fiance to cancer. Because I had been doing art shows and selling my work, that all stopped when Covid hit. I was hooked on learning about these brave women and just kept painting more of them. I wanted to do some good with this body of work, so decided to write a book for kids that told the true stories of what they were like as kids themselves and how they became inspiring women.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I had a lot of different jobs when I was young: camp art director, nurse’s aide, alarm company responder, and gift wrapper. I have taught art, worked as a freelance photo stylist for Meredith Corporation, and started my own business painting personalized clothing. My readers probably don’t know that I love music and dancing, but my happy place is being outside in nature. Oh, and I have an adorable yet naughty puppy named Archie.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

“I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan; “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keyes; “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy; “Independent Women” by Destiny’s Child; ” Respect” by Aretha Franklin.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I want my readers to know they are not alone. No matter what is thrown at us, we all have the ability to rise above and make positive changes, and in doing so, we not only help ourselves, but all women (and men too!).

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.