She is inspired by her love of nature, animals, Shalimar (perfume & gardens) and coconut curry noodle laksa. It was formative summers camping and living off the land, swimming in Lake Michigan and foraging for wild edibles that made a lasting impression on Bladholm where she made friends with wild rabbits, chipmunks, deer and other animals that later inspired her artwork. “Sometimes look at the parachutes of fluttering milkweed seed pods or the eye of a fawn” she says, adding “wear woodland binoculars at all times”!
After the aforementioned decade overseas Bladholm moved to Miami Beach where she wrote and illustrated three books demystifying the contents of Asian, Indian and Latin and Caribbean grocery stores published by Renaissance Books as a Take-it-With-You (stick-it-in-your-pocket-or-purse-guide) praised by The New York Times and Los AngelesTimes.
By then the author was an international expert on the cuisines she cracks the culinary code on from pad Thai to pulled tea. Her meticulous and curious eye turned to the ordinary sights, sounds, colors and textures that seemed extraordinary. Bladholm has happily traveled the world absorbing various arts, cuisines and cultures along the magical road of artistically inclined adventure.
