Monica Dougherty

Artist • Author • Art Therapist

About Monica

My Creative Journey

Drawing • Painting • Writing

About Monica

Monica Dougherty


monica doughertyMonica is an artist, art therapist, author and teacher. After a few years working in TV production she left the bright lights of New York City and returned home to Chicago to follow new dreams. Along the way there were countless jobs as a temp secretary to pay the bills as she pursued a freelance art career. After fulfilling her biggest dream – becoming a mother – she went on to become an art therapist, author and art teacher. In her role as an art therapist she has worked with pre-school, elementary and high school students.

She also works at a facility which provides services for adults with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities, offering creative opportunities for enhanced self-esteem, for the expression of feelings, for stimulating a sense of joy and supplying opportunities for success. She is a published author and creator of The Laughing Angels©, a whimsical and merry group of beings who inspired her first book, You’re A Miracle…Pass It On!

awardwinnerShe is also in the process of pitching her feature film script based on her historical novel, Rose’s Ring: Inheritors of Silence and Secrets, and you can read all about it by pressing Enter above. In May the script won Best Historical Drama at the Cambridge Script Festival!

When not working you can find her happily creating, listening to old radio programs, binging on favorite movies, and TV shows, spending time with her family and, with her band of Spirit Sisters,

Books Looking for a Home

New Children's Books

backward king 2The Backward King

Long ago, in the land of fairies and leprechauns, lived King Aidan.  But you’ve probably never heard his story as he was not brave and graceful, nor a merry old soul.  Instead of being tall and regal, Aidan was short and squat.  And often his words came out backwards!  No one in the kingdom seemed able to help.  His magician, Dermot, had tried every spell he could think of and nothing worked.

Serendipitously, there was someone who could help and it involved a trip into the woods on the Eve of the Blue Moon, a leprechaun and the dream of a magic cure.  However, it was not to be.  As is often the case, there was no magic fix.  But King Aidan found something far more valuable and long-lasting!

ariels adventureAriel’s Absolutely Awesome, Amazing –And A Little Bit Scary- Adventure

Ariel hadn’t always been an unhappy caterpillar.  In fact she was usually the happiest creature in her neighborhood in the forest.  She had lots of friends and was well-loved by all.  However, one day something happened that threw the whole group into a tizzy.  No one knew what was happening, least of all Ariel.  And even though Oliver Owl did explain things, it still sounded pretty fantastical and a bit much for everyone to take in.  And so began a new adventure for Ariel and her friends.  And like most adventures, it was puzzling and difficult and not at all comforting.  But it was absolutely awesome and amazing!

Real Heroes … Then and Now

Based on my book entitled You’re A Miracle…Pass It On! (and sponsored by the Laughing  Angels) the central message of Real Heroes…Then And Now is that kids are capable of doing great things and creating positive change.

The content will inspire and educate kids on how they can make a difference by connecting them with powerful information about real heroes and the world they live in, the people they share it with and how they can take action to create change.  Though we express ourselves in varied languages, appearances and cultures, we are all connected and are the same all over the world in our need for love, acceptance, growth and peace.

Real Heroes… will build social knowledge and awareness in kids ages eight through 12 to expand their horizons and open up new possibilities for growth. Packed with powerful information, it will enlighten, inspire and challenge kids to step up to the plate and make a difference in the world by featuring kids currently involved in wonderful projects to create a better world and by learning about people such as Jane Addams, Gandhi, Amber Coffman, Clint Hill, Anne Frank, Chief Seattle, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nkosi Johnson, Patch Adams and many more. 

They will learn about the healing power of laughter; how to celebrate and treasure the past, to take actions to help others, simple actions that can change the world; how to nurture their creativity; to take better care of the planet, to embrace and celebrate our differences and build bridges of connection and to nurture peace.  When you know something exists and how it works, you can make it real in your life and…pass it on!  In addition to the biographies, each chapter includes What You Learned in this Chapter, What you Can Do, a related Art Express project and Coming Attractions, a preview of what can be found in the next chapter.

Laughing Angels: A to Z

Laughing Angels A To Z:  There Is An Angel For Everyone!

Laughing Angels A To Z is a colorful and unique gift book introducing a whimsical group of merry beings, the Laughing Angels©, who are able to fly and skate across cultures and language barriers, speaking a global message of joy, peace, love and a Go Green message to boot!  The Laughing Angels wear striped stockings and polka-dotted wings in tribute to clowns and jesters.  Since earliest times clowns and jesters have been our truth-tellers.  In addition to pointing out our foibles, jesters and clowns have always known that the sound of people laughing is more contagious than any cold, sniffle or sneeze.

The format of the book pairs each alphabet letter with a particular Laughing Angel, highlights other Angel names beginning with the same letter and includes an appropriate quote.  I envision Laughing Angels A to Z as a small, colorfully illustrated book available anywhere and everywhere there are angel devotees who will want to add this book to their own collection of angel lore or to give as gifts to friends and family (the perfect gift for hard-do-buy-for Aunt Tilly) or put in a Christmas stocking, an Easter basket or a bring to a friend stuck in the hospital.  It is a book that has appeal for both children and adults.

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