ILLUSTRATION
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HILARY KNIGHT b. 1926 Hilary Knight, son of artist-writers Clayton Knight and Katharine Sturges, was born in Hempstead, Long Island and grew up in the town of Roslyn. When he was six the family moved to Manhattan where he has lived ever since. In the past twenty years he has maintained an apartment in the center of New York City which doubles as his studio and houses his collection of books, programs, and recordings of theatre and film music. His first published work appeared in Mademoiselle Magazine in 1952, followed by drawings in House and Garden, Good Housekeeping, and Gourmet magazines. Mr. Knight has illustrated over fifty books, nine of which he also wrote. Besides books, his work has included note and greeting cards, children’s fashion advertisings, illustrations for Cricket magazine, record album covers and posters for the Broadway musicals Half A Sixpence, Hallelujah Baby!, No, No Nanette, Irene, and Gypsy. Biography from HilaryKnight.com
Hilary Knight “Eloise at the Plaza” Watercolor and Pastel on Illustration Board Signed in LR 17 x 13.25” Unframed 28.5 x 25” Framed
THEODOR GEISEL (DR. SEUSS) 1904 - 1991
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1925, he went to Oxford University, intending to acquire a doctorate in literature. At Oxford, Geisel met Helen Palmer, whom he wed in 1927. Upon his return to America later that year, Geisel published cartoons and humorous articles for Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time. His cartoons also appeared in major magazines such as Life, Vanity Fair, and Liberty. Geisel gained national exposure when he won an advertising contract for an insecticide called Flit. He coined the phrase, “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” which became a popular expression. Geisel developed the idea for his first children’s book in 1936 while on a vacation cruise. The rhythm of the ship’s engine drove the cadence to And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. During World War II, Geisel joined the Army and was sent to Hollywood where he wrote documentaries for the military. During this time, he also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which won him an Oscar. Biography from NEA.org (National Education Association)
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) “Bird Concept for Book” C. 1950s Pen, Ink, and Watercolor on Paper 8 x 6” Oval Unframed
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) “Owl Concept for Book” C.1950s to Early 1960s Pen, Ink, and Watercolor on Paper 8 x 5” Unframed
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) “Original Concept for Lady Godiva Series” C.1938 Pen, Ink, and Watercolor on Artist Board 12.5 x 16.5” Unframed
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) “Suessical Creature with Long Neck” C. 1950s to Early 1960s Pen, Ink, and Watercolor on Paper 7 x 7” Unframed
CHARLES ADDAMS 1912 - 1988 Born in Westfield, New Jersey in 1912, Charles Samuel Addams’ prodigal artistic talent led him to become one of America’s best cartoonists. In 1933, at just 21 years of age, The New Yorker first published his work. Addams went on to become one of that magazine’s marquee contributors until his death in 1988. His body of work spans almost 60 years of output and is estimated to contain several thousand works. Over 15 books of his drawings have been published so far, appearing in many languages across the globe. Addams works appear in a number of prestigious permanent collections including The New York Public Library, The Museum of the City of New York, and The Library of Congress. Charles Addams is most widely known for the creation of The Addams Family, characters that formed the basis of the TV show which first appeared in 1964. Now famous, Morticia, Fester, Gomez, Wednesday, Pugsley, Grandmama, Lurch, and Thing existed as various forms and aspects in Addams’ cartoons prior to the sitcom. It was in working with the idea of a television production that Addams coalesced a motley group of unnamed characters into the specific personages he then collectively called The Addams Family. The Addams characters appear in only about 50 Addams orginal works. The majority of his works are occupied by hundreds of other characters, from Aviators to Zoo Keepers. Addams themes deal as much with modern life as with ancient times and his topics span art, travel, relationships, the workplace, animals, and children, to name a few. Biography from CharlesAddams.com
Charles Addams “Gomez Addams” C. Early 1970s Mixed Media on Paper 10.75 x 13.5”
Charles Addams Concept Illustration Mixed Media on Board 14 x 11.5� Unframed
Charles Addams “Morticia and Gomez Addams” Pen and Ink on Paper 9 x 6” Unframed
MAURICE SENDAK 1928 - 2012
Best known for his children’s books, Where the Wild Things Are and In The Night Kitchen, Maurice Sendak has spent the past fifty years bringing to life a world of fantasy and imagination. His unique vision is loved around the globe by both young and old. Beyond his award-winning work as a writer and illustrator of children’s books, Sendak has produced both operas and ballets for television and the stage. By the early 1960s, Sendak had already gained a following as one of the more expressive and interesting illustrators in the business. In 1963, his book, Where the Wild Thing Are, brought him international acclaim and a place among the world’s great illustrators. For this project, Sendak worked as both the illustrator and the writer. It is the story of a young boy named Max, who is sent to his room only to find his imagination has created a new world there, populated by wild geographies and monsters of all kinds.
Biography from PBS.org
Maurice Sendak “Max and Emil” C. 1970s Pen and Ink on Paper Signed by the Artist 8 x 10” Unframed
Maurice Sendak “Pierre” C. 1970s Ink on Paper Signed by the Artist 8.5 x 11” Unframed
Maurice Sendak “Max, King of Where the Wild Things Are“ C. 1970s Pen and Ink on Paper Signed by the Artist 9.25 x 6” Unframed
CHARLES SCHULZ 1922 - 2000
The poetry of Schulz’s life began two days after he was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 26, 1922, when an uncle nicknamed him “Sparky” after the horse Spark Plug from the Barney Google comic strip. Throughout his youth, father and son shared a Sunday morning ritual reading the funnies; Sparky was fascinated with strips like Skippy, Mickey Mouse, and Popeye. In his deepest desires, he always knew he wanted to be a cartoonist, and seeing the 1937 publication of his drawing of Spike, the family dog, in the nationally-syndicated Ripley’s Believe it or Not newspaper feature was a proud moment in the young teen’s life. He took his artistic studies to a new level when, as a senior in high school and with the encouragement of his mother, he completed a correspondence cartoon course with the Federal School of Applied Cartooning (now Art Instruction Schools). After returning from the war in the fall of 1945, Schulz settled with his father in an apartment over Carl’s barbershop in St. Paul, determined to realize his passion of becoming a professional cartoonist. He found employment at his alma mater, Art Instruction, sold intermittent one-panel cartoons to The Saturday Evening Post, and enjoyed a three-year run of his weekly panel comic, Li’l Folks, in the local St. Paul Pioneer Press. These early published cartoons focused on concise drawings of precocious children with large heads who interacted with words and actions well beyond their years. Schulz was honing his skills for the national market. The first Peanuts strip appeared on October 2, 1950, in seven newspapers nationwide. Although being a professional cartoonist was Schulz’s life-long dream, at 27-years old, he never could have foreseen the longevity and global impact of his seemingly-simple four-panel creation. Biography from SchulzMuseum.org
Charles Schulz “Charlie Brown and Sally” Ink on Paper Signed by the Artist 8.25 x 11.25” Unframed
BOB KANE 1915 - 1998
An American comic book artist and writer who created the original Batman. The DC comic that launched the dark superhero was published in May of 1939. Bob Kane’s original concept for the disturbed vigilante was modified through the years, most notably by the campy TV show starring Adam West. The ghost writer for the comic strip that was syndicated in newspapers was Joseph Giella. Giella was the creator of Mary Worth and worked on King Features daily, such as Flash Gordon.
Bob Kane “Batman and Robin” C. 1992 Pen and Ink on Paper Signed by the Artist 3 x 5” Unframed
Bob Kane “Batman” C. Early 1990s Marker on Paper Signed by the Artist 10.5 x 14” Unframed
Preston Blair Walt Disney Studios “Conceptual Painting for ‘Fantasia’” C. 1940 Mixed Media on Animator’s Paper
GRIS GRIMLY b. 1961
Gris Grimly’s extraordinary vision has been haunting the imagination of fine art and illustration collectors since he first arrived on the art scene in the early 90’s. Primarily known for his dark drawings for young readers, Grimly’s distinctive style of intricate lines and startling layouts combine an exceptional use of carefully controlled water-color and ink washes. In 2012, his work was selected to appear in Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, the leading arts journal showcasing the best and brightest fantasy and science fiction artists around the world. Grimly was in good company at a very young age, sharing the pages of this prestigious publication with the likes of James Gurney (Dinotopia), Peter de’Seve (noted for his covers for The New Yorker) and Caldecott winners Leo and Diane Dillon. Grimly currently works as a children’s book illustrator who moonlights as a painter. Some of his best-known illustration works include Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein, Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Madness and Neil Gaiman’s bestselling picture book, The Dangerous Alphabet.
Gris Grimly “Illustration for Gris Grimly’s Wicked Nursery Rhymes” Watercolor and Ink on Paper 11 x 9” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Gruss Vom Krampus” Watercolor and Ink on Paper Signed by the Artist 13.5 x 8” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Hansel and Gretel Illustration for Gris Grimly’s Tales From the Brothers Grimm” Watercolor on Paper Signed by the Artist 6 x 10” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Artwork for Creature Feature Album” Watercolor and Ink on Paper 11.5 x 18.5” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Jack and Jill” Ink on Paper 9 x 12” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Moundshroud Illustration for Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree” Watercolor on Paper 12 x 8” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Pipkin’s House Illustration for Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree” Watercolor on Paper 12 x 8” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Lazybones Jones Illustration for Grimericks” Watercolor and Ink on Paper 11 x 9” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Peculiar Purple Pieman” Watercolor and Ink on Paper 9.25 x 4.5” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Lana Del Rey” Watercolor and Ink on Paper 13 x 7” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Victoria Vengeance” Ink on Paper 9 x 14” Unframed
Gris Grimly “Yabba Dabba Doo” Watercolor and Ink on Paper 8.5 x 5” Unframed
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