Long before I had kids I was collecting the award-wining, colorfully illustrated, and whimsically written books of Maira Kalman.
If you know Maira you love her work. If you don’t know Maira, chances are you may actually know her work without realizing it. Her drawings appear on covers of the New Yorker,
are often seen in the New York Times,
and she authored the yearlong NY Times blog “And the Pursuit of Happiness” which explored the meaning of American democracy.
If you still aren’t intrigued (how could you NOT be?), Maira also illustrated the unlikely classic “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk and E.B. White, and the list of her work goes on and on.
An exhibit of Maira Kalman’s work just opened at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. “Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)” shows a broad range of Kalman’s artwork and more. If you are anywhere near San Francisco this summer or fall, stop by and soak up as much Maira Kalman as you can. Your life will be better for it, I promise.
LOOOOOOVE Maira. I too collected her books long before having kiddos.
What a thoroughly inspiring exhibit! It’s like stepping into a world of all things Maira; a personal tour of not just her books and other art work, but also photos and items from her everyday life. One can quickly see and feel their influence on her life and books. Clearly, she’s been living her artistry for so many years.
I highly recommend it.