Ann Grifalconi

Ann Grifalconi (September 22, 1929 – February 19, 2020)[1] was an American author and illustrator of children's books.

Biography

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Born in New York, she studied art at the Cooper Union School of Art, where she received a certificate in advertising art in 1950. She worked for several years in advertising and display,[2] then taught art and design at the High School of Fashion Industries before leaving to become a full-time illustrator and author.[3]

Grifalconi is the author of several books for children, including The Village of Round and Square Houses (a runner-up for the 1987 Caldecott Medal for illustration, her work)[4] and Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me (illustrated by Jerry Pinkney). As an illustrator she has worked with authors including Elizabeth Bishop, Lucille Clifton, Walter Dean Myers, and Tillie S. Pine. She shared a Coretta Scott King Award with Clifton for Everrett Anderson's Goodbye; The Jazz Man, which she illustrated for Mary Hays Weik, was a 1967 Newbery Honor book and an ALA Notable book.

Though Grifalconi is better known as an author and illustrator, other work demonstrates feminist service within historically male-dominated institutions including publishing and finance. She was the president of publishing company Greyfalcon House, Inc, which published "Oreo" by Fran Ross in 1974.[5] Ross's only published work, "Oreo" remained obscure until discovery and republication in the 2000s and has since been described as "ahead of its time,"[6] "one of the masterpieces of 20th century American comic writing,"[7] and a "feminist odyssey."[8] Johnson, Mat (9 March 2011). Ann Grifalconi was a founder and board member of the New York Feminist Credit Union (1973-1980) which staff there described as "helping women establish credit, especially divorced, separated or widowed women who were not able to establish credit in their own names when married."[9] Grifalconi's re-illustration of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam fresco (featuring women instead of men) also adorned the cover of special issue of a 1975 Quaker journal entitled "Feminism and Spirituality."[10]

Grifalconi lived in New York City[4] and died on February 19, 2020, at The New Jewish Home in the same city.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Ann Grifalconi Papers". De Grummond Children's Literature Collection. University of Southern Mississippi. Processed October 19, 1995. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  2. ^ "Ann Grifalconi" Archived 2018-04-30 at the Wayback Machine. authorsguild.net. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  3. ^ "Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature: Ann Grifalconi". answers.com. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  4. ^ a b "Ann Grifalconi" Archived 2013-03-31 at the Wayback Machine. HarperCollins Publishers (harpercollins.com). Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  5. ^ Saul, Scott (2019-07-22). "The Great Deflector". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  6. ^ "Apple Pie with Oreo Crust", JSTOR, 2002
  7. ^ [1] J's Theater, May 2007. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  8. ^ 'Oreo': A Satire Of Racial Identity, Inside And Out, You Must Read This, NPR. Retrieved 2020-07-20
  9. ^ "Down in a Basement Bargain Loans by Feminists". New York Times. Written by Virginia Lee Warren. March 22, 1977. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  10. ^ "Feminism and Spirituality" Quaker Thought and Life Today Journal. Edited by James Lenhart. December 1, 1975. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  11. ^ Slotnik, Daniel E. (4 March 2020). "Ann Grifalconi, Whose Children's Books Bridged Cultures, Dies at 90". The New York Times.
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