They were pioneers in every aspect, and each chapter of Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham demonstrates that. Each chapter is sensitively and brilliantly written, and we are given a window into the moments of their lives and what they were striving towards. Along with the prose, each chapter contains pictures of their illustrations, illustrations that are absolutely stunning in their details and depth.

The Petershams were a unique couple, coming from diverse backgrounds. They endeavored throughout the years, to collaborate, not only in the art of illustration, but in the art of artistic beauty, beauty that kept children fascinated, and it also kept adults fascinated. Their biography is a testament to both.

Their marriage was strong, even through the lean and war-filled years. Their work ethic was strong, and their lives were filled with writing and illustrating under the north light of a window.

I read their stories growing up, and my childhood was filled with inhaling them. I wish I had been able to keep the books, but due to family moves and life in general, the books were either given away to others or to libraries.

Reading the glossy pages of this outstanding and stunning book, I was reminded of my childhood, of how reading played an important role in my life, and still does, decades later. Fond memories flashed before me with each line and illustration, and I found myself a bit breathless from the pure joy and beauty of the pages

Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham is an excellent resource regarding the development of book illustration, and it sheds light on graphic arts and its inception. It is a book of immense historical value, and one that I feel the reader will be inspired by.

Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham, by Lawrence Webster is an elegant and insightful tribute to the Petershams, and to their life’s work. I highly recommend it to everyone.

They were pioneers in every aspect, and each chapter of Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham demonstrates that. Each chapter is sensitively and brilliantly written, and we are given a window into the moments of their lives and what they were striving towards. Along with the prose, each chapter contains pictures of their illustrations, illustrations that are absolutely stunning in their details and depth.

The Petershams were a unique couple, coming from diverse backgrounds. They endeavored throughout the years, to collaborate, not only in the art of illustration, but in the art of artistic beauty, beauty that kept children fascinated, and it also kept adults fascinated. Their biography is a testament to both.

Their marriage was strong, even through the lean and war-filled years. Their work ethic was strong, and their lives were filled with an extreme commitment to writing and illustrating, taking place under the north light of a window.

I read the Petersham’s stories growing up, and my childhood was filled with inhaling them. I wish I had been able to keep the books through the decades, but due to childhood family moves and life in general, the books were either given away to others or to libraries.

Reading the glossy pages of this outstanding and stunning book, I was reminded of my childhood, of how reading played an important role in my life, and still does, decades later. Fond memories flashed before me with each line and illustration, and I found myself a bit breathless from the pure joy and beauty of the pages

Under the North Light is an excellent resource regarding the development of book illustration, and shed light on graphic arts and its inception. It is a book of immense historical value, and one that I feel the reader will be inspired by, in many aspects.

Under The North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham, by Lawrence Webster is an elegant and insightful tribute to the Petershams, and to their life’s work. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Towbin Museum Wing 

The exhibition features original works, illustrations, hand-crafted items, and photographs chronicling the lives and joint career of these two remarkable authors and illustrators. Under their Byrdcliffe studio’s north light this talented duo produced more than 100 books over the course of five decades working together.

A talk by Lawrence Webster, guest curator

and Mary Petersham Reinhard

Saturday October 6, 2:30 pm

$5 suggested donation

   

October Group Show 

10/6  – 11/4

Main Gallery

Alan Koff Award ($100): Angela Gaffney Smith
Honorable Mention: Mandara Calderon
Pia Oste Alexander, Pat Horner, Mary Anne Erickson
Artists:

Loel Barr, Miriam Bisceglia, Stephen Blumenthal, Mandara Calderon, Ben Caswell, Carey Conaway, Anna Contes Maguire, David Morris Cunningham, Shelley Davis, Penny Dell, Margarete de Soleil, Bonnie Carlson Diana, Janet Lee Dow, Mary Anne Erickson, Yale Epstein, Patti Ferrara, Craig Gartner, Angela Gaffney-Smith, Marjorie Grinnell, Laura Gurton, Christine Hales, Marianne R. Heigemeir, Pat Horner, Hatti Iles, Michael Joyce, Demetrios Karayannides, Mary Katz, Lenny Kislin, Anthony Krauss, Barbara Tepper Levy, Lois Linet, Patrick F. Loughran, Edith Marcik, David Marell, Susan McCarthy, Elin Menzies, Michelle Moran, Susan J. Neff, Pia Oste Alexander, Marilyn Rowley, Leah Rubenstein, Susan Sammis, Sandra Scheuer, Istar Schwager, Rita Sherry, Sandra Palmer Shaw, Roberta Sickler, Carol Struve, David Troy, Peter Wallack 

This illustration is by the Czech artist Rudolf Mates and it comes from a book my mother had as a child called The Cock and the Hen.

Here are Andrewshek and Auntie Katushka from the Poppy Seed Cakes, illustrated by Maud and Miska Petersham.

As an adult I discovered Tatyana Mavrina

and Yuri Vasnetsov.

Not every meal includes an incandescent squirrel or giant cockroaches, but these artists are always with me at the table.

- Julie Paschkis