Image courtesy Ann Jackson Gallery
The whimsical world of Dr. Seuss is coming to Cincinnati this September with a selection of pieces from The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection. For one weekend only, Gallery Veronique will sell reproductions of the beloved author’s secret artworks.
Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel often spent nights painting or sculpting alone, creating artwork solely for himself. From dream-like paintings to sculptural taxidermy, his private cache of art was never intended to be a part of his writing or on display in galleries.
“It’s a well-rounded collection that encompasses 70 years of his life,” says Valerie Jackson, owner of Ann Jackson Gallery (home of the Dr. Seuss Collection). “They were just his own personal fun things that he painted. He never painted them to sell them or to put into his books.”
While mainly known for his books, Geisel was a visual artist at heart. Different from his colorful, childlike cartoons, his nighttime artworks tended to be more somber and intricate.
“These paintings are surreal,” Jackson said. “And a lot of them have a cat in them, and the cat is Dr. Seuss’s alter ego. It was his way of looking out at you through his work…A cat is very mischievous. It’s very creative. They’re very stubborn. They’re very playful. That pretty much describes Dr. Seuss in a nutshell.”
Image courtesy Ann Jackson Gallery
Before he died in 1991, Geisel realized he wanted to share his clandestine art with the public. His wife, Audrey Geisel, established Dr. Seuss Enterprises and showed the work to collectors in 1997, thus starting the Art of Dr. Seuss project.
Valerie Jackson, who grew up immersed in the wacky realm of Dr. Seuss, took on the role of representing the artist. Ann Jackson Gallery, located in Georgia, began with a small batch of Geisel’s artwork, but continues to grow each year.
“Dr. Seuss changed my life as a child, and now he’s changed my life as an adult,” Jackson says. “I was learning to read in the ’50s, and it was very boring, and I didn’t like reading. And then my mother or father must have read me a Dr. Seuss book, and my whole world changed. I couldn’t get enough of reading.”
When we think of Dr. Seuss, we think of his popular characters: the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, or the Lorax. These personas, strange and fantastical, were born of an artist’s imagination and influenced by the surrealists of Geisel’s time.
From Pablo Picasso to M.C. Escher and Salvador Dalí, Geisel imbued his illustrations with the characteristics of iconic artists. However, he created his own style that can only be described as “Seussian.”
“You see the different decades of color changes and attitude,” says Jackson. “And back in the day, he did a lot of political cartoons, and he did a lot of magazine covers, and you can look at all these decades of how this work reflected famous artists of his time.”
In collaboration with the Ann Jackson Gallery, Gallery Veronique will have over 50 artworks for sale, showcasing the progression of Geisel’s art practice through the years. Since Geisel’s original works are archived, all of the art on display is a reproduction.
Prints are made through lithography or serigraphy, and sculptures are recreated with a resin casting process. Visitors can purchase works from the secret collection, as well as classic prints from Dr. Seuss’s most popular books.
Image courtesy Ann Jackson Gallery
“[Dr. Seuss] touches every generation. Every child, every grandchild, every great-grandchild is always going to be introduced to Dr. Seuss’s work. He has a lot of moral fiber in his work,” Jackson says. “He was full of imagination…his work is timeless.”
Works from The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection will be on display at Gallery Veronique from Sept. 5, 4-8 p.m., Sept. 6, noon-7 p.m., and Sept. 7, noon-4 p.m.
Gallery Veronique, 11364 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Twp., (513) 530-5379
Facebook Comments