In the last two days, I have had the pleasure to meet, speak with, and get an autograph from the well-known author Anita Lobel. She is an extraordinary women who survived the holocaust and lived on to become a children's book illustrator and writer. She was born on June 2nd, 1934 in Krakow, Poland, the daughter of a Jewish merchant. Some of her most notable works are A New Coat for Anna, Alison's Zinnia's, and On Market Street. I recently read and reviewed her memoir No Pretty Pictures, which is about her experiences before, during, and after her time in Nazi concentration camps. Her talent is evident in her original paintings, which were currently hung in Illinois Wesleyan's Merwin Gallery. Not only is she a talented artist, but her writing style is excellent.
The easiest way to describe this women is by saying that she is a walking contradiction, in the best way of course! You can see the intellect in her eyes and in her voice, but the woman easily has a sense of humor that is not as common in women of her age and background. When I went to her painting showcase, she was wearing a long suit jacket. Upon the jacket she wore a broach. This was no ordinary broach. Instead of a classic flower or butterfly, Anita's broach was in the shape of a bent cigarette! The end was even bedazzled with red jewels to appear as if lit! She also wore a tie with small rabbits in the print. Not only was her outfit eccentric, but her glasses were large and round, bringing up the image of a suited beetle! None of this was ugly at all, but instead accented the exciting and wonderful personality of Anita Lobel.
I couldn't help but covet her cigarette broach, not because of its shape, but because it was daring and different. I hope that I will one day be able to be as comfortable in my skin as she is. I also hope to impact the lives of children as she has (with my singing of course). She truly inspires every person that she meets.
Last night, she spoke with me a bit about a singer named Kate Lindsey (a topic inspired by my first name). I told her about my major and she signed my book saying "Go on singing!" I love it and will treasure it forever.
Today I ate dinner with her. Not at her table, unfortunately, but I was able to talk with her and ask her questions after lunch. She was an absolute delight to talk to! Three of us German students were going in to take a picture with her and my friend said, "Yeah, let's get a picture together because we are all German people!" Meaning of course, that we were German students. Anita promptly says, "Germans? We are three Germans and one Jew!" We were all laughing as soon as the words left her mouth. I found it amazing that she could laugh about her life so easily. It was relaxing to be around her.
Her outfit was adorable! I desperately want the sweater that she was wearing! She also had great polka-dotted socks! Her sense of style is so exciting, I might have to steal a few ideas!
One of the most interesting things about Anita is that she did not let her past stick with her. It may have led to the later events of her life and thus her growth as an individual, but she did not let the concentration camp dampen her attitude and her approach towards life. She is an inspiration to us all. If she could get through such a terrible event and come out stronger, we should be able to do the same with our common strifes.
I hope that I will get the chance to speak with her more in the future. I am sure she has many more stories to tell, and I am eager to hear them.
Below, I have included a picture gallery of my time with Anita Lobel. Enjoy! (Sorry if the pictures are sideways, I couldn't figure out how to fix it...) Have you met any notable authors? Tell me about your experience!
The easiest way to describe this women is by saying that she is a walking contradiction, in the best way of course! You can see the intellect in her eyes and in her voice, but the woman easily has a sense of humor that is not as common in women of her age and background. When I went to her painting showcase, she was wearing a long suit jacket. Upon the jacket she wore a broach. This was no ordinary broach. Instead of a classic flower or butterfly, Anita's broach was in the shape of a bent cigarette! The end was even bedazzled with red jewels to appear as if lit! She also wore a tie with small rabbits in the print. Not only was her outfit eccentric, but her glasses were large and round, bringing up the image of a suited beetle! None of this was ugly at all, but instead accented the exciting and wonderful personality of Anita Lobel.
I couldn't help but covet her cigarette broach, not because of its shape, but because it was daring and different. I hope that I will one day be able to be as comfortable in my skin as she is. I also hope to impact the lives of children as she has (with my singing of course). She truly inspires every person that she meets.
Last night, she spoke with me a bit about a singer named Kate Lindsey (a topic inspired by my first name). I told her about my major and she signed my book saying "Go on singing!" I love it and will treasure it forever.
Today I ate dinner with her. Not at her table, unfortunately, but I was able to talk with her and ask her questions after lunch. She was an absolute delight to talk to! Three of us German students were going in to take a picture with her and my friend said, "Yeah, let's get a picture together because we are all German people!" Meaning of course, that we were German students. Anita promptly says, "Germans? We are three Germans and one Jew!" We were all laughing as soon as the words left her mouth. I found it amazing that she could laugh about her life so easily. It was relaxing to be around her.
Her outfit was adorable! I desperately want the sweater that she was wearing! She also had great polka-dotted socks! Her sense of style is so exciting, I might have to steal a few ideas!
One of the most interesting things about Anita is that she did not let her past stick with her. It may have led to the later events of her life and thus her growth as an individual, but she did not let the concentration camp dampen her attitude and her approach towards life. She is an inspiration to us all. If she could get through such a terrible event and come out stronger, we should be able to do the same with our common strifes.
I hope that I will get the chance to speak with her more in the future. I am sure she has many more stories to tell, and I am eager to hear them.
Below, I have included a picture gallery of my time with Anita Lobel. Enjoy! (Sorry if the pictures are sideways, I couldn't figure out how to fix it...) Have you met any notable authors? Tell me about your experience!