Dr. Seuss: The Art Behind the Stories

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending an exhibit on The Art of Dr. Seuss presented by the Ann Jackson Gallery of Atlanta, GA.  

The collection was comprised of artworks including preliminary and final drawings for the legendary children's books by Ted Geisel, lovingly known as Dr. Seuss, along with bronze sculptures and his 3-D Unorthodox Taxidermy sculptures.  The collection also included several pieces created by Geisel for his own personal expression. Filled with interesting facts about the man and the inspiration behind these beloved stories, the exhibit definitely shows visitors the versatility and genius behind Dr. Seuss. 

Most of us can remember the delightful tales written by this iconic artist and author including The Lorax, Hop on Pop, Fox in Socks, Horton Hears a Who!, and my favorite How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Probably his most popular story and one of the most recognizable characters in children's literature is The Cat in the Hat.

Dr Seuss personally created each original sketch, carefully selecting every color to capture the essence of each story and to hold the attention of young readers. In fact, his ability to use illustrations to move the story line became his legacy over his 60-year career.

As mentioned previously, my favorite Dr. Seuss book is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This story was inspired by Geisel's own attitude toward the commercialization of Christmas.  Probably one of the more interesting tidbits dealt with the unusual and brilliant accomplishment of writing Green Eggs and Ham using only 50 words, a challenge issued to him by his publisher. 

The most unusual pieces on display were undoubtedly the 17 sculptures that made up the Unorthodox Taxidermy collection created by Geisel in the 1930s. In these sculptures he used genuine bills, horns, and antlers of  actual animals that passed away at the Springfield Zoo, a favorite attraction of his from his childhood.

I hope you enjoyed  this glance into the world of the Dr. Seuss you know and love as well as the glimpse into a side of him unknown to most of us. Whether you recall the stories from your own childhood or perhaps from reading his books to your children or grandchildren, we can all agree on the incredible influence Theodor Seuss Geisel had on children's literature.

Which is your most memorable Dr.Seuss story?