Fisher, Leonard Everett

Leonard Everett Fisher was born June 24, 1924 in the Bronx, New York. He studied at the Art Students League, and graduated from Yale University with a B.F.A. in 1949 and a M.F.A. in 1950. Throughout his long career, Fisher has worked as a painter, illustrator, author and educator. He began illustrating children's books in 1955; illustrating works by authors on a variety of subjects. In 1961, Fisher began writing children's and young adult books. Fisher is best known for his historical books in which he emphasizes accuracy. He has illustrated books for other authors. Mr. Fisher received the Kerlan Award in 1991.

From the guide to the Leonard Everett Fisher, 1956-1991, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])

American children's author/illustrator, born in the Bronx, New York in 1924. Fisher wrote and illustrated two series of children's books on American history, a favorite subject of his. He also created books on a wide range of subjects including world history, the sciences, mathematics, archaeology, and ecology.

From the description of Papers, 1956-1979. (University of Southern Mississippi, Regional Campus). WorldCat record id: 27248308

Born in the Bronx in 1924, Leonard Everett Fisher grew up in Brooklyn, NY during the Great Depression. Fisher's earliest artistic training came from his father, an amateur watercolorist, and a marine engineer by profession. When he was two years old Leonard Fisher sought to "finish" one of his father's paintings with a bottle of India ink, rendering it an unusable mess. Instead of punishing the boy, Fisher's parents rewarded his artistic ambitions by converting a hall closet into a studio for him. As he matured, Fisher went on to study at the Heckscher Foundation in 1932, with Moses Soyer in 1939, and the New York Art Students League in 1941. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn at the age of 16 in 1941. Before enlisting in the Army in 1942, Leonard Fisher spent nearly two years at Brooklyn College studying art and geology.

During World War II, Fisher served in the 30th Topographic Engineers. Fisher served as a topographer/photogrammetist assigned to a top-secret operations group. Based in Algeria, Fisher drew battle maps for the campaign in Italy, strikes against Romanian oilfields, and the landings in Normandy and Southern France. As the focus of the war shifted, Fisher was relocated to the Pacific theatre where his maps helped with planning of the Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions, as well as the aborted invasion of Japan.

When he returned from the war, Leonard Fisher entered Yale University where he earned both his bachelor of fine art and master fine art. While at Yale he received the Joseph Pulitzer scholarship in art in 1950 and the prestigious Winchester traveling fellowship, which allowed him to study art as he traveled through Italy. After his graduation from Yale, Fisher became the dean of the Whitney Art School in New Haven, Connecticut at the age of twenty-seven. In 1952 Leonard Fisher had his first solo New York exhibition. Though the paintings did not sell well, critics celebrated the showing. His confidence boosted by the show at the Hewitt gallery, Fisher proposed to Margery Meskin, whom he married later that year.

Leonard Fisher left his position at the Whitney Art School in 1953 and became an illustrator for children's books. The first book he worked on was The Exploits of Xenophon, written by Geoffrey Household. Though this first book, as well as many others, focused on ancient history, Fisher's own passion was the history of the United States during the colonial and early republic periods. Fisher wrote and illustrated a series on Colonial Americans, exploring different trades and occupations in wonderful detail, including such diverse occupations as wig making, glassblowing, cabinetmaking and homemaking. Fisher said of his work "I want my books to be avenues of knowledge, grace, and civility literarily conceived and artistically expressed."

Fisher's dynamic scratchboard technique helps bring his works alive. Fisher has written, and self-illustrated more than eighty children's books. Additionally he has illustrated at least 260 books for other authors. These works have been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages. Fisher's work has been recognized and rewarded by various groups. His work has been nominated and has won countless awards including the Christopher Medal for illustration, the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, and the New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books Award. In 1991 he was recognized by the University of Minnesota for "singular attainments in the creation of children's literature."

Leonard Fisher's activities were not limited to children's literature. Fisher served as a faculty member at Paier College of Art, Hamden Connecticut from 1966-1978 and as an academic dean from 1978-1982. Fisher worked as an adjunct and visiting professor at Case Western Reserve University and Fairfield University. In addition to his academic work he designed postage stamps for the United States Postal Service for five years and did design work for the Postal Agent of the Scottish Islands of Staffa and Bernera.

As a resident of Westport, Connecticut for many years, Leonard Fisher has been greatly involved in his community. Fisher has served as a trustee for the Westport Historical Society, as a member of the Westport Council of Continuing Education, and as a founding member, director, president, and board chairman of the Westport-Weston Arts Council. He served as on the Westport Library Board of Trustees, and as both vice-president and president of the organization. Leonard Fisher has traveled widely, both for his work and for pleasure. He has been a lecturer at art institutions, academic seminars, educational workshops, and children's book programs throughout the nation.

Leonard Fisher's works have been exhibited in various galleries and exhibitions throughout the country. The exhibitions range in diversity from a display inside the Washington Monument to works in General Electric Corporation's World Headquarters to exhibitions at Rockefeller Center and the Whitney Museum in New York. The range and amount of Leonard Fisher's work has landed it in many different archives throughout the United States. The University of Oregon has large collection of Mr. Fisher's papers and his artwork, but his manuscripts, illustrations, and other papers are also housed at the Leonard Everett Fisher Archive, University of Connecticut, Storrs, the Kerlan Collection, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, the de Grummond Collection, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, and the Postal History Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.

From the guide to the Leonard Everett Fisher papers, 1936-1969, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)

Leonard Everett Fisher, the well-known author and illustrator, was born in Bronx, New York, in 1924. Although his father was a ship designer by trade, he was also an aspiring artist. Through the influence of his father, Mr. Fisher learned of his own skills at an early age. By the time he was in second grade, he was already winning awards for his artwork. After serving in World War II as a cartographer, he attended Yale University's School of Art where he received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Fine Arts. His first published book illustration was the book jacket for The Silken Secret, published in 1954. His first illustrated book, The Exploits of Xenophon, was published by Random House in 1955. Fisher's work covers a broad range, as he writes history, science, biographies, science fiction, legends, and poetry. Mr. Fisher has been honored with such awards as the Joseph Pulitzer Painting Fellowship, the William Wirt Winchester Traveling Fellowship, the Premio Grafico Fiera di Bologna, the 1981 National Jewish Book Award for Children's Literature, and the Christopher Medal, along with numerous others for his painting, writing and illustrating skills. In addition to authoring over eighty books, and illustrating more than two hundred and sixty, Mr. Fisher has also designed ten United States Postage stamps.

Mr. Fisher currently resides in Westport, Connecticut with his wife Margery. He has three grown children and six grandchildren who were often the inspiration for his books. Although he is well known and admired for his scratchboard drawings and his acrylic paintings, he also uses other media.

Some of Leonard Everett Fisher's books include The Great Wall of China, Gandhi, The Seven Days of Creation, The White House, and his more recent Cyclops, and Alexander Graham Bell (1999). Currently he is working on a new book, entitled The Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Maya .

From the guide to the Leonard Everett Fisher Papers., 1927-1999., (Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center .)