Ann Grifalconi (September 22, 1929 – February 19, 2020) [1] was an American author and illustrator of children's books.
Born in New York, she studied art at the Cooper Union School of Art, where she received a certificate in advertising art in 1950. She worked for several years in advertising and display, [2] then taught art and design at the High School of Fashion Industries before leaving to become a full-time illustrator and author. [3]
Grifalconi is the author of several books for children, including The Village of Round and Square Houses (a runner-up for the 1987 Caldecott Medal for illustration, her work) [4] and Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me (illustrated by Jerry Pinkney). As an illustrator she has worked with authors including Elizabeth Bishop, Lucille Clifton, Walter Dean Myers, and Tillie S. Pine. She shared a Coretta Scott King Award with Clifton for Everrett Anderson's Goodbye; The Jazz Man, which she illustrated for Mary Hays Weik, was a 1967 Newbery Honor book and an ALA Notable book.
Though Grifalconi is better known as an author and illustrator, other work demonstrates feminist service within historically male-dominated institutions including publishing and finance. She was the president of publishing company Greyfalcon House, Inc, which published "Oreo" by Fran Ross in 1974. [5] Ross's only published work, "Oreo" remained obscure until discovery and republication in the 2000s and has since been described as "ahead of its time," [6] "one of the masterpieces of 20th century American comic writing," [7] and a "feminist odyssey." [8] Johnson, Mat (9 March 2011). Ann Grifalconi was a founder and board member of the New York Feminist Credit Union (1973-1980) which staff there described as "helping women establish credit, especially divorced, separated or widowed women who were not able to establish credit in their own names when married." [9] Grifalconi's re-illustration of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam fresco (featuring women instead of men) also adorned the cover of special issue of a 1975 Quaker journal entitled "Feminism and Spirituality." [10]
Grifalconi lived in New York City [4] and died on February 19, 2020, at The New Jewish Home in the same city. [11]