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09 August 2014
SF Art of Clifford Geary
From his Obituary:
Birthplace: Somerville, MA Resided In: NY
Visitation to be held on: Services to be held on: Cemetery: Private
Clifford N Geary, beloved husband of the late Marguerite H Geary, died on May 31, 2008 at Milford Hospital after a sudden stroke. Cliff was born February 26, 1916 in Somerville, MA and grew up in Cambridge where he graduated from Rindge School of Technical Arts, class of
1934. He was a Drawing and Painting major at Massachusetts College of Art where he graduated with the class of 1940, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He continued his studies at the Art Students League of New York, working for some time as an assistant instructor under his teacher and mentor, Frank J Reilly, remaining a life long member of the League.
He is best known as a science fiction illustrator due to his collaboration on Robert Heinlein’s early children’s books and Margaret Hyde’s science texts. Cliff wrote and illustrated his own children’s book, Ticonderoga, which was sold in the fort’s gift shop. He was commissioned to design bronze commemorative plaques for the fort’s bicentennial celebration. His design was adapted for a Wedgwood commemorative plate which was also sold at the fort. Most of his life was devoted to the Fine Arts, primarily oil paintings, though he experimented with many mediums including watercolor, woodworking and metal work. He showed regularly in the Washington Square (Village) Art Shows, and was an invited member of the Salmagundi Club. He and his wife Marge lived Brooklyn, then Astoria, NY, retiring to their summer home in the Adirondacks in 1981. There, they enjoyed gardening, hiking, camping and canoeing. Marge predeceased Cliff in 2007.
His covers were excellent, considering the color limitations the publishers imposed on him. However, his interior black & white artwork for most of the books above is outstanding; hope you have a chance to publish examples.
ReplyDeleteA portfolio of Clifford Geary's interior illustrations for the Robert Heinlein juveniles would be appreciated by the many fans of his work. His illustrations were an integral contribution to Heinlein's stories. While these entertaining tales remain in print the illustrations have been deleted; how can the publishers of these reprints legally claim "Complete & Unabridged"?
ReplyDeleteI wish I had an original. Read a 1949 copy in my elementary school library. Must be worth alot now. The art was amazing.
ReplyDelete