Edward Gorey - our muse, inspiration and reason for this lavish celebration we call The Edwardian Ball. But who was this mysterious man - a person of such prolific and glorious creativity? A poet, illustrator, storyteller, graphic artist, playwright, and man of mystery…
Edward St. John Gorey was born on February 22, 1925 in Chicago. He was a child prodigy, drawing pictures at the age of two, and teaching himself to read by the age of three. As an exceptional student, Gorey discovered his passion for art. With intentions to continue his education in art, his life took a dramatic twist when he was drafted for the U.S. Army and served in World War II. Not long after finishing his military service, Gorey enrolled at Harvard University where, in 1950, he completed his studies, earning his degree in French literature. In 1953 Gorey moved to New York where he found work as an illustrator. During that same time, Gorey was experimenting with writing and illustrating, and published his first independent work, The Unstrung Harp (1953). Following the publication of Unstrung Harp, Gorey began to gain a local following. His popularity continued to grow thereafter due to the release of additional works including The Doubtful Guest (1957), his first children's book; The Hapless Child (1961); his 1963 abecedarian book The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Gilded Bat (1966). Gorey's success continued into the 1970s and 1980s, when his focus shifted more heavily toward adult works. Gorey's work began even more widely known in 1980 following the premiere of the PBS series Mystery!, which used animated versions of his illustrations in its opening sequence. Gorey spent the later part of his life living and working on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. There he continued to create such unusual works as The Haunted Tea-Cosy (1998). Edward Gorey died on April 15, 2000. At the time of his death, Gorey had published more than 100 independent works and illustrated countless others.
(Biographical notes taken from The Edward Gorey House and Biography.com)
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