Carolyn Mary Kleefeld facts for kids

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld (born Taper) is an artist, poet, and author from England and America. She has written twenty-five books. Her artwork has been shown in many galleries and museums since 1981. You can find her art in major cities like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

About Carolyn Mary Kleefeld

Her Early Life

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld was born in Catford, South London, England. She was the youngest daughter of Amelia and Mark Taper. Her family was Jewish. When she was four years old, her family moved to Long Beach, California. Later, they moved to Santa Monica, California. She went to the Westlake School for Girls. She studied art and psychology at UCLA.

Her Career as an Artist and Writer

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld has written twenty-five books. She has also created many paintings and drawings. Her art styles range from romantic pictures of people to abstract art. Her artwork is shown in galleries, museums, and private collections all over the world.

Her Personal Life

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld lives in Big Sur, California. She is also known by her married name, Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld. She was married to Tony Kleefeld, who was known as Tony Travis. Later, she married David Campagna on Valentine’s Day in 2017. Mr. Campagna passed away three weeks later.

Her Poetry and Books

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld's writings include poetry, prose (like stories or essays), and art books. Her work has been translated into many different languages. These include Korean, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, and Greek.

Her Artwork

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld’s artwork has been shown in many galleries and museums.

The Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, had a special show of her paintings and drawings. They also published a book about the exhibit called Carolyn Mary Kleefeld: Visions from Big Sur.

She has had other solo art shows. These include “30 years of Abstract Visions” in Big Sur, California (2014). Another show was “The Divine Kiss” at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Santa Barbara, California (2013). Her art has also been shown at The American Jewish University in Los Angeles (2016). Other places include The New York Hall of Science (2013) and the Alexandria Museum of Art (2013).

Kleefeld’s art is part of the permanent collections in several museums. These include The Downey Museum of Art and The Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum. Her art is also at The Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur. It is also at The Dylan Thomas Theatre in Swansea, Wales.

Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum

In 2019, Carolyn Mary Kleefeld made a very generous gift. She donated $10 million to the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). This was the largest donation the school had ever received. Because of this gift, the University Art Museum was renamed the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum.

A few months later, Kleefeld gave 120 of her own artworks to the museum's permanent collection. The museum then went through a two-year expansion and renovation. It reopened on February 12, 2022. The museum now holds 178 of Kleefeld's drawings and paintings. The university also keeps her literary archives. Her donation also helps fund scholarships for art students. It supports a lecture series, student internships, and museum programs.

Awards and Honors

• Nominations for The Pushcart Prize in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
• World Poetry Empowered Poet Award from Vancouver, Canada, in 2014.
• Il Meleto Di Guido Gozanno Award for Poetry from Torino, Italy, in 2014.
• First place in the Short Story Contest: 101 Words by Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA, in 2006.
• First Place in the Light, Space & Time Art Competition: Abstraction, Judge’s Award for Excellence, John Nichols Gallery, Santa Paula, CA, in 2001.