Ginnie Hofmann facts for kids

Ginnie Hofmann (born September 30, 1920, died December 29, 2014) was an amazing American artist and illustrator. She was famous for her drawings in the Joy of Cooking cookbook and her fun paper dolls in Betsy McCall magazine.

Early Life and Education

Ginnie Hofmann was born Virginia Ritsman in Toledo, Ohio. She loved art from a young age. From 1938 to 1942, she studied at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. She learned alongside other talented artists like James Flora.

In 1944, she married Edward Hofmann. They were married for many years until his passing in 1990.

Becoming a Professional Artist

In 1944, Ginnie moved to Westport, Connecticut. This was at the request of her friend, James Flora. He had become the Art Director at Columbia Records. Ginnie worked as an illustrator for Columbia Records for two years.

Illustrations for Joy of Cooking

Ginnie Hofmann became very well-known for her drawings in the famous Joy of Cooking cookbook. She started illustrating the book with its Fourth Edition in 1951. Her unique drawings are still used in the cookbook today. They are a big part of what makes the Joy of Cooking special.

Creating Paper Dolls

For 27 years, from 1958 to 1986, Ginnie Hofmann drew the popular paper dolls for Betsy McCall magazine. Many children enjoyed cutting out and playing with her paper doll designs.

Magazine and Book Contributions

Throughout her career, Ginnie also drew for other popular magazines. These included Mademoiselle, Parents Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and Woman's Day.

She also wrote and illustrated a series of children's books. These books were all about the adventures and comfort of a teddy bear.

• Who Wants an Old Teddy Bear? (1978)
• The Runaway Teddy Bear (1986)
• One Teddy Bear is Enough! (1991)
• The Bear Next Door (1994)
• The Big Bad Bully Bear (1996)

Ginnie also illustrated another children's book called Betsy McCall: A Paper Doll Story Book.