Remy Charlip facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Remy Charlip
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| Born | January 10, 1929 Brooklyn, New York
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| Died | August 14, 2012 (aged 83) San Francisco, California
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| Education | Cooper Union, Black Mountain College |
Abraham Remy Charlip (born January 10, 1929 – died August 14, 2012) was a very creative American artist. He was a writer, a choreographer (someone who creates dances), a theatre director, and a designer for plays. He also taught others. Remy Charlip wrote or drew pictures for more than 40 children's books!
Life and Creative Journey
Remy Charlip grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were from Lithuania.
He first studied how to design fabrics in high school. Then, he went to Cooper Union in New York to study fine arts, finishing in 1949. In 1951, he went to Black Mountain College in North Carolina. There, he worked with famous people like composer John Cage. He also helped start the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He was part of this dance company for 11 years, and he even designed the costumes and sets for their shows. He met other artists there, like Robert Rauschenberg, who he would work with later.
In the 1960s, Remy Charlip invented a cool new way to create dances. He called them "Air Mail Dances." He would draw pictures of dance moves and send them to a dance group. The dancers would then put the moves in order and add their own ideas to create a full dance. Remy Charlip didn't need to be there in person!
He directed plays for the Judson Poets Theatre. He also helped create a children's theater company called the Paper Bag Players. This company put on shows especially for kids. Remy Charlip also led the Children's Theater and Literature Department at Sarah Lawrence College. He won awards for his theater work, including two Obie Awards.
As an illustrator and author of children's books, Remy Charlip was known for his special drawing style. He used unique lines and colors. His stories were often imaginative and fun. He won awards from The New York Times for his illustrated books three times. He also spent six months in Kyoto, Japan, to work on his art.
Remy Charlip was even the model for some drawings in the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. This popular book was written and illustrated by Brian Selznick.
In 1989, Remy Charlip moved to San Francisco. He worked with local art groups there, like the Oakland Ballet. He passed away in San Francisco in 2012.
Dance Creations
Here are some of the dances Remy Charlip created:
- Meditation (a dance for one person, 1966)
- A Week's Notice (a dance for two people, 1977)
- Art of the Dance (a dance for one person, 1977)
- Travel Sketches (a dance for one person, 1977)
- Glow Worm (a dance for four people, 1977)
- Dance in Bed (a dance for one person)
- April (Judson Dance Theatre)
- December (Judson Dance Theatre)
Children's Books
Here is a list of some of the children's books Remy Charlip wrote or illustrated:
- 1956 Dress Up and Let's Have a Party
- 1957 Where is Everybody?
- 1957 It Looks Like Snow
- 1962 The Tree Angel
- 1964 Fortunately (also known as What Good Luck! What Bad Luck!)
- 1966 Mother, Mother, I Feel Sick, Send for the Doctor, Quick, Quick, Quick
- 1969 Arm in Arm (A Collection of Connections, Endless Tales, Reiterations, and other Echolalia)
- 1973 Harlequin and the Gift of Many Colors
- 1975 Thirteen, with Jerry Joyner
- 1987 Handtalk Birthday
- 1999 Peanut Butter Party
- 1999 Sleepytime Rhyme
- 2000 Why I Will Never Ever Ever Ever Have Enough Time to Read This Book
- 2007 A Perfect Day
