Joan C. Steiner (October 10, 1943September 8, 2010) was an American

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...

and puzzle designer.

Biography

A graduate of

Barnard College Barnard College of Columbia University is a private women's liberal arts college in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a group of women led by young student activist Annie Nathan Meyer, who petitioned Columbia ...

, she was the recipient of numerous art and design awards, including a

Society of Illustrators The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. It was founded in 1901 to promote the art of illustration and, since 1959, has held an annual exhibition. History Founding The Society of Illustrators was founded on ...

Award and a

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

fellowship. Her first book, ''Super Look-Alikes'', received glowing reviews and was featured on national television in the USA. Her second book, ''Amazing Look-Alikes'', which was published by

Walker Books Walker Books is a British publisher of children's books, founded in 1978 by Sebastian Walker, Amelia Edwards, and Wendy Boase. In 1991, the success of Walker Books' ''Where's Wally?'' series enabled the company to expand into the American ma ...

, has over 700 everyday objects in disguise, ranging from

paper clip A paper clip (or paperclip) is a tool used to hold sheets of paper together, usually made of steel wire bent to a looped shape (though some are covered in plastic). Most paper clips are variations of the ''Gem'' type introduced in the 1890s or e ...

s to refrigerator magnets. Steiner died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

on September 8, 2010, in her home in

Claverack, New York Claverack is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 6,021 at the 2010 census. The town name is a corruption for the Dutch word “Klaverakker” for "Clover Fields" or "Clover Reach". In 1705, the first discovery ...

, at the age of 66.

Publications

* '' Look-Alikes: The More You Look, the More You See!'' (1998) * '' Look-Alikes Jr.'' (1999) * '' Look-Alikes Christmas'' (2003) * ''Look-Alikes Around the World'' (2007) * ''Look-Alikes: Seek-and-Search Puzzles'' (2011)

Awards and recognition

* 1998: ''Look-Alikes'' - The New York Times Book Review's Notable Children's Books of 1998

Exhibitions

* 2007: ''Look-Alikes: The Amazing World of Joan Steiner'' -

New York State Museum The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol. ...

, Albany, New York *2016: ''I Spy with My Little Eye: Joan Steiner Look-Alikes'' - The Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany, New York *2017: ''Joan Steiner's Look-Alikes'' - The Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany, New York *2018: ''Joan Steiner's Look-Alikes'' - The Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany, New York“Joan Steiner's Look Alikes.” Albany Institute of History & Art, 2018. https://www.albanyinstitute.org/joan-steiners-look-alikes.html.

References

1943 births 2010 deaths People from Claverack, New York Barnard College alumni American women illustrators American illustrators Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Puzzle designers Place of birth missing 20th-century American women artists 21st-century American women {{US-artist-stub