American Women!
A Celebration of Our History
April 22 -- October 29, 2000

MARY ENGELBREIT
Illustrator and Optimist
1952-2___

"I believed in myself, and now I'm living my dream."

People magazine dubbed Mary Engelbreit "the Norman Rockwell of the 90s." Her whimsical artwork combines nostalgic images with upbeat, colorful designs that now adorn 1,000 different products--greeting cards, gifts, home accents, magazines, and books. Unafraid of having her work labeled 'cute' her business cards read "Engelbreit's the name, Cute is my game," and she punctuates her designs with pithy sayings:

SNAP OUT OF IT
IT'S GOOD TO BE QUEEN
LIFE IS JUST A CHAIR OF BOWLIES
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT / IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN BECOME IT
BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED
DON'T LOOK BACK
BELIEVE

Since childhood Mary wanted to be an illustrator for children's books. She was warned that she could not make a living as an artist, and as a young adult, Engelbreit was crushed when New York publishers rejected her work. She reluctantly turned to greeting card designs but retained all rights to her work, and within six years had set up her own company. By 1986, her sales topped $1 million. By 1997, sales reached $100 million.

WE DON'T CARE HOW THEY DO IT IN NEW YORK

Historic Artifacts:

ORIGINAL ARTWORK," If You Can Imagine It" created by Mary Engelbreit
PHOTO of Engelbreit
PREMIER ISSUE of Mary Engelbreit's Home Campanion, December 1996, autographed by Engelbreit
MAGAZINE, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, February/March 2000
CALENDAR, "She Who Laughs" designed by Engelbreit
-- On loan from Mary Engelbreit Studios, St. Louis MO

TRAY designed by Mary Engelbreit
-- On loan from Joan Hill, Fort Dodge IA

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