Maurice Sendak
Maurice Sendak
Maurice Bernard Sendakwas an American illustrator and writer of children's books. He became widely known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, first published in 1963. Born to Jewish-Polish parents, his childhood was affected by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. Besides Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak also wrote works such as In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, and illustrated many works by other authors including the Little Bear books by Else...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionChildren's Author
Date of Birth10 June 1928
CityBrooklyn, NY
CountryUnited States of America
My big concern is me and what do I do now until the time of my death. That is valid. That is useful. That is beautiful. That is creative.
I have to accept my role. I will never kill myself like Vincent Van Gogh. Nor will I paint beautiful water lilies like Monet. I can't do that. I'm in the idiot role of being a kiddie book person.
We're animals. We're violent. We're criminal. We're not so far away from the gorillas and the apes, those beautiful creatures.
There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready.
It dawned on me that art was the way I could survive.
I'm still as enamored and turned on by work as I was when I was young.
My work is not great, but it's respectable. I have no false illusions.
My work is not great, but it's respectable.
My parents were ignorant peasants from the Old World.
As a kid, all I thought about was death.
All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy.
I'm not obsessed with angels but I do adore angels.
The distinctions of fine art bore me to death.
Grown-ups are afraid for children. It's not children who are afraid.