Paul Calle, R.I.P. 1928 - 2010

It's odd to discover when someone has died that you never knew in person, but who's contribution to your life has been long and rich. Thus have I made such a discovery tonight when learning of the death of designer, artist, Paul Calle. My anonymous relationship with Mr. Calle began as a young boy when I took up the hobby of stamp collecting. Among his many other claims to the title of artist, Mr. Calle created the images and designs for dozens of United States postage stamps.

He also designed stamps for the United Nations and for the nation of Sweden among others.

This image of the astronaut from the Apollo 11 moon landing stepping down upon the moon is considered by many to be his most famous stamp design.

Among his other subjects were a host of famous Americans from all walks of life. People like Poet Robert Frost, Humanitarian Hellen Keller & her Teacher Anne Sullivan, General Douglas MacArthur, Dr. George Papanicolaou, Nurse Clara Maass, Author Pearl S. Buck, to name a few.

In stamps featuring topics like Volunteerism, Aging, The International Year of the Child, and Retarded Children; he demonstrated the power of his ability to convey a range of human emotions from joy to empathy.

















He even found a way to bring inanimate objects to life in a sculpture by Frederic Remington or the Victorian head of a camel ride from a series of 4 stamps featuring vintage carousel animals.

His career designing for the post office spanned nearly 30 years. As he went from creating designs in the early 70's using a style reminiscent of copper etching so common with postage stamps of the era and before, to evolving toward the use of photographs and painted images his acute artistry never faltered; Always there was a keen sense of design. You can look at any of these examples and see a sense of balance and yet movement that is visually intriguing as well as iconic.

The obituary from the New York Times has a delightful quote from Mr. Calle expressing his philosophy in designing for postage stamps, "When you do a stamp, think big, but draw small."

I close with two images from his sheet in the 10 set Celebrate the Century series: 1930's. I love especially this "mixer" from the stamp commemorating "Household Conveniences," because I own an exact copy of it. It was inherited from my mother who received it from her mother before her. And when I saw it on this stamp it truly thrilled me. I have no idea where Mr. Calle found the one for this stamp. I suspect the Smithsonian Museum of American History!

And of course, from the same sheet issued in 1998, Jesse Owens, a stamp that really embodies everything that makes a stamp beautiful.

I obviously never met Paul Calle, but if I had, I would simply have thanked him for all of the beautiful stamps he created. Stamps that continue to resonate with me and no doubt fascinate little boys in little rural towns with images of people, places, and things that are the stuff of dreams.

May Light perpetual shine upon him.