Maira Kalman (b. 1949)
The New York illustrator, artist, and designer wakes up early, about 6:00 A.M., makes the bed, and reads the obituaries. Then she goes for a walk with a friend, returns home to eat breakfast, and–if she’s on deadline–heads to her studio, in the same building as her apartment. “I have no phone, or email, no food or anything to distract [in the studio],” she said in a recent e-mail. “I have music and work. There is a green chaise there if a nap is needed. And in the late afternoon it is often needed.”
If she is bored being alone in the studio, Kalman will head to a cafe to listen to the buzz of conversation, take the subway to a museum, or go for a walk through Central Park. “I procrastinate just the right amount,” she said. “There are things which help me get in the mood to work. Cleaning for one. Ironing is great. Taking a walk is always inspiring. Because my work is often based on what I see, I am happy to keep collecting and changing images until the last moment.”
Sometimes Kalman doesn’t go into the studio for days at a time. On working days, she is done by 6:00 P.M. She never works at night. “It will appear like a calm existence,” Kalman said. “The turmoil is invisible.”
* Source: Daily Rituals by Mason Currey