A chance visit to the New York Public Library set Manhasset painter Angela Classi on a yearslong journey that would eventually become her first children\u2019s book.<\/p>\n
Classi, an award-winning oil painter and longtime Manhasset resident, recently published \u201cVivi A\u2013Z at the New York Public Library,\u201d a richly illustrated picture book inspired by the true story of a girl who grew up living inside the iconic library in the early 20th century. The book follows Vivi, the daughter of the building\u2019s superintendent, as she explores its hidden corners while the cultural energy of the 1920s unfolds around her.<\/p>\n
For Classi, the idea came during an audio tour with her husband. \u201cI thought, what a fabulous story,\u201d she said. Turning that spark into a finished book took time and persistence. From concept to publication, the process stretched about eight years, with pauses along the way. \u201cPeople think success happens overnight. No way,\u201d she said. \u201cIf something matters, you come back to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Classi\u2019s path to becoming an artist was unconventional. Raised in New Jersey, she worked as a pediatric physical therapist in Manhattan before discovering painting in her 50s. Classes at the Art Guild of Port Washington and other regional institutions helped shape her craft, and she eventually built a studio in her Manhasset home.<\/p>\n
Today, she serves on the Art Guild\u2019s board and remains closely tied to the local arts community.<\/p>\n