The Hats Off to Dr. Seuss! Exhibition will feature Dr. Seuss’s never-before-seen hat collection alongside his little-known Secret Art, a series of Estate-authorized artworks adapted from Ted Geisel’s original drawings, paintings, and sculpture. This historic collection has opened the world’s eyes to the extraordinary artistic talent of Dr. Seuss and will be available for viewing and purchase through the run of the exhibition.

In his artwork, as in his personal life, Dr. Seuss saw hats as transformational. And from the time he was a small boy in Springfield, Massachusetts, he was aware of their inherent magic. Far beyond their functionality, hats were the accent—the exclamation point—on a person’s behavior. They could entertain, delight and embellish, even tease and taunt, but most of all, hats helped Dr. Seuss deliver a world of life-changing inspiration.

The first recorded mention of Dr. Seuss’s hat collection came from his sister, Marnie, who visited Ted in New York in the autumn of 1937. She reported in the Springfield Union-News, November 28, 1937, “Ted has another peculiar hobby—that of collecting hats of every description. Why, he must have several hundred and he is using them as the foundation of his next book. I have seen him put on an impromptu show for guests, using the hats as costumes. He has kept a whole party in stitches just by making up a play with kitchen knives and spoons for the actors.”

That “next book”—Dr. Seuss’s second of 44—became The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.

The Hats Off to Dr. Seuss! Exhibition is a rare opportunity to view Dr. Seuss’s wonderful hat collection and view their direct impact on his works of art.  Traveling in a specially retrofitted old fashioned steamer trunk, this exhibition will debut in San Diego, California from August 9 through August 25, at Chuck Jones Gallery.  www.chuckjones.com

New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/books/dr-seuss-himself-was-a-cat-in-the-hat.html?_r=0

The Art of Dr. Seuss curator, Jeff Schuffman, will unveil the hat collection at the opening evening event on Saturday, August 10 at 6:00 – 9:00 PM.  Mr. Schuffman, a Collection Curator and international authority on the art of Dr. Seuss, will provide insight into Geisel’s artistic life, his unique vision, and his significant impact on American culture.