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’s book.
Classi, an award-winning oil painter and longtime Manhasset resident, recently published“Vivi A–Z at the New York Public Library,” 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’s superintendent, as she explores its hidden corners while the cultural energy of the 1920s unfolds around her.
For Classi, the idea came during an audio tour with her husband. “I thought, what a fabulous story,” 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. “People think success happens overnight. No way,” she said. “If something matters, you come back to it.”
Classi’s 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.
Today, she serves on the Art Guild’s board and remains closely tied to the local arts community.
That community, she said, helped support her transition from painter to author and illustrator. “It took a long time to even say, ‘I’m an artist,’” Classi said. “Then it became, ‘I’m a writer too.’”
Her book also reflects her belief in the importance of cultural exposure for children, something she hopes resonates with Long Island families. Drawing from her own childhood trips into New York City, she encourages parents to look beyond screens.
“It doesn’t have to cost a lot,” she said. “Take your kids to a library, to the theater, to museums. Read to them, even above their level. Those experiences become the soundtrack of their lives.”
Classi will appear at several upcoming local events, including a May 7 book signing in Oyster Bay, a May 14 talk at the Art Guild in Port Washington and a May 16 family event at the Huntington Public Library.
More information about her work, studio visits and commissions can be found atangelaclassi.comand on Instagram @angelaclassi.
Source: LI Press
