Eileen Arnow-Levine

Eileen, a white woman with curly strawberry-blone hair and bangs, looks at the camera in front of a bookcase full of books and objects including a skull and a globe.

Open book with bright blue endpapers with silver constellations printed on them

Open page of a book with a drawing of a woman with long dark hair

expanded accordion book with black covers

Bio

In 1984, Eileen received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drawing/Painting from Purchase College. In 1987, Eileen began creating satirical artists’ books that focus on death. Her early books were a part of the “Zine Scene” of the 1980’s. Eileen creates artists’ books that she writes, illustrates, self-publishes and hand binds. An early interest in children’s books made a lasting impression on how Eileen perceives and represents the world. In creating her artists books, she tries to emulate the look and feel of children’s books while also tackling issues have to do with the human condition. Her subject matter tends to be on the dark side, often dealing with death or life’s cruelties. She enjoys the contrast between black and white, beauty and ugliness, sadness and humor and uses dualism as a means to find balance within her work.

Eileen works full-time as a graphic designer for Minuteman Press of Levittown. Eileen owns an Etsy shop where she sells her artists books and other unique creations. She was an artist vendor at Wit and Whim, Port Washington for 3 years until their recent closing. Eileen is an artist member of The Center for Book Arts. The handmade edition of The Child With A Bent Spine is featured in 1000 Artists’ Books; a coffee table book about artists’ books. Her books are part of The Museum of Modern Art/Franklin Furnace Artists’ Books Collection and Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives and have been included in exhibitions and collections worldwide.