Kay Kato’s artwork —–Where is it now?
In 2006 when Kay passed away, many of her paintings were donated to the places she loved in and around her home in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. She had enjoyed living in the same house in Glen Ridge for over 50 years and she had become well known to the arts community and even beyond, in large part because of her cartoon column running in the Star-Ledger for over 30 years. So when she passed away, the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge offered to put on an art exhibit- a retrospective of her work, with a presentation of her life given by her daughter. It was a popular event, with the Mayor of the Borough of Glen Ridge, Carl Bergmanson there, declaring October 3, 2006 to be Kay Kato Day, “due to her dedication, artful service and contributions to the Borough.” First, a good many paintings and drawings were donated by her daughter to celebrate her life. Then, many more were sold with the intention to be dispersed into the community at large.
Kay Kato art donated in 2006:
To the Borough of Glen Ridge– the “Spring Fling” original painting commissioned for the cover of the Herald Tribune Magazine in 1957. It now hangs in the Glen Ridge Library.
To The Women’s Club of Glen Ridge- four (4) framed cartoons of the Club events, in black&white and color. And landscape paintings of the surrounding areas, framed.
To The Women’s Club of Upper Montclair- large painting “Chat” depicting a group of seated women, painted in Hungary.
To Essex County Parks Foundation- all 350 of the original cartoon drawings from the book, “Park Art” by Kay Kato, which were originally drawn for the Star-Ldger’s “On Location with Kay Kato”.
To Saint Barnabas Health Care System- about 30 original cartoon drawings about the Hospital from the Star Ledger’s column, “On Location in Jersey with Kay Kato”.
To the New Jersey Historical Society- publications, manuscripts, photographs, and other material documenting the work of Kay Kato for the Star-Ledger’s column, “On Location in Jersey with Kay Kato”.
Kay Kato art donated in 2015:
To Linden Avenue School- “Classroom Party- Decorating for the Holidays” 1950’s. Sketches, color comps and finished framed painting of classroom scene with children behaving and misbehaving during a classroom party.
To the Glen Ridge Library- “Carnival” 1959’s-set of 3: black&white comp, color comp and color final, framed. Also an autumn landscape painting, framed, as well as 3 black&white framed cartoons or women at a beauty parlor.
To the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge- framed painting of Glen Ridge scene, framed ink cartoon of Glen Ridge Women’s Club women, three framed ink cartoons of women’s club art class.
To the New Jersey Historical Society- original art from Kay Kato’s Star-Ledger column “On Location in Jersey with Kay Kato”, along with scrapbooks of tearsheets, fan mail, exhibits, caricatures, and book of indexed columns from 1964-1995. Also the book “Park Art” and “Park Art” scrapbooks, as well as posters for the book and caricature events.
Belleville Public Library:
Many enlarged prints from her column in the Newark Star-Ledger.
Kay Kato art sold in 2016:
To Vermont Antiques- Paintings, drawings, cartoons, and portraits spanning the 1940’s through the Star-Ledger column “On Location in Jersey with Kay Kato” ending in 1995. Contact Dan Costantino (802-353-5212 or vermontdantiques@gmail.com) for information to purchase.
