And the pursuit of happiness

The skilled artist, Maira Kalman, explains in the New York Times "How Everyone got to America." It is creative, insightful, witty, sad, but hopeful. It is a long piece but worth while.  Enjoy!

What are we doing here?

Who knows?

How did we get here?

I will tell you... I lift my lamp beside the golden door

About the Artist

Maira Kalman is an illustrator, author and designer whose last column for Op-Extra, "The Principles of Uncertainty," ran from May of 2006 to April of 2007 and has been published as a book. She has written and illustrated 12 children's books, and her artwork is featured in a recent edition of Strunk and White's "Elements of Style." She recently created a panel story for The Rosenbach Museum and Library's 21st-Century Abe Web project. Her work is shown at the Julie Saul Gallery in Manhattan. Ms. Kalman lives in New York City and teaches graduate courses in design at the School of Visual Arts. "And the Pursuit of Happiness," about American democracy, will appear on the last Friday of each month.