When it comes to capturing the wide-eyed innocence and wonderment of childhood, few can hold a candle to St. Louis artist and author Mary Engelbreit. Over the course of the past three decades, an entire industry has grown around Mary and her work. Her illustrations can be found on everything from greeting cards and calendars to clothing and jewelry. She has also authored and illustrated several bestselling children’s books. Mary and her husband Phil have raised two sons: Will, who is now 27, and Evan, who passed away a decade ago. Following their son’s death, Mary and Phil adopted Evan’s daughter Mikayla and are now busy raising the active 10-year-old.

Have you always called St. Louis home?
I have lived here all my life. My husband Phil moved here for college over 40 years ago and never left.

Your work tends to present childhood as a carefree, idyllic time. Are there still places in St. Louis where kids can experience such whimsy?     
Our daughter plays in the creeks and woods in our neighborhood just like my husband and I did as kids and as my boys did when they grew up in Webster Groves. That’s the best kind of play for children, I think.

Do you and your family have any St. Louis hangouts that inspire your work?
My family and friends are really the inspiration for my work, no matter where they are!

What are your favorite local arts-related destinations to visit with your family?
We love the Art Museum and City Museum, and Mikayla loves taking classes at COCA.

Are there any places you enjoyed visiting with your children that you have rediscovered with your granddaughter?
You can’t go wrong with the zoo (or the Oon, as we call it – that’s how we read that sign in the parking lot) and when the weather turns cooler we love to visit the Botanical Garden.

What does an ideal weekend out with your family in St. Louis look like?
One of our favorite weekends happened last summer when the power went out. We went to stay at the Chase, saw a movie, got room service, went to Duff’s Restaurant for brunch and even managed to get to the zoo early in the morning before it got hot and crowded. We keep saying we’re going to do that again, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Mary's Picks:

Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110, 314-721-0072

Center of Creative Arts (COCA), 524 Trinity Ave., St. Louis, MO 63130, 314-725-6555

Chase Park Plaza, 212 – 232 N. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108, 314-633-3000

City Museum, 701 N. 15th St., St. Louis, MO 63103, 314-231-2489

Duff’s Restaurant, 392 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108, 314-361-0522

Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110, 314-577-5100

Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110, 314-781-0900

Celebrity Sprouting is an occasional column that features local personalities and their favorite family-friendly St. Louis destinations. Published: Sept. 7, 2010

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