Arthur Geisert is a local award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, known especially for his intricate etchings. Prominent in these etching are his legendary pigs, who carve ice sculptures, climb trees, teach the alphabet, build contraptions, and have many other adventures. In his decades-long career he has created over thirty picture books.

Etching is a multi-step, labor intensive process. It takes Geisert months to produce a book. He first does a pencil drawing for each illustration. He then creates a tracing of the drawing to make a mirror image of the picture because etching is a reverse process like all printmaking. The next step is to prepare the copper plate for etching. The plate is polished on one side and has acid proof paint on the other. It is heated and coated with wax. Next the tracing is taped to the plate, and a hard, sharp pencil is used to go over the lines, imprinting the image into the wax surface. An etching needle then is used to go over the lines in the wax to get down to the copper. This plate is placed in an acid bath which cuts into the unprotected surface creating the image in the plate. Initially, Geisert starts with the broader lines of the drawing. The process is repeated on the same plate at least two more times, adding finer and finer lines of the details of the drawing each time. Once prepared, the plates are inked and placed into the 3000-pound press that prints the pages. The print is then colored by hand.

The Loras Library has several of Geisert’s books in our PK12 Collection and these are currently on display on the first floor. Many of his other titles are part of our Special Collections in the Dubuque Authors Collection and can be viewed by making an appointment. Finally, the Library has a colored Geisert print entitle "Prairie Pisa" on the third floor near the elevator as well as four of his copper plate etchings on the northeast wall of the fourth floor, representing the four seasons and featuring some of his famous pigs. Dubuque Museum of Art has a special relationship with Geisert and holds his complete works including prints, books, and etching plates.