Victoria Cerra Vebell

Victoria Cerra Vebell, illustrator, author, and art professor, died peacefully on January 29 in Hamden, CT from a brief illness. She was 70. Vicki, as she was known, was a widely admired illustrator who worked in publishing, editorial and advertising art for the last 38 years.While she worked in a variety of formats, she specialized in paperback book covers, and her work won awards from the Society of Illustrators. Vicki was also an assistant professor of art at Pratt Institute in New York City for 22 years and taught online for the Academy Art Institute University in California. She had a vibrant, passionate personality and was loved and respected by her students. She was known and appreciated for her teaching skills that enabled her students to ‘learn to see’ and create quality art. Vicki was classically trained in both drawing and painting, earning a B.F.A. from Philadelphia College of Art, and M.F.A. from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. Vicki was also the author and illustrator of the best-selling textbook Exploring the Basics of Drawing, Cengage Learning, 2004, and the 2nd edition published in 2014. Born in New York City on September 18, 1952, Vicki grew up in Westport, CT, and lived in New York, Austin, TX, Tucson, AZ, Washington, CT, and lastly New Haven, CT, where she was a resident for 22 years and very involved in the community. Her sustained contributions to her community were the art projects and games she created each holiday. These brought families outdoors to a pocket park in New Haven. Vicki was an accomplished fencer, lover of classical music, good wine, food, and her cats Stella and Freddie. Her sunny disposition made her beloved by all who knew her. She was predeceased by her mother Elsa Vebell and father Edward Vebell, and is survived by her sisters, Renee Vebell (husband Jeff Cohen), Andra Vebell (husband Larry Hoy), cousin Elsa Calderon Thomas (husband Paul Thomas) and nephews Jason Cohen, Dylan Hoy, and Colin Hoy. She will be deeply missed.

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