David Macaulay

David Macaulay is a visual storyteller whose illustrated books demystify the workings and origins of objects as mundane as a stapler and as monumental as a cathedral. While he modestly classifies himself an “explainer,” Macaulay’s elegant drawings, wry humor, and clear descriptions of the simplest and most complex structures and machines are sophisticated and entertaining educational experiences for both children and adults. David Macaulay was born in Burton-on-Trent, England in 1946 and received a B.Arch. (1969) from the Rhode Island School of Design. A freelance writer and illustrator for the majority of his career, he has also worked as an interior designer (1969-72), as a high school art teacher (1969-70, 1972-74), and as an instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he continues to teach as an an adjunct member of the Department of Illustration.