Self-portrait of Chandler O’Leary
From the family and friends of Chandler O’Leary:
Our dear friend Chandler passed away on April 2 from sudden and severe pneumonia. She was just 41 years old, and leaves behind an astonishing body of work as an author and artist. In her short life, she filled countless sketchbooks and created public art and signage, paintings, drawings, textiles, artist books, photographs—you name it, she did it. She did it with passion, dedication, and exquisite beauty. “Artist” barely encompasses all her extraordinary talents, as she was also an engaging teacher, podcaster, blogger, historian, travel expert, story-teller, adventurer, letterer, musician, entrepreneur, feminist, and collaborator.
While Chandler was very protective of her family life in her beloved Tacoma, she was also an incredible wife and mother. Our energy moving forward is directed at supporting her husband, The Tailor, and their four-year-old son. We all have to learn how to move forward without her, somehow. We’ve started a fundraiser and if you’d like to help, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-in-memory-of-chandler-oleary
We have closed Chandler’s online shops for the time being, to give her family the space to grieve and process this tragic event. Please bear with us as we process and contact outstanding orders, and please check back here later for future updates. In the meantime, hug your loved ones, take a road trip, write your legislators, sketch something beautiful, and raise a glass to Chandler’s memory.
Chandler signing stock at Secret Garden Books in Seattle.
From Chandler’s publisher, Sasquatch Books:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved friend and author Chandler O’Leary. After working on three books with her, she was truly part of our Sasquatch Books family. Not only was Chandler a gifted artist and keen and curious observer of life, but a kindhearted spirit who left a lasting impression on everyone whose path she crossed. Over the last few days, we have read so many moving comments from bookstore staff, readers, artists whom she inspired, and people of the PNW community who treasured the care and beauty she put into rendering their—and her—home region. We will miss her greatly. Chandler was also a wife and mother, and if you would like to help support her family, please go to the fundraiser at https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-in-memory-of-chandler-oleary
Chandler inspired and uplifted readers and booksellers far and wide. We at nwbooklovers were honored to celebrate her 2018 Pacific Northwest Book Award (with co-creator Jessica Spring) for the incredible book Dead Feminists: Historic Heroines in Living Color. We loved getting a peek at the creative process through Chandler and Jessica’s essay, “Collaborate.” In 2023, we were delighted to see Chandler’s new book, On Island Time, launch on our bestseller list and stay there. As well as brightening our book displays with her works, Chandler lit up many bookstores with personal visits to autograph stock and share warm wishes. As University Book Store bookseller Brad Craft wrote last week, “So very sad to learn just now of the death at 41 of this brilliant, ebullient, gifted human Chandler O’Leary. Only recently met her and was charmed down to my socks. What a loss to the PNW, to art and to her much loved husband and family. My heart goes out to them. Rest in peace, traveler.”
Chandler O’Leary with a stack of signed copies of “On Island Time” at University Book Store in Seattle. The book was chosen by the store as its March Book of the Month, and Chandler graciously visited to sign piles and piles.
