Vernon Simeon Plemion Grant
Vernon Simeon Plemion Grant (April 26, 1902 – July 9, 1990) was an American illustrator known for his whimsical gnome characters and fairy tale drawings. Over seven decades, Grant created hundreds of illustrations for advertising (General Electric, Gillette, Hershey's. Kellogg's) and major magazines, including Judge and Ladies' Home Journal. He is best known as creator of Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal characters Snap! Crackle! and Pop! Biography Early life and education Grant was born on April 26, 1902, in Coleridge, Nebraska, to Oliver Simeon Grant and Chloe Barkley Grant. When Grant was six years old, his family moved to South Dakota where they homesteaded. His experiences living on the prairies served as the inspiration for many of the artworks he would create throughout his career. While there he also learned illustration techniques from his beloved school teacher cousin Nellie Grant. As a teen, Grant moved with his family to California. He studied business law and public speaking at the University of Southern California and, at age 21, enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago. To help pay for his education, Grant developed his chalk talks, which became a popular act on the vaudeville circuit. Illustrations In 1932, a Grant Santa Claus