Never was a tag line more apt. Tony Sarg was a true multi hyphenate whose ebullient creative endeavors knew no bounds. And now, in partnership with the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the Nantucket Historical Association presents Tony Sarg: Genius at Play, the first comprehensive exhibition exploring the life, art and adventures of Tony Sarg (1880-1942).

Probably best known as the originator of the Thanksgiving Day parade balloons (Sarg with his creations below),

he was also the father of modern puppetry in North America, influencing an entire generation of future puppeteers including Jim Henson and Bil Baird (the creator of the Lonely Goat Herd marionettes in The Sound of Music).

That was, however, the tip of his prolific artistry. He was also a commercial illustrator, cartoonist, entrepreneur and mastermind of  a series of silhouette films. His clever Sarg branding of them was a harbinger of the marketing that would be used by Walt Disney in the years to come. His animation skills extended to other ventures including his original animated holiday windows for Macy’s – the first of their kind. His inventive illustrated maps, one of Nantucket below, are highly collectible.

In the early 1920s, Sarg and his family began summering on Nantucket, where he was an active member of the Art Colony, lent his talents to island charities and even a few decorating commissions.  When his wife opened a gift shop downtown, Sarg developed a wide variety of island themed products to sell, from decorated boxes, maps, books, prints, textiles and toys. Nantucket continued to inspire his work for years to come.

For those who cannot visit the exhibit in person, you can watch the NHA Curator of Exhibitions, Deborah Sorensen, share her illustrated talk about the artist’s globe-hopping life and prolific career, as well as background on how the exhibition Tony Sarg: Genius at Play, organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., was adapted and expanded for its presentation at the Nantucket Whaling Museum and other NHA properties.

And if you would like a piece of Sarg’s creative genius of their own, the NHA shop offers a wide variety of merchandise for children and adults alike, including the book coordinating with the exhibit, the first ever of extraordinary career.