Alexander Calder started his life on July 22, 1898 in a small town named Lawnton, Pennsylvania.  He lived a healthy life, making breathtaking sculptures and paintings.  Alexander Calder died on November 11, 1976 in New York City when he was 78.

             In his early years, he lived with his mother, Nanette Lederer Calder, his father, Alexander Stirling Calder, and his grandfather, Alexander Milne Calder, all of whom were famous artist and sculptors.  After a while of being an only child, Alexander Calder's parents gave birth to baby girl, Peggy Calder.  He and Peggy became close, particularly because of Alexander Calder's interest in making toys.

Calder on the beach in California with his mother, Nanette, 1909,

The Alexander and Louisa Calder Foundation, New York

            Calder would make the toys out of excess cardboard and wire that he found laying around the house.  He would then introduce the toys to Peggy and show her how they worked.  Then, he and Peggy would play with the toys and have a glorious time.  Once, Alexander Calder created miniature race cars.  Because of the environment surrounding the Calder's home, a desert, Peggy and Alexander had access to numerous desert animals.  They would then place the animals inside the race cars and race them.  As a reward to the animal that won, they would give the animal a cookie or some other type of food the animal preferred.

                 As Alexander Calder grew older, he outlasted his early ages and eventually, like most boys, was sent to college.  It just so happens that Calder actually did not get a degree in art, but rather in engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1919.

              After receiving his degree in engineering, Calder was sent to another place, the real world.  In the real world, Calder struggled.  He couldn't find a job that he was passionate about.  At first, he tried becoming an assistant to a hydraulics engineer, and it didn't work out.  After trying hydraulics engineering, Calder tried becoming a Canadian logging engineer.  Like hydraulics engineering, Canadian logging didn't work out.  Finally, Calder tried one last job before going to art.  Hew worked as a fireman in the in the boiler room of a ship.  It didn't satisfy him.

Alexander Calder at age twenty-two,

The Alexander and Louisa Calder Foundation, New York

                Calder then moved back home and stayed with his parents.  He told his dad that he was struggling to find a job that he was passionate about.  As a simple, annoyed response, his dad said that he shouldn't be lying around the house.  But, ignoring his father, Calder stayed with his parents for quite a time.  Finally, his dad suggested art.  Partly to please his father, Alexander Calder agreed and soon wondered around New York City and sketched scenes of ice skating rinks and other major attractions.

                 After learning art pleased him, Calder found a beloved girl.  When he saw her, he knew he was going to marry her, and he did.  So, on 1931, Alexander Calder married Louisa James.  After their marriage, the couple had a little girl named Sandra.  She was born in 1935.  Four years later, the couple had yet another daughter, Mary.

The foundation of Calder's family finally allowed him to be able to be focused on his work in art.