Claire Van Vliet (b. 1933) was born in Ottawa, Canada. She received her BA from San Diego State College and her MFA from Claremont Graduate School. Claire Van Vliet is a graphic artist, a printmaker, a bookmaker, and a papermaker. In 1955, Van Vliet founded Janus Press through which she has published hand-printed books illustrated with original prints and pulp paintings. Often experimenting with innovative formats and unique binding structures, Van Vliet has has a profound impact on the book arts medium. She has been awarded the MacArthur Fellowship and two honorary doctorates from the University of Arts in Philadelphia and San Diego State University. Her books and prints are in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.