Elizabeth Pepper
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Pepper DaCosta was the editor and publisher of The Witches’ Almanac, established in 1971. The company, founded in Newport, Rhode Island
, produces an annual publication in almanac
format as well as a variety of related books. In addition to her literary work, Pepper was an accomplished graphic designer.
, November 7, 1923, she attended Pembroke College (Brown University)
and the Rhode Island School of Design
. As did other talented youngsters in the arts, Pepper moved to New York City
after college. There she did graduate work with type designers Arnold Bank, Howard Trafton and Freeman Craw. http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usca&c=passages&id=9969 She enjoyed living in Greenwich Village
, the center of the art world during the fifties, and spent summer vacations in Provincetown or on Fire Island.
In the mid 60's Elizabeth and her husband Martin moved to Walker Valley, N.Y. where they enjoyed a peaceful life at the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. In the mid 70's they returned back to Newport, R.I.
of the Plaza Hotel
. Pepper had a little office under the eaves with a view of Central Park
looking toward the zoo, where on fine days lunch could be taken on the cafeteria terrace. Lunch music was often provided by the bark of seals enjoying their noontime fish. Mrs. Da Costa was best known as the founder, publisher and editor of The Witches’ Almanac, established in 1971 and still published annually.
and from childhood interested Elizabeth in the occult. She spent her adult years, parallel to her professional life, accumulating wisdom in the study of witchcraft
, mythology
, astrology
, folklore
, magic
, rituals, and plant and animal lore.She was married to Martin Da Costa of Philadelphia, a sculptor and painter. Mr. Da Costa, deceased, was a veteran of WWII, and his work is part of permanent collections in Philadelphia, New York, and the West Coast. At the time of her death in 2005, at the age of eighty-one, her household included numerous dogs and cats, always part of the DaCosta home. She was attended during her last difficult year by a circle of loving friends.
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, produces an annual publication in almanac
Almanac
An almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...
format as well as a variety of related books. In addition to her literary work, Pepper was an accomplished graphic designer.
Early life
Born in ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, November 7, 1923, she attended Pembroke College (Brown University)
Pembroke College (Brown University)
Pembroke College in Brown University was the coordinate women's college for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1891 and closed in 1971.-Founding and early history:...
and the Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
. As did other talented youngsters in the arts, Pepper moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
after college. There she did graduate work with type designers Arnold Bank, Howard Trafton and Freeman Craw. http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usca&c=passages&id=9969 She enjoyed living in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, the center of the art world during the fifties, and spent summer vacations in Provincetown or on Fire Island.
In the mid 60's Elizabeth and her husband Martin moved to Walker Valley, N.Y. where they enjoyed a peaceful life at the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. In the mid 70's they returned back to Newport, R.I.
Career
Pepper served as the art director of Gourmet Magazine from 1956 to 1963, the first woman to hold the position. The publication was smaller than the contemporary version, but what it lacked in readership it offered in swank. Under the ownership of Earl MacAusland, its headquarters were in the penthousePenthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
of the Plaza Hotel
Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel in New York City is a landmark 20-story luxury hotel with a height of and length of that occupies the west side of Grand Army Plaza, from which it derives its name, and extends along Central Park South in Manhattan. Fifth Avenue extends along the east side of Grand Army Plaza...
. Pepper had a little office under the eaves with a view of Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
looking toward the zoo, where on fine days lunch could be taken on the cafeteria terrace. Lunch music was often provided by the bark of seals enjoying their noontime fish. Mrs. Da Costa was best known as the founder, publisher and editor of The Witches’ Almanac, established in 1971 and still published annually.
Personal life
Pepper was the daughter of Edward C. Pepper, a Providence real-estate developer, and Agnes Ryan Pepper. Elizabeth’s mother and an aunt read the tarotTarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
and from childhood interested Elizabeth in the occult. She spent her adult years, parallel to her professional life, accumulating wisdom in the study of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
, rituals, and plant and animal lore.She was married to Martin Da Costa of Philadelphia, a sculptor and painter. Mr. Da Costa, deceased, was a veteran of WWII, and his work is part of permanent collections in Philadelphia, New York, and the West Coast. At the time of her death in 2005, at the age of eighty-one, her household included numerous dogs and cats, always part of the DaCosta home. She was attended during her last difficult year by a circle of loving friends.