Art has always been at the center of my life, even in the absence of a full career in art. I studied at the Art Students League in Manhattan, became an exhibited pen- and- ink artist, earned a degree in art, and served as curator for a number of art exhibitions. In 1996 I was invited by HarperCollins Exhibition Space in Manhattan to put together “Voices from the Heart,” an exhibition of artists’ books and works on paper by members of the Women’s Caucus for Art. In 1998 I became a volunteer at the Edward Hopper House Art Center in Nyack, New York, the birthplace and childhood home of Edward Hopper. I redesigned the organization’s newsletter, helped organize art exhibitions, and took my turn in attending to the needs of Hopper House visitors. I am now in my second go- round as a member of the board of trustees of the Edward Hopper Landmark Preservation Foundation. Visitors to the Hopper House brim over with questions about Hopper and his art. As one of the volunteer docents, I often find myself scrambling to come up with answers. What we need, I have come to see, is a one- volume reference guide to Edward Hopper’s life and art. Thus, this encyclopedia. My goal is to serve the needs, not only of those visiting the Hopper House, but also of art teachers and students, museum and gallery devotees, and all others drawn to the art of Edward Hopper.