The United States Postal Service is honoring Linda McCartney, the photographer, musician, animal rights activist and former wife of Beatles member Paul McCartney, with a special stamp collection showcasing her photographic work.
The Forever category collection includes 20 stamps based on five different photographs taken by McCartney. The stamps will go on sale on Friday, September 25, with a special launch event planned at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
From Rolling Stones Shoot to Rolling Stone Cover
Born Linda Eastman in 1941 in Scarsdale, New York, she first drew attention in 1966 when she photographed the Rolling Stones at an event while working for the magazine Town and Country. According to the website Link, her work impressed magazine editors so much that they published her photographs in a major feature, a first step that launched a major career and established her as one of the most important photographers of the 1960s rock scene.
In 1968 she made history as the first woman to have a photograph published on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, with her portrait of Eric Clapton. A year earlier, during a work trip to London, she had met her future husband, Paul McCartney, whom she married two years later.
Beyond Photography
Paul McCartney is known worldwide as a member of the Beatles, one of the most influential bands in music history. Linda McCartney's photographs have been exhibited in the United States as well as at major cultural institutions in the United Kingdom. She also served as a founding member of the band Wings and became one of the most recognizable advocates for vegetarianism.
Linda McCartney died in 1998 at the age of 56 after battling breast cancer.
Design of the New Stamps
The stamp series was designed by Derry Noyes, art director for the United States Postal Service, based on five selected frames from McCartney's photography.
