Gwain Noot Sexton
Gwain Noot Sexton (née Gwain Harriette Noot; 1909–2007) was a Canadian-born American children's book author, illustrator, visual artist, and fashion designer. She lived in Los Angeles County for most of her life.
Also recorded as Gwain Harriette Noot · Gwain Noot · Gwain Sexton
Gwain Noot Sexton

James Redmond · A Seed of Modernism: The Art Students League of Los Angeles, 1906–1953 · Public domain
- Name
- Gwain Noot Sexton
- Birth Name
- Gwain Harriette Noot
- Born
- June 11, 1909
- Birthplace
- British Columbia, Canada
- Died
- 5 February 2007
- Place of death
- Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
- Education
- Art Students League of Los Angeles
- Occupation
- Children's book author, illustrator, visual artist, fashion designer
- Spouse
- Fred Sexton (m. 1932–1960s; divorced)
- Nationality
- Canada · United States
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Gwain Noot Sexton (née Gwain Harriette Noot; 1909–2007) was a Canadian-born American children's book author, illustrator, visual artist, and fashion designer. She lived in Los Angeles County for most of her life.
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Gwain Noot Sexton • Birth Name — Gwain Harriette Noot • Born — June 11, 1909 • Birthplace — British Columbia, Canada • Died — 5 February 2007 • Place of death — Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States • Education — Art Students League of Los Angeles • Occupation — Children's book author, illustrator, visual artist, fashion designer • Spouse — Fred Sexton (m. 1932–1960s; divorced) • Children — 1
Early life
Early life
Gwain Harriette Noot was born on June 11, 1909, in British Columbia, Canada. She was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, and attended the Model School in Vancouver. She studied at the Art Students League of Los Angeles, where she met Fred Sexton. The couple married in June 1932, and briefly relocated to France after the marriage. Together they had one daughter. During her time at the Art Students League of Los Angeles, she also met painter James M. Redmond, who painted her portrait in oils.
Career and late life
Career and late life
Her husband Fred Sexton was a witness in the 1949 incest trial of his friend Dr. George Hill Hodel, who was charged by LAPD with multiple counts of sexual abuse with his minor daughter, Tamar. Sexton later admitted his own involvement in the Hodel abuse case, and he took a plea agreement in exchange for his testimony against Dr. Hodel. Sexton published her first children's book, Maxmilian the Unmerry; There Once Was a King (1959, Charles Scribner's Sons), which she both wrote and illustrated. The story is written in rhyme and is about a unpredictable king named Maxmilian, a wishing stone, and a mouse. Her book was reviewed by The New York Times, the Publishers Weekly, and other newspapers. Her husband Fred started an importing business of folk art in Mexico in the early 1960s. She joined him in Mexico in 1963, and together they collaborated with local designer Tachi Castillo (1918–1999) on designing Bohemian-style folk dresses, which were imported to the United States. Fred divorced her sometimes in the mid-1960s, and remarried Italian-born artist Gemma Taccogna. Sexton continued her apparel business under the name Gwain Sexton after their divorce, and into the 1970s; and she highlighted the apparel label with Castillo's designs featuring Mexican lace and ruffles. She died on February 5, 2007, in Redondo Beach, California.
Identity
Identity
Gwain Noot Sexton is recorded with the occupation children's writer. Recorded with the occupation fashion designer. Recorded with the occupation visual artist. Recorded as children's writer, illustrator, fashion designer and artist. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the headings Gwain Harriette Noot, Gwain Noot and Gwain Sexton. Her recorded language was English. She married Fred Sexton.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1909
Gwain Noot Sexton born.
2007
Gwain Noot Sexton died on 5 February 2007.
Publications
*
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q131623588: Gwain Noot Sexton
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Gwain Noot Sexton”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Model School Class Leaders in October. The Province. 11. November 11, 1919.
- 2.Marriage. The Los Angeles Times. 16. 1932-06-07.
- 3.Pasadena Museum of California Art. A Seed of Modernism: The Art Students League of Los Angeles, 1906-53; texts by Marian Yoshiki-Kovinick and Julia Armstrong-Totten. Traditional Fine Arts Organization (TFAO). 2008.
- 4.Prosecution Witness Held in Hodel Hearing. The Los Angeles Times. 20. October 15, 1949.
- 5.Dr. Hodel in defense against his daughter's incest charge. Daily News. 14. December 21, 1949.
- 6.New Books for Children. Berkeley Gazette. 13. August 19, 1959.
- 7.New Colorful Picture-Story Books Have Most Intriguing Titles. The Jackson Sun. 33. August 23, 1959.
- 8.F. Leypoldt. The Publishers Weekly. 176. 93. 1960.
- 9.Livingstone, Evelyn. For parties this summer the overall mood is romantic. Guess what's back again? Ruffles. Chicago Tribune. 48. May 7, 1973. 1085-6706.
- 10.Chipman, Victoria. Paper Wraps Up Success. The Daily Breeze. 8. April 16, 1968.
- 11.Fun in the Sun. The Los Angeles Times. 406. January 5, 1969.
- 12.Gwain Sexton. Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 33. May 16, 1976.
- 13.Maxmilian the Unmerry; There Once Was a King. By Gwain Sexton. Illustrated by the author. Unpaged. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. $2.50. For Ages 5 to 7. The New York Times. 173. October 4, 1959.
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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