Earlier this week I reviewed Big Machines, a book about the wonderful Virginia Lee Burton. Prior to that book, I had only known Burton for her influential children’s books, such as Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel (you can read this online here). Big Machines got me curious about Burton’s other activities, specifically her work with the Folly Cove Designers. By good fortune, my library had Trailblazing Women Printmakers, a book about Burton and the Folly Cove Designers. In fact, the book’s subtitle is “Virginia Lee Burton Demetrios and the Folly Cove Designers.”
So, this is not a picture book, but it is the first book in a category I’m calling picture book adjacent: books or other media that are not, strictly speaking picture books or picture book adaptations, but are directly related in some way, ideally some useful way.
And in this case, I have to say “Wow!” This book really showed Burton in a new light. I had read several of her picture books growing up, and reread them since, but had never explored, or even known about, her other work. This book is rich with pictures showing Burton, Burton’s prints, and the context, but also introduced me to the work of other designers in the group. These women’s work is all striking, and shares a style that marks it as created by the same community. I’ll be exploring the richness of this community and its creators for some time.
The Cape Ann Museum has the world’s largest collection of work by the Folly Cove Designers, and I invite anyone interested to visit their website, where you can see some of these lovely prints.
