Fred Steffen in the 1970s Childcraft Books

* Things are a bit hectic for me at this time so, as you may have noticed, new posts will be intermittent (depending on my schedule). Sorry for that... I should be able to get back to a stable schedule in a week or two. ~ LeifAbout a year ago I posted some examples of 1950s album cover art by a Chicago illustrator named Fred Steffen...Recently I happened upon some 'new' artwork by Steffen - this time from the 1970s. Fred Steffen provided title page...

Read More

Robert J. Lee: "The career has gone just great."

Recently, Robert J. Lee's daughter, Robin Lee, wrote to me: "Before my dad died in 1994, he dictated a bunch of stories from childhood. I put together a small booklet transcribed from tapes he made of his life. There is at least a snippet that could be interesting." Most of the text consists of personal anecdotes from throughout his life, but on the last page Lee sums up his thoughts on his career:"At age 70 I can look back and say at age 30 I was...

Read More

Robert J. Lee: "There must be a constant probing of one's mind to paint something meaningful"

In 1968 the editors of American Artist magazine presented the work of illustrator Robert J. Lee. Accompanying his art they compiled interviews, correspondences and "several pages of informal notes" into a single 'digest' of Lee's thoughts on a broad range of topics related to his life as an artist. Here is the 4th and final excerpt:"Most of my children's books are done in mixed media." "Tales of the Arabian Nights, published by Whitman, is a good...

Read More

Robert J. Lee: "The life of a real working artist is tough work, mentally and physically."

In 1968 the editors of American Artist magazine presented the work of illustrator Robert J. Lee. Accompanying his art they compiled interviews, correspondences and "several pages of informal notes" into a single 'digest' of Lee's thoughts on a broad range of topics related to his life as an artist. Here is the 3rd excerpt:"I have little patience with exhibitions of "black on black" or a green circle on a white ground and all the psuedo-intellectual...

Read More