The Unheralded Artists of BC

“The Unheralded Artists of BC, from Mother Tongue Publishing, is a beautiful, lively, and well-written series of ten books dedicated to introducing people to the many forgotten 20th-century BC artists and recognizing their artistic significance.”

The design brief for covers and interior pages included keeping a consistent look for the series, while also incorporating unique elements, such as poems in book number seven, The Life and Art of Harry and Jessie Webb. The glossy softcover bindings include French flaps. The interior pages feature generous margins and images of varied size placed throughout. A special design challenge is presented by the need to end each chapter on the last line of a recto (right-side) page for a smooth transition to the next chapter’s opening pages.

More about the series at Mother Tongue Publishing.

The Life and Art of Harry and Jesse Web

The Life and Art of Harry and Jesse Webb is number 7 in The Unheralded Artists of British Columbia and includes over 120 photos and artworks reproduced in colour and black and white, as well as poems written by the artists.

“Harry (1927-1995) and Jessie Webb (1930-2011) were among an influential group of artists, poets and musicians working in Vancouver in the 1950s. . . . [They] collaborated on a series of innovative progressive prints made with linoleum blocks. Their works were featured in exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery and in publications throughout the 1950s. They were also very involved in the local jazz scene, designing posters for the legendary Cellar Jazz Club. . . . Their fascinating story is being told by their daughter for the first time.”

The Life and Art of Mildred Valley Thornton

The Life and Art of Mildred Valley Thornton is number 4 in The Unheralded Artists of British Columbia and includes 112 photos; colour and black and white. “During the Depression, her family moved to Vancouver where she [carved] out a unique career as a fiercely independent, adventurous and confident artist . . . she became an advocate for First Nations peoples and made important historical contributions to British Columbian art and culture.”

The Life and Art of Mildred Valley Thornton was a finalist for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize in the 2012 BC Book Prizes.

The Life and Art of George Fertig

The Life and Art of George Fertig is number 2 in the The Unheralded Artists of British Columbia and includes 150 photos in colour and black and white. “. . . Fertig was a Jungian, a symbolist, a socialist, and an outsider. But above all, he was an artist, struggling to survive in mid-century Vancouver, British Columbia. . . . Known as the “Moon Man,” [his] unique oil paintings range from early landscapes to large and powerful archetypal images and small numinous meditations on eternity. ”

Other books done for Unheralded Artists