Notes from an Open Book » Dahlov Ipcar http://mainehumanities.org/notes a collection of notes from the Maine Humanities Council Fri, 04 May 2012 18:51:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Book Recommendation: The Art of Dahlov Ipcar http://mainehumanities.org/notes/2010/07/book-recommendation-the-art-of-dahlov-ipcar/ http://mainehumanities.org/notes/2010/07/book-recommendation-the-art-of-dahlov-ipcar/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:58:22 +0000 Diane http://mainehumanities.org/notes/?p=570 One of the opening pages of Carl Little’s The Art of Dahlov Ipcar strikes the mood of the folktale world, tinged with the energy, magic, and power: a fox turns back its head, teeth bared, as partridges rise in gorgeous brown haste to fly in all directions (Fox Moon). This is one mood of Dahlov Ipcar. Other works in this book show zebras galloping across a series of whispering lines, or Caribbean animals of the sea arranged in a segmented mandala, and whisper the influence of Rousseau, another mood.

Little has written a comprehensive biography of Ipcar’s art, exploring her childhood, the influences of parents William and Marguerite Zorach, the summers and then full-time life she experienced in rural Maine by the sea and on a farm, and the toys, rugs, and stained glass that have shared a place in her large collection of work. He highlights the influence of many other great artists, but it is clear that Ipcar has her own stamp. The paintings are bursting with living creatures, most in rapid trot, run, or sprint; colors that seem heir to fruit displays in exotic marketplaces; and sharp triangles, misty swashes of color, and hard lines creating backgrounds that thrust the subject forth.

My one complaint about this beautiful volume is that there is no index of paintings in the back, which makes it difficult to find any one work that Little refers to if it is not on a nearby page. But this volume is a pleasure to delve into, so much so that a hunt for a particular painting will only draw the reader into an exploration of many others.

Recommended by Diane Magras.

]]> http://mainehumanities.org/notes/2010/07/book-recommendation-the-art-of-dahlov-ipcar/feed/ 0 MHC at National Book Fest http://mainehumanities.org/notes/2010/07/mhc-at-national-book-fest/ http://mainehumanities.org/notes/2010/07/mhc-at-national-book-fest/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:20:28 +0000 Diane http://mainehumanities.org/notes/?p=551 The National Book Festival, a program of the Library of Congress, will take place on September 25th, 2010, on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Each state is represented at the Pavilion of the States, and Erik Jorgensen, the MHC’s Executive Director, will be at Maine’s for the Harriet P. Henry Center for the Book, sharing great information about Maine’s literary scene with the thousands of festival goers.  Each year, the MHC chooses one children’s book to share, and this year’s selection is Hardscrabble Harvest by Dahlov Ipcar. It is a wonderful look at the growing season in northern New England, the trials farming families endure, and a celebration of the culmination of the harvest over Thanksgiving dinner.  With Ipcar’s beautiful, unique illustrations, it’s a must-read.  For more information on the festival, please go to http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/.

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