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Literature and art are mankind’s greatest achievements. In books, we explore the meaning of existence. In art, we reveal visually what we feel. “Folly Cove Sketches, Remembering Virginia Lee Burton” is a personal memoir about a famous children’s book author and illustrator. The book is written by her niece, June Vail, a Maine author, and is beautifully designed. It is amazing because it gives the background of Burton’s wonderful children’s classics created in 1939 through 1968 but also discusses her support in developing an artist’s cooperative community called Folly Cove. Artists who became members experimented with graphic designs while her husband taught art.
Another topic explored is Burton’s linoleum block prints, which are not as well known as her children’s books but are beautiful, as seen in the book. These works were eventually used for fine fabric designs.
Folly Cove is a geographic location off the coast of Cape Ann in Massachusetts where Virginia Lee Burton and her husband, George Demetrios, lived and founded “Folly Cove Designs,” an art cooperative that explored nature and abstract designs for their own beauty
Many of you have read Virginia Lee Burton books to your children and grandchildren, books such as: “Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel”, (1939) ”The Little House,” (1942), and ”Maybelle and the Cable Car,” (1952). If you have not read them recently, try looking through them at your local library and perhaps taking them out for your grandchildren. They have stood the test of time, more than one generation, and therefore are great classics in Children’s Literature.
Children’s literature is a microcosm of the adult world and reflects our culture and needs. Times change, but children’s books transcend time and reflect our values.
In her NEW book "Folly Cove Sketches, Remembering Virginia Lee Burton,” June Vail writes about her experiences visiting her aunt Virginia Lee Burton and refers to her as “Aunt Jinnee.” Vail describes a beautiful artistic community located off the coast of Massachusetts. While Virginia Lee Burton created children’s books in this remote location, her husband George Demetrios, an artist, taught art to others,
Descriptions of different children’s books like “Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel” and “The Little House,” focussing on the creative process of each, are fascinating for teachers, artists, parents, and especially grandparents. These books bring us back to libraries and the appreciation of good, timeless designs. It has been said that a good children’s book appeals to both children and adults alike, and I believe that is true.
Good design appealed to a group of people who formed an art community in the early 1940s in Massachusetts off the coast of Cape Ann. They called themselves the Folly Cove Designers.
Their work was shown in Boston and focused on creating patterns within patterns in a sequence of repeated motifs exploring the beauty of pure design. Many color examples of these unique and timeless designs are found in this book.
Burton’s intricate linoleum block designs were used for placemats, runners, and tablecloths fabrics. Later a printing press was employed. This art medium and the creative community developed over the years under Virginia Lee Burton's and her husband's guidance are hidden treasures.
Burton died in 1968, and her husband died in 1974, but their work lives on in their contributions, and this new and wonderful book by June Vail opens a new window on their creativity.
For those of you who love all forms of art and reading about the creative process, look for this book. It is a gem. It is a uniquely organized book with meticulous notes in large reference paragraphs after each chapter. Placing notes, quotes, and explanations after each chapter makes the book accessible and enlarge its understanding. I recommend it highly.
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