If you are a child of the seventies, then you probably remember Joan Walsh Anglund's iconic illustrations. Sweet, turn-of-the-century era American girls and boys (who featured in such books as A Friend is Someone Who Likes You) had round faces and no noses or mouths. Like Hello Kitty, you say? But no.
This reminds me of a scene out of Howard's End:
My grandmother had a small collection of her books that she would read to us, and my mother's subscription to Good Housekeeping sometimes featured Joan Walsh Anglund's "Children's Page" with cut-out activities like paper dolls. So even at a very young age, I got it: Joan Walsh Anglund was for children!
Please do not confuse Joan Walsh Anglund with Precious Moments, Holly Hobbie*, or other characters whose designs were available through Hallmarks stores.
I had sheets with these figures on them. Does anyone know who they were?
Not Joan Walsh Anglund
Joan Walsh Anglund
Not Joan
Joan
Now, I need to digress for a moment and point out that Precious Moments (which I thought the above figures were at first) has become such an industry that there is a Precious Moments park in Missouri. My friend Natasha first mentioned this to me, and I have since learned that not only is there a park, there is a chapel that was "inspired by Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel in Rome" (oh, THAT Sistine Chapel!).
"The art on the east side of the Chapel depicts the Bible’s Old Testament stories; while New Testament stories are shown on the west side. .... All of the murals combine to cover nearly 5,000 square feet – truly a breathtaking sight."
OMG I need to see this before I die.
Why doesn't Joan Walsh Anglund have a park?? I would totally go.
*Holly Hobbie will receive her own post in due time because, much like Strawberry Shortcake, she has been tarted up and it is just NOT cool.
Not Joan= Betsey Clark
ReplyDelete