This famous illustrator had a soft side: Find out what it inspired
John F. Gould, a well-known, artist and illustrator for more than 70 years, was always sketching.
He might decorate a Styrofoam take-out box with portraits of the people sitting around him in a restaurant. Or, if he was in a playful mood, he might draw a spider on a paper tablecloth and call for the server.
Gould, who died in 1996, was better known for his work in The Saturday Evening Post, General Electric Co., Red Book, and Popular Science magazines. But among the creations he left behind were the playful ones: a sketchpad filled with illustrations of his childhood Teddy Bear. The bear is still in the family today.
It's the subject of a Teddy Bear picnic from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 4 at the Cornwall Public Library, and it will be a family affair.
Expect Loretta Gould, John's daughter-in-law, to read from her book "Meet Barnaby Benjamin Bear" (Outskirts Press Inc., 2020). And during the reading, popular local artist Paul Gould, John’s son, will sketch along for everyone to see — and you can sketch along too. All sketching supplies will be provided.
The event is because of a discovery made by Gould's other son, Robert.
Five years ago, Robert showed the sketchpad to his wife, Loretta. She was immediately impressed. "I saw a children's book in the making," Loretta recalled.
The pictures in the sketchpad show the bear leading an exciting life — meeting Goldilocks, competing in the winter Olympics, and flying on a magic carpet that was rented from Hertz. On another page the bear is posing with Teddy Roosevelt for whom the bear is named.
Loretta got to work. First came the name, Barnaby Benjamin Bear. Next came the story. For this, Loretta imagined herself surrounded by young children in a classroom. So she wrote the narrative in simple form.
Robert said John had planned to convert the sketches into large ceramic tiles. But he probably would have been pleased to see his childhood companion in the pages of a book, entertaining generations of children.
In a separate exhibit, framed originals by John will be showcased at the Art Society of Illustrators Museum at 128 E 63rd St., in New York City from Aug. 2- Sept. 30. The exhibit will include a select group of original art spanning part of his career from 1929 through 1970. For hours, directions and ticket information, go to societyillustrators.org or call 212-838-2560.
Go: Cornwall Public Library, 395 Hudson St.; 845-534-8282, cornwallpubliclibrary.org.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: John F. Gould illustrations inspired a children's book. Hear it live
