I've always wondered about Illustration Art. Ever since I was a kid and saw a painting by Frank Schoonover of pirates storming a ship at Newman Galleries in Philadelphia I thought it was just about the best style of art there was. I had come to find out that some folks poo poo illustration art as not of the same caliber as other styles of art. Maybe it's because Illustration Art was used in magazines and publications, made for another reason than just as art. Well, I really can't say - but I know that this style is one of my favorites. Not long ago I purchased an unsigned oil on illustration board of men on camels against a bright purple sky. Here it is…

The first thing I did was to take it out of that frame. Ugh. Then I started researching images that might resemble this one. Believe it or not there were a bunch of stories of Middle East adventures. I'm still researching who the artist might be, so stay tuned. But when I think about illustration art, I immediately think about the Brandywine School…

The members of this school included Howard Pyle, Jessie Wilcox Smith, N.C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, Violet Oakley among about 70 others who were hand picked each year to learn from Pyle. So remember to always keep your mind open to new and different styles of art!