Rose O'Neill Blog

Kewpie Fans

      How many times would you like to have had a examples of Rose O'Neill work? There are several what some big enough for pictures on your wall. Bonniebrook the museum in Branson Missouri has a nice assortment of poster size pictures by Rose O'Neill. Go to www.RoseONeill.organd look in the cafe store. You will find some stunning non-kewpie posters at very reasonable prices. 

     Soon to come on YouTube are video's chapters about Kewpie the first to be Kewpies Anatomy. Both educational and fun. Announcements will be here on Twitter, my website www.LindaBrewster.com. December is coming fast and that was when Kewpie make its first appearance in Lady's Home Journal. Rose O'Neill: The Girl Who Loved to Draw would make a great Christmas present for young and old. You can find it at Amazon.com and www.BoxingDayBook.com

I have a new Rose O'Neill image for you, take a look

 

This quant little image is typical of may images by Rose O'Neill.  Kewpies seems to be having an engrossing conversation with Frog. It looks like it has been going on a while since they have rested themselves in place. I saw this week that a new cute comic character is being introduced to children soon but what is more cute than this than this little piece.

Do you have a Kewpie or Kewpie cartoon? I would love to hear from you. Tell me about your special Kewpie.

For now , have a Kewpish good day.  Linda Brewster

Many New Friends at Kewpiesta

The unveiling of Rose O'Neill: The Girl Who Loved To Draw was in April. I met many new friends. I have struck up a email relationship with the Japan Kewpie Club who's link I have added here. The event was a big success and I am on to other things for Rose O'Neill. I will be giving a talking at a local retirement community this week and hope to do more with adults and children. If anyone needs a speaker I have a delightful program. I will be adding more contents to my web site on the life timeline of Rose O'Neill so visit me there at www.LindaBrewster.com Kewpie fans take a look and share your ideas.  Until next time "Do Good Deeds In Funny Ways"    

Linda

Don't Waste a Good Crisis

Rose O'Neill lived during a time that the average person had very little. There were no social programs to help people out of trouble or food stamps to feed a family. Much has been made of Rose's glamorous adult life but there was another side to that coin. Today's economic event was much like the depression of 1870. Papa had inherited a family fortune and gambled it way on ventures that promised even greater wealth. Sound familiar? So Rose knew wealth for a very short time in her early life and remembered it into to adult life. She remembered glimpses of what it was like to live in wealth. In many ways her later life was spent trying to regain it. Her mother "Meemie" faced with the crisis of losing everything,learned to adapt and created an atmosphere for her children to grow in love and confidence that served them all well. Meemie dealt with each crisis the best she could but never feel into self-pity or lose of hope. The most practical parent,her teachings that gave Rose the foundation that was needed to gain great success. I could have written a whole book about Meemie. She was also born into a well to do family and brought up as a lady with servants and the finest cloths and finery. Her ability to adapt to situations and maintain her beliefs and love of the arts lead to the great success of her daughter. Rose was mainly home schooled both in the basics and in the arts. The visual arts she learned on her own through the many books that her father tried to make a living with. It was lucky that he didn't sell the books that Rose used to educate herself. Meemie had implanted the love of learning in her daughter and Rose used it to the best of advantages. Rose was give the confidence to be a lady and yet stand up for herself. You will learn about that when you read Rose O'Neill: The Girl Who Loved to Draw to be released in April 2009.

Don't Waste a Good Crisis

Rose O'Neill lived during a time that the average person had very little. There were no social programs to help people out of trouble or food stamps to feed a family. Much has been made of Rose's glamorous adult life but there was another side to that coin. Today's economic event was much like the depression of 1870. Papa had inherited a family fortune and gambled it way on ventures that promised even greater wealth. Sound familiar? So Rose knew wealth for a very short time in her early life and remembered it into to adult life. She remembered glimpses of what it was like to live in wealth. In many ways her later life was spent trying to regain it. Her mother "Meemie" faced with the crisis of losing everything,learned to adapt and created an atmosphere for her children to grow in love and confidence that served them all well. Meemie dealt with each crisis the best she could but never feel into self-pity or lose of hope. The most practical parent,her teachings that gave Rose the foundation that was needed to gain great success. I could have written a whole book about Meemie. She was also born into a well to do family and brought up as a lady with servants and the finest cloths and finery. Her ability to adapt to situations and maintain her beliefs and love of the arts lead to the great success of her daughter. Rose was mainly home schooled both in the basics and in the arts. The visual arts she learned on her own through the many books that her father tried to make a living with. It was lucky that he didn't sell the books that Rose used to educate herself. Meemie had implanted the love of learning in her daughter and Rose used it to the best of advantages. Rose was give the confidence to be a lady and yet stand up for herself. You will learn about that when you read Rose O'Neill: The Girl Who Loved to Draw to be released in April 2009.

The Book Is Finished

I thought I would be able to keep up this blog while I was finishing the book but no such luck.

Well, it is finished now and I am recouping for a few days. The book will be out in April you

see it at www.boxingdaybooks.com. The picture there doesn't do it justice. The 9.75 inch by

12.5 book is impressive with 68 pages of Rose O'Neill illustrations. The unveiling is April 22

in Branson, Missouri at Kewpiesta. I hope to see some of you there. Hope to see you soon.

Up Date on Rose O'Neill

It has been a while since I posted an up date on the new book on Rose O’Neill.

The title has been agreed on, Rose O’Neill: The Girl Who Loved to Draw, to be

released in April 2009. The unveiling party will be at Bonniebrook, Rose O’Neill’s

final home and museum, during Kewpiesta. The book will be the most comprehensive

selection of Rose’s illustrations printed to date in color.

 

I have learned so much about how Rose contributed to the art of illustration and comic.

Many of her inventions of illustration have been used by the greats such as Norman Rockwell, Walt Disney and many more up until today. Most illustrators don’t realize

the methods they use today were first developed by Rose O’Neill.

 

Mr. Duck you are quite right the Arabian Nights stories were not of the Greek or Roman traditions. The many stories were written in Arabic around 1704 but without a named author. Many of the stories were translated and new stories were written in the same

style. Among some of Rose’s early illustrations was a story from the Arabian Nights and

printed in the Great Divide Magazine. Most of her drawing skills were developed through

studies of the Roman and Green drawing and sculpture in art books her father owned. All her drawings of babies and children were from observation of her siblings. Babies were

her favorite. Her array of facial expression could only been done by watching lives models in the form of sisters, brothers, neighbor children and the many babies her mother had.

 

Until next time. Do Good Deeds in a Funny Way.

 

 

 

Americas First Woman Cartoonist

First American Woman Cartoonist Rose O'Neill.

It is truely disappointing that Americas First Woman Cartoonist has been so poorly recognized. Before Nell Brinkley,  Jack Ormes, and Jessie Willcox Smith, who wasn't a cartoonist at all,  there was Rose O'Neill.  From 1893 til the end of her life in 1944 she worked mostly in cartoons  with additional illustrations for stories in magazines and books.  Kewpie was the cartoon she was best know for, but she created cartoons for Puck the humor magazine starting in 1897. Very few of the "Best of "books even list her and almost none give her credit for being the First. During this time while we are watching a Woman running for president it is clear that the publishing business needs to get up todate on who did what and when.

Kewpiesta

April is the month for Kewpiesta. The Celebration is sponsored by IROCF International Rose O'Neill Club Foundation and is held in Branson, Missouri. Branson is also the location of Rose O'Neill's final home. I was unable to go this year but I am sure the Celebration was well attended as usual. At the next Kewpiesta in 2009 they will be Celebrating the Centennial of the Kewpie Character first seen in print in the December issue of Ladies Home Journal. The doll didn't come for several years. Rose was as surprised as anyone that Kewpie took off and became such a huge success. Americas First Woman Cartoonist was launched into fame. Rose had been creating cartoons for Puck Magazine since 1897. She created other cartoons for other publications starting before then. Follow along with me as I write my book, What are Kewpies, Rose O'Neill to be released in 2009.

What Are Kewpie, Rose O'Neill

The books is well on it way. The rough draft is about done and I am assembling

all the images that I want to put in it. That has been tough because the people I have

to rely on are hard to get hold off. I also am looking for some images

from her Greek and Roman period. Her line work is exceptional but I must include

those images but also need to color work to give the book life. If anyone out there

has a clue where to find these, send me a message. 

Spring is finally showing its lovely head. I hope it isn’t a teaser. I am ready to open

the windows and let the fresh air in.

Til next time.

Linda