Rediscovering the WPA Poster Art
of Our National Parks
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| My newest book by Douglass Leen is a PRIZE for anyone who loves our National Parks (Dust cover) |
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| Ranger of the Lost Art by Douglas Leen Printed at Paragon Press, Salt Lake City, UT Hand bound at Roswell Bindery of Phoenix |
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| Closer look at cover art |
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| Endpapers |
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| Title Page Signed by Doug |
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| Thank you Doug! |
The story of this book via The Seattle Times:
By Gregory Scruggs
In 1971, when Doug Leen was a Grand Teton National Park ranger in his early 20s, his boss assigned him to clean out a barn, its contents destined for the dump. A silk-screen print on stiff cardboard caught his eye. Above the peaks of the Grand Tetons, “MEET THE RANGER NATURALIST AT JENNY LAKE MUSEUM” was printed on the poster in bold, green and purple type. Despite stains marring the poster, Leen could see its artistry. He took it back to his cabin.
A half-century later, that encounter
has become the life’s work of this former Seattle dentist turned Alaskan
frontiersman. His goal: uncover the forgotten history of National Park poster
art created by designers and printers working for the Works Progress
Administration during the Great Depression.
Decades of archival sleuthing, gallery auctions, junk store reconnaissance and negotiations with private collectors have culminated in Leen’s new book.
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| Pages 42 - 43 Showing the Wind Cave poster. By the way, if you enjoy critters like the buffalo in the poster above, check out Saturday's Critters. |
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| Ranger Doug Credit: Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times |
