Lost and Found, 1981
If you have been following Animalarium for a while, you have likely already seen some works
by the American painter, illustrator and author Dahlov Ipcar. It's about time that I dedicate
a full post to this wonderful artist!
and grew up in New York. When her artistic talent began to manifest itself at an early age,
her parents didn't enroll her in any art courses, but instead encouraged and nurtured her talent
in the creative atmosphere of their home, leaving her free to develop her unique personal style.
One Horse Farm, 1950
Animals were always a part of Dahlov's life: her family's pets rincluded Maine Coon cats, dalmatian dogs,
rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, goldfish, finches and parakeets. As a young child she dreamt of living in a farm,
and animals were already her favorite subject, especially jungle wildlife. The family spent their summers
in the countryside, and in 1923 they bought a large farm on Georgetown Island, Maine.
In 1936, at age 19, Dahlov married Adolph Ipcar, and the following winter the young couple
moved into a farmhouse on her parent's property. Both enjoyed their simple rural life devoid
of modern conveniences such as electricity, indoor plumbing and central heating.
They learnt the skills necessary for living off the land from neighbors and old manuals,
and started their own dairy farm. Besides cows, they raised poultry, horses and pigs,
all without outside help.
Brown Cow Farm, 1959
While working on the farm and raising her two sons, Ipcar continued to work on her art.
Her chosen subjects were family portraits and scene of farm life. In 1945 she illustrated
her first children's book, The Little Fisherman by Margaret Wise Brown.
Hard Scrabble Harvest, 1976
The book's success launched her artistic career, and she went on to write and illustrate
over thirty children's books of her own. Numerous of these books are based
on her joyful and frustrating experiences while working on the farm.
In the '50s Dahlov began experimenting with new artistic ideas, and found inspiration in her childhood love
for exotic animals. The 1960 book Calico Jungle marked a turning point in her style: the intricate patterns
and bold colors of these illustrations were to become defining elements of her work.
The Cat at Night, 1969
Bug City, 1975
Blue Savannah, 1978
King Cheetas
Amboseli - Kudo and Wild Dogs, 1976
Dahlov's creative output includes a variety of other projects, including soft sculptures, large-scale murals
for public buildings, four fantasy novels, and a volume of short stories for adults. Now 92,
she continues to live on her farm, while her beloved husband died in 2003 at the age of 98.
Celeste from the Dahlov Ipcar Rug Collection
Still feisty and energetic, Dahlov paints on a daily basis and is at works on new children's books.
Fortunately, many of her older titles are being republished by Islandport Press, while a line of rugs
Dahlov's works are in many permanent collections, including the Metropolitan and Whitney museums.
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