Alice and Martin Provensen
Encyclopedia
Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen (July 10, 1916, Chicago, Illinois, USA–March 27, 1987, Staatsburg, New York
, USA) were an American
author
-illustrator
team who created children's books.
There was a remarkable similarity to the couple's early histories. Both were born in Chicago
, Illinois
, and both moved to California
when they were twelve. Both received scholarships to the Art Institute of Chicago
, and both attended the University of California
, though at separate campus
es. After college, Alice went to work with Walter Lantz Studio
, the creators of Woody Woodpecker
, and Martin took work with the rival Walt Disney Studio
, where he collaborated on Dumbo
, Fantasia
, and Pinocchio
.
The pair met in 1943 when Martin, working as a creator of training films for the American military, was assigned to the Walter Lantz Studio. They were married in 1944 and resettled in Washington, D.C.
, where they worked on war-related projects. Following the end of the war, they moved to New York City
, where a friend assisted them in finding their first job, illustrating The Fireside Book of Folk Songs. In 1952, Tony the Tiger
, designed by Martin, debuted as a Kellogg's
mascot. Following that, they illustrated several Little Golden Books
such as The Color Kittens
, and in 1982, they received the Caldecott Honor Medal for their illustration of A Visit to William Blake's Inn
, by Nancy Willard
. They were further recognized just two years later, when they received the Caldecott Medal
for A Glorious Flight, the story of aviator
Louis Blériot
, the first man to fly solo across the English Channel
. The Provensens have been on the New York Times list of the Ten Best Illustrated Books eight times for such classics as Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm and An Owl and Three Pussycats. In all, the couple wrote and illustrated more than 50 books and lived in Dutchess County, New York.
After the death of her husband in 1987 of a heart attack, Alice went on to publish The Buck Stops Here: the Presidents of the United States. Punch in New York, published in 1991, is considered the best of Alice's solo work. The book received several honors and is dedicated to her grandson, Sean. As of 2006, she continues to write and illustrate.
Staatsburg, New York
Staatsburg is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 911 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
, USA) were an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
-illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
team who created children's books.
There was a remarkable similarity to the couple's early histories. Both were born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and both moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when they were twelve. Both received scholarships to the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, and both attended the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, though at separate campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
es. After college, Alice went to work with Walter Lantz Studio
Walter Lantz Studio
Walter Lantz Productions was an American animation studio. It was in operation from 1928 to 1948 and then 1950 to 1972 and was the principal supplier of animation for Universal Studios, now part of the media conglomerate NBC Universal.-History:...
, the creators of Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
, and Martin took work with the rival Walt Disney Studio
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
, where he collaborated on Dumbo
Dumbo
Dumbo is a 1941 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a...
, Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
, and Pinocchio
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
.
The pair met in 1943 when Martin, working as a creator of training films for the American military, was assigned to the Walter Lantz Studio. They were married in 1944 and resettled in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where they worked on war-related projects. Following the end of the war, they moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where a friend assisted them in finding their first job, illustrating The Fireside Book of Folk Songs. In 1952, Tony the Tiger
Tony the Tiger
Tony the Tiger is the advertising cartoon mascot for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal, appearing on its packaging and advertising. More recently, Tony has also become the mascot for Tony's Cinnamon Krunchers and Tiger Power...
, designed by Martin, debuted as a Kellogg's
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
mascot. Following that, they illustrated several Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books is a popular series of children's books. The first 12 titles were published on October 1, 1942:#Three Little Kittens#Bedtime Stories#Mother Goose#Prayers for Children#The Little Red Hen#Nursery Songs...
such as The Color Kittens
The Color Kittens
The Color Kittens is a children's book by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen published in 1949.The story revolves around two kittens, "Hush" and "Brush," who attempt to create green paint through mixing their other paints. Their attempts, amusingly, lead to a variety of...
, and in 1982, they received the Caldecott Honor Medal for their illustration of A Visit to William Blake's Inn
A Visit to William Blake's Inn
A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers is a book by Nancy Willard that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1982. It is also the only book to have won both the Newbery Award and the Caldecott Honor Award...
, by Nancy Willard
Nancy Willard
Nancy Willard is an award-winning children's author, poet, and novelist. In 1982, she received the Newbery Medal for A Visit to William Blake's Inn...
. They were further recognized just two years later, when they received the Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
for A Glorious Flight, the story of aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
Louis Blériot
Louis Blériot
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, when he crossed the English Channel. For this achievement, he received a prize of £1,000...
, the first man to fly solo across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. The Provensens have been on the New York Times list of the Ten Best Illustrated Books eight times for such classics as Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm and An Owl and Three Pussycats. In all, the couple wrote and illustrated more than 50 books and lived in Dutchess County, New York.
After the death of her husband in 1987 of a heart attack, Alice went on to publish The Buck Stops Here: the Presidents of the United States. Punch in New York, published in 1991, is considered the best of Alice's solo work. The book received several honors and is dedicated to her grandson, Sean. As of 2006, she continues to write and illustrate.