With its proximity to the cultural hub of New York City and its quieter suburban and rural landscapes, Connecticut was fertile ground for artists and writers in the period of Modernist movements between 1913 and 1979. Many of these cultural figures are well known through biographical and critical studies. Creative Places seeks to show how place played a significant role in creative work, and how in turn the artists and writers influenced communities in Connecticut.
Raymond James Holden
Illustration, Painting/Drawing
1901 – 1993
WPA artist and illustrator.
- Biography/Description of Work
Holden studied at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1923, and between 1936 and 1937 worked on 77 color plates for the Index of American Design as part of the WPA Art Project. During his career he illustrated several books, including “Poems of Whitman” and “Thoreau’s Cape Cod.” He also created Christmas card designs for the American Artist Group for forty years and New England scenes for Hallmark Cards. Many of his submissions were drawn from local scenes of Southeastern Connecticut and his home town of Sterling. In 1972, the artist created a mural of local historical landmarks which he donated to the town of Sterling.
- Sources view
- UConn artists database, Falk 99. WPA CT web site: http://wpa.cslib.org/index.php/504/holden-raymond-j/ Zoe, Vivan. Slater Museum Muse. Winter 2008.
- Associated Resource(s)