Illustrator Research - Dean Cornwell

Dean Cornwell (1892-1960) was an American illustrator and muralist from Louisville, Kentucky (which automatically makes him cooler because Aspen is from Louisville). His father was a civil engineer, and his industrial drawings fascinated him as a child. At 18 he started his professional career as an artist at the Louisville Herald, where he worked as a cartoonist. Eventually, he moved to Chicago to attend the Art Institute (because there is no place of worth to study art in Louisville) and also worked for the Chicago Tribune. In 1915, he moved to New York and studied under Harvey Dunn at the Art Student's League of New York. After that, he then travelled to London to study mural painting as an apprentice to Frank Brangwyn.

Cornwell taught and lectured at the Art Students League in New York. He served as president of the Society of Illustrators from 1922 to 1926, and was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1959. His oil paintings were frequently featured in popular magazines and books. He did literary illustrations, advertisements, and posters promoting the war effort. In the first half of the 20th century he had a great presence in American illustration, and at the peak of his popularity he was even dubbed the "Dean of Illustrators." (funny, right? since his name is DEAN. HA!)