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Prairie Press Hand printed notecards: Springfield Series, Illinois Capitol Series (5" x 7")

 File — Box: 3, Folder: 1
Identifier: Folder 1

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

Springfield artist, specializing in pen-and-ink drawings of local private homes, street scenes, public buildings, and advertisements for local businesses, private collectors, newspapers, and magazines since 1973. Series I. Donated by the artist in 1982, includes news clippings, reproduced drawings, illustrations, posters, sketches, and cartoons that feature the Illinois State Capitol, downtown Springfield buildings and scenes, Sangamon State University, and private homes.  This series contains sketches and posters that were used by SSU, the Marine Bank of Springfield, No Baloney restaurant, and other local businesses for promotional material and advertisements. Series II. Donated by the artist in 2005, includes newspaper articles, mostly from Springfield papers, that demonstrate the artist's success throughout his career.  Crook's drawings were used for numerous "Illinois Times" visitors guides, fliers for events such as the "People's Sangamon River Eco-Fest" and "Carpenter Park Appreciation Day," maps, and front-page stories.  Also included are short biographies of Crook as well as promotional material for his exhibits.  This series contains prints made from Crook's pen-and-ink drawings dating from 1978 to 2004.  These prints feature the Illinois State Capitol, Springfield buildings and streets, the Illinois landscape, parks of Springfield, the Sangamon River, and various homes throughout the city.  Printed note cards included in the collection display the same themes.  Also included are postcards of Route 66 scenes as well as copies of some of Crook's Mexican watercolors. Series III. Donated by the artist in 2010, this series contains  artwork from 2006 to 2010 as well as news articles written by and about the author.  The series includes: 19 pen and ink drawings reproduced on note cards, copies of Mineshaft magazine including illustrations by Crook, 32 oversized prints, and news articles and advertisement designs .  The oversized prints are mostly proofs hand pulled by the artist from relief photo engraving plates, except for a few which are digital prints.  Most of these prints show landscapes and architectural views of places in central Illinois. Other prints pertain to the impeachment of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2009-10. Series IV. Donated by the artist in 2016, this series features items from the years 2010-2016, including 53 handpulled and offset prints and notecards reproduced from Croook's original pen and ink drawings, showing scenes and buildings from Springfield, Chicago, Utah, and along Route 66. Also included are newspaper stories and other ephemera featuring Crook and his artwork; 17 issues of Mineshaft magazine, including contributions by Crook; and a tribute by Crook to his friend and fellow artist Bob Waldmire (1945-2009). Some of the prints are watercolored, and some are color inkjet prints.

Dates

  • Created: 1975-2016
  • Other: Date acquired: 04/00/1982

Conditions Governing Access

None

Extent

From the Collection: 0.75 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the UIS Archives/Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Archives/Special Collections LIB 144
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield IL 62703-5407 US
217-206-6520