Did you know the US government once actually paid artists to work? During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration helped launch the career of Edward L. Loper, a prominent artist from Wilmington, Delaware.
We’ll find out how his lifelong curiosity, study, and teaching built a successful career lasting more than 60 years.
“Quarry” by Edward Loper, American, c. 1937, Corcoran Collection (The Evans-Tibbs Collection, Gift of Thurlow Evans Tibbs, Jr.)
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“Chair” is one of Loper’s beautiful illustrations for the Index of American Design. You can see more on the American Drawings page on the Gallery’s site. The Index is listed in the sidebar. You can get a version to zoom and pan around in here.
SHOW NOTES (TRANSCRIPT)
“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas youtu.be/jGEdNSNkZoo
Episode theme is “Night on the Docks – Sax” by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under a CC-BY Creative Commons Attribution License.
Artwork Information
https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.176358.html
Gaudiano, N. (2009, Nov 19). Bidens’ New Home a Gallery for Delaware Art. Gannett News Service (PDF)
Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.dclibrary.idm.oclc.org/docview/450231157?accountid=46320
Exhibition catalogs
The Art of Edward L. Loper, Sr: On the Path of the Masters, University Museums of the University of Delaware, 2007
Edw. L. Loper: From the Prism’s Edge, Delaware Art Museum, 1996.
Interviews
Oral history interview with Edward L. Loper, 1964 Mar. 26
Edward Loper : African American Painter (Video)
Edward Loper: Prophet of Color (Video)