This fine serigraph is part of the series often referred to as the "Ranger Doug" posters, in the style of the WPA posters of National Parks from the 30's. Ranger Doug is generally credited with kicking off the trend of "retro-style" park posters with his meticulously-researched, hand-screened prints.
15.5" x 21" on gallery-quality acid-free paper.
Made in USA-- in Seattle
In 1970, a young seasonal ranger named Doug Leen found an old poster during clean-up of a horse barn at Grand Teton National Park and took it home instead of pitching it onto the burn pile. More than 20 years later he discovered that it was one of the few survivors of a series of National Park promotional posters created by the Depression-era WPA's Federal Art Project. When he learned that some of the designs had been lost altogether and were known only by a handful of black-and-white photos, he set about researching colors and techniques to create authentic reproductions in collaboration with other artists, notably Brian Maebius.
Eventually, the artists turned the skills they'd learned in reproducing the antique posters to creating new designs for more modern parks. The Federal Art Project ended in 1943, but this print is a thoughtful, carefully-researched projection of what the WPA artists might have created for Big Bend National Park if the program had lasted one year longer.