An American Jubilee: The Art of Jane Wooster Scott
Jane Wooster Scott had not been formally trained in technique when, as an adult, she began to experiment with oil painting. In this aptly named collection of her work, the jewel-like colors of her compelling compositions spring from the page. Following in a tradition of American folk art that employs flat use of color and attention to detail, Wooster Scott paints a charming, Norman Rockwellian vision of American communities. The majority of these delightfully bustling scenes are patriotic tributes to such turn-of-the-century seasonal rituals as ice skating, pumpkin harvesting, carnivals, and parades. The accompanying text is trite and undermines the strength of the work, but luckily the full-page reproductions speak for themselves.