Inventory for Howard Cook (1901-1980)
Howard Cook was perhaps one of the Americas finest printmakers. Cook born in Springfield, Massachusetts, studied under Joseph Pennell at the Art Students League in New York, circa early 1920's. By probably 1924 Forum Magazine had become aware of him and had published a few of his prints influenced while on a trip to Maine. In 1926 Forum hired Cook to go to the Southwest and create a series of prints for a serial edition of Willa Cather's book "Death Comes for the Archbishop." Those prints were never completed and if completed were never reproduced in the Forum publication however the trip to the Southwest would influence his future to a great extent. As he became more successful by the late 1920's he was being exhibited, with several shows at Weyhe Gallery. Viewing his prints in a timeline (See Duffy and Duffy's 1984 catalogue raisonne) one can see that his first Southwest trip took him to the El Paso, Santa Fe, Taos, the Grand Canyon, and other iconic Southwestern locals. It was in Taos where Cook would meet his future artist wife Barbara Latham (1896-1989). Ever the traveler Cook, now married to Latham, received a Guggenheim Fellowship that allowed them to go to central Mexico, circa 1931-1933. Finding themselves in the thriving artistic village of Taxco the Cooks installed a printing press and began work. Although Cook is often seen as a Southwestern artist he and Latham would always travel back to New York where more work and galleries were available. In 1939, the two artists purchased a small adobe home in Talpa, New Mexico, just south of Taos. Although they would consider this there "Home" travels and visits to other locations that involved onsite work would often pull them away. Due to Howard's failing health (multiple sclerosis) the couple moved to Roswell, New Mexico, around 1956, were they stayed for approximately four years, then moving to Santa Fe for the rest of their lives.
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Howard Cook "Grand Canyon" 1927, Woodcut.
Howard Cook "Rosanna" 1939, Lithograph
Howard Cook "Mexican Family" 1940, Lithograph.
Howard Cook "Colorado River" 1927, Woodcut.
