LL Bean Catalog Cover Art

 Stopped upta  LL Bean's the other day.  Man the Freeport "Campus" has expanded and the LL Fiefdom is bigger than ever.   When I went into one of the Campus complex buildings I noticed a LL Catalog display rack, they have a like 10 different new catalogs; one for men, one for women, one for Fishermen, one for Hunters, one for Homesters, one for Campers.  One of the cool things is the Beaners have always had a keen connection to art by allowing artists to create and grace the covers of the catalogs since the 1930's.  

One of my favorite Maine artists and Freeport native Sara Knock is featured on one of this spring's catalog covers.  Her coastal images capture the spirit of the rocky Maine coast.  I've been a Knock fan for years, I love her ability to capture the moment in the reflections of a calm island scene.  You almost feel like your in a kayak on an early morning paddle.  For me Knock seems the perfect fit for an LL cover.  

 I contrast Knock's perfect fit that with last springs catalog by Westborough Massachusetts & Goose Rocks beach, Maine resident Margaret Gerding.  Her skill caught the eye of the clothing company, she was asked to create something for a catalog cover. "When you do a commission, it's more about what they want than what you want." said Gerding. The end result was an oil painting titled "Dories at Goose Rock Beach" it shows three boats at the shore at dusk.  It's a perfectly nice piece.  In a blog piece that that I wrote but didn't publish last spring,  I reviewed the Gerding effort.  In a retrospective look at that piece this week I remembered Gerding describing the selection of "Dories at Goose Rocks Beach" and I sensed a touch of sadness that the piece selected was not one that Gerding was really proud of.  Artistically there's a compromise that has to be made if you want to make the rent, the sad twist to that as an artist your most viewed work, on the cover of a LL catalog distributed to tens of thousands worldwide is the one piece that perhaps you really didn't like or have a passion for.  That's the business of art in a brush stroke! 

 The LL Bean Catalog cover wall of fame is located on the 2nd floor of the main LL bean Building between the fishing section and the women's shoes.  It showcases catalog cover art from the 1930's, 40's 50's 60's right through to 2012.  It contains truly fabulous images of outdoor recreation and show cases over 40 different artist from the Famous Norman Rockwell to regionally reknown Sara Knock.

  Why go see the LLBean 

Catalog wall of fame in the 

Freeport Flagship store? 
   

You could go because you need a new set of fishing waders or just go because 

your good mind needs good art! 

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