THE MOVIE ART OF FRANK McCARTHY

THE MOVIE ART OF
FRANK McCARTHY

ARTICLES

INTRODUCING A NEW JUNIOR LITERARY GUILD ARTIST: FRANK McCARTHY

LIFE AT Cross-Bar Ranch began to change from the day Jeff Reed brought a new wife from the East to his Wyoming ranch. Kate resented the coming of a stepmother and rebelled at all attempts to "make a lady" out of her. The girl's one ambition was to become, upon graduating from high school, one of the cowhands in her father's outfit. She could do it, too! Then one day came the complete change. Dad, breaking a wild stallion, was thrown to sudden death. Crushed by her grief, Kate grew more and more indifferent to the ranch and its management and left everything to faithful old Long John. Money was scarce, and cowhands were leaving. What happened when Kate and Ilsa, who had refused to leave her orphaned stepdaughter, heard a radio announcement of an All-Girl Rodeo is told for you older girls in Enid Johnson's latest book, Cowgirl Kate. And that led to "Cowgirl Incorporated" and a fresh start for the ranch, to new friendships and old ones and even to romances.

On page eleven Enid Johnson tells how she came to write this new book. The illustrator, Frank McCarthy, is a new Junior Guild friend; you will meet him and his family on page fourteen.

(...)

This is Frank McCarthy speaking:

"New York City is my birthplace, and the date was March 30, 1924. I attended school in Scarsdale, New York, from the first grade through high school. From there I went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and to the Art Students League for two summers.

I have sketched and painted ever since I can remember — first, clipper ships and boats, for sailing has long been a hobby of mine. Many a time I have gone straight to the art school in the city from a week end of boat racing, still smelling of salt and varnish. Later, inspired by one of your Junior Guild artists, Paul Brown, I began to sketch horses and specialize in them.

A few years ago a friend and I made a long trip by car, completely encircling our country. Most of the time I spent sketching what I saw from the windows of the car and making color notes. At the end of the day I sketched in color from the best ones. I also took many photographs to recapture the detail. These sketches have helped me greatly in my book illustration.

I enjoy the polo matches at Blindbrook in Purchase, New York, and have been to the trotting races at Goshen. Both of these I have recorded with my camera.

My favorite model is my wife. We were married a year ago last January, and now our lovely baby daughter has become my second favorite model."

(...)

Cowgirl Kate by Enid Johnson is the new Junior Literary Guild selection for older girls. It is published in the regular trade edition by Julian Messner, Inc., at $2.50. Dewey Classification: F (Fiction). Subject headings: 1. Ranch life — Fiction. 2. Western states — Fiction.

(This article originally appeared in "Young Wings: The Magazine of the Boys' and Girls' Book Club", August 1950).