TRAILBLAZING WOMEN PRINTMAKERS by Elena M. Sarni is the first comprehensive history of the Folly Cove Designers—a fascinating grassroots collective of predominantly women designer-craftspeople who worked together from 1941 to 1969 in Massachusetts and includes many rediscovered and never seen before Folly Cove designs. 

Led by the much loved American illustrator and children's book author, Virginia Lee Burton Demetrios, the Folly Cove Designers were unique in that many had no previous artistic training and were mostly friends and neighbors of Demetrios. One of America's longest-running artist collectives, the trailblazing group produced more than three hundred distinct designs, which they block printed onto fabric. Members were urged by Demetrios to look to their surroundings for inspiration, to draw "what they knew" and to sketch their subjects over and over again until they “made them their own.” 

TRAILBLAZING WOMEN PRINTMAKERS documents and celebrates the group's tremendous success and the incredible artistry of its members. With more than 250 black-and-white and color photographs and historical ephemera, author Elena M. Sarni explores the Folly Cove Designers' history, work, and group dynamics. As she explains, “This book was a pure labor of love. I worked on it for thirteen years, never tiring of the subject. Even now I continue to learn new things  about the group and its members. I hope that my decade plus years of work will satisfy Folly Cove fans and at the same time expose a whole new audience of pattern lovers to the Folly Cove Designers and their incredible work, thus furthering the legacy of this dynamic but often historically underrepresented group.” 

The intricate eye-catching designs conveyed personal and regional narratives through the use of shared design principles and the compelling language of pattern. With a common interest in producing solid designs and in good craftsmanship, each member worked alone and at their home or in their studios with monthly group meetings offering discussions and critiques of their output. The group was propelled to international fame through commercial contracts with major US retailers (F. Schumacher, Lord & Taylor), articles in leading periodicals such as Life, and participation in seminal fine craft exhibitions. While work of the Folly Cove Designers continues to inspire contemporary printmakers around the globe, particularly women printmakers, it remains relatively unknown in a broader context which Sarni’s book seeks to redress. 

Named by Hyperallergic as “one of the best art books of 2023.”

Winner of the 2024 Historic New England Book Prize.

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