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American Book Artist Michael McCurdy

© Suzanne Hill

New England illustrator Michael McCurdy creates striking and contemporary black and white art. His work resonates with bold yet touching drama. His mastery of his art form is evidenced by its being featured in over 170 illustrated books for children and adults.

McCurdy appears to be drawn to and inspired by historical themes as witnessed by the following examples:

• The Gettysburg Address, winner of numerous awards, includes the artist’s double-page drawings as well as an afterword written by McCurdy describing the historical context of the subject matter.
• Lucy’s Christmas, Donald Hall’s story of Christmas preparations in old New Hampshire, displays McCurdy’s full-color scratchboard work.
• Escape from Slavery, abridged and illustrated by McCurdy, is the story of Frederick Douglass’ childhood.
• Giants in the Land, written by Diana Appelbaum, describes the history of New England logging and includes McCurdy’s black and white drawings.
• American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne contains fifty of McCurdy’s colored wood engravings.
• Hannah's Farm: The Seasons on an Early American Homestead is interestingly both written and illustrated by McCurdy.
• In the classic book, The Man Who Planted Trees, by Jean Giono, which has proven to be McCurdy’s (and the publisher's) best seller, the artist designed the work, set the type, and contributed over twenty wood engravings.

In addition to historical themes, the artist states that the character of his wood engravings or scratchboard drawings conjure up an early American New England feeling. Indeed, wood engravings and scratchboard drawings have been this illustrator’s main mediums. He claims to have had a love affair with wood engravings that started while he was in art school and cut his first block in 1962. McCurdy describes his technique for wood engraving thus:

"One works on the end grain of either boxwood or maple (now people are engraving on plastic blocks--Barry Moser for one). The wood is hard and polished--and since there is no grain with which to contend, the engraver can cut in any direction without resistance. The tools, originally those used by metal engravers, are called burins. They have steel shanks and round wooden handles."

Describing how this medium differs from woodcuts, McCurdy states, "Woodcuts are created on the side grain of a plank of softer wood as opposed to the end grain. It is therefore easy to go with the grain, but difficult to cut across the grain. The results are cruder, more rough and ready. The tools employed as well are different, being V-shaped gouges and knives."

Hand With Acorn copyright Michael McCurdy

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