In 1935, President Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration, later called the WPA as part of his New Deal program to put millions of unemployed Americans back to work.
Federal Project Number One was to fund artists, musicians, actors and writers through the Federal Art Project, FAP.
The New Deal administrators believed art could be a part of the daily lives of all Americans, not just the elite.
FAP absorbed New York Mayor LaGuardia’s earlier Poster Project and thus began a poster division within FAP, itself part of the WPA.
The New York City group encouraged bold colors in a variety of styles thus raising poster art to a true art form.
FAP artists were soon creating posters in at least 18 states with large groups in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Originally created by hand, silk screening had been developed at Stern Brothers Department Store in New York City and it became the popular reproduction process. Production reached a volume of 600 posters a day!
The WPA FPA Project from 1936 to 1942 consisted of over 2000 boldly colored and graphically diverse designs. The designs were to portray the issues of Health and Safety, Cultural Programs, Travel and Tourism, Educational Programs, Community Activities, Federal Projects and eventually patriotism during World War II.
The Travel and Tourism posters promoted "See America". They included and became famous for their dramatic presentations of America’s famous National Parks.
By 1942 the WPA FPA had been absorbed by the Defense Department with the purpose of printing patriotic War posters. That project created thirty-five thousand designs and two million posters.
Our prints are 13" x 19" and are printed using Soy/Vegetable based inks on "100% Conservation 100% Recycled American" made paper.
NOTICE: Orders for prints only (including multiples) ship FedEx Ground for $10.
We NOWW OFFER OUR WPA STYLE PRINTS PROFESSIONALLY FRAMED! See the OLYMPIC and YOSEMITE images below as examples. The 3/4" wood frames are a dark brown so as to not distract from the image. The glass is Tru Vue Conservation Grade providing 99% UV protection.
Allow a 1-2 week delay in shipping the framed or framed & matted prints. Framed no matt prints ship UPS Ground for $35 each (multiples will be quoted). Framed with matt prints ship UPS Ground for $45 each (multiples will be quoted).
Please scroll down to view and order.
NOTE: The first 30 WPA Prints are presented in continuous decreasing sequence of the number of annual visitors. Prints 31 to 36 are also in decreasing sequence but are not continuous.
PLEASE NOTE Our Supplier retains the sole COPYRIGHT of the original National Park images. Any unauthorized reproduction is a violation of International Copyright Law.
Fair Oak Workshops reserves the right to correct website pricing errors.
Email: sales@fairoak.com - Fair Oak Workshops, 1510 Lexington Ln, Downers Grove, IL 60516-3214
)