Sarah Noble Ives was christened as Sarah Maria Ives but most often signed her work just as Noble Ives. Many female artists did that in times where the mere gender of the artist may drastically reduce the possibilities of earning in the rough and competitive world of creatives.
Her initial education came at home, at the schoolhouse on Grosse Ille, from Port Huron High School and Edna Chafee Noble's Training School (from Ms. Noble Sarah's 'middle' pen-name came from). She showed artistic aspirations from the very beginning and her environment supported her. Next step was watercolor study at John Owen in Detroit, followed by New York (School for Artists and Artisans) and Paris (Academie Julian and Academie Delecluse). She was too versatile to 'belong' to just one style, but if we must name one of her more popular characteristics, we should mention the usage of Art Nouveau elements.
She was born in the Detroit area, worked most of her time in New York, and retired (together with two sisters) in California, where she also made an impact as the first local historian in Altadena. Here are a few more interesting facts about her work:
1. She was a versatile painter. Between 1892 and 1922 she exhibited her works in pencil, crayon, oil, watercolor, and pen and ink. Her landscapes can still be found on the market, are in general of smaller format (roughly in the size of a book), and cost around thousand dollars.
Here is an example in oil on canvass, a calming composition of boats and stones at the water:
2. She was a freelancer who worked for numerous newspapers and magazines as a writer and an illustrator. Boston Globe, The McClure's, and New York Herald Tribune were among her best employers. Even when she retired, she still had enough energy to respond to the offer of the local community and became the chronicler of her new hometown - Altadena, California.
3. She was a prolific illustrator of books for kids and young readers. Her style was extremely versatile, so she could cover a wide range of literary genres and style in black and white and color technique. She also wrote several books (which she also illustrated). Here are a few examples of her works with additional links:
Cinderella as a painter
Puss in Boots as an illustrator for children
https://past-tense.blog.hu/2019/08/14/the_puss_in_boots_illustrated_by_sarah_noble_ives
Old Ben as an illustrator for young adults
https://yesterdaysdream.hatenadiary.com/entry/2019/08/15/203913
Dog Heroes of Many Lands as a writer and illustrator
https://ameblo.jp/vintageart/entry-12509597615.html
Can you add more to the productive life of Sarah Noble Ives?
She was born in the Detroit area, worked most of her time in New York, and retired (together with two sisters) in California, where she also made an impact as the first local historian in Altadena. Here are a few more interesting facts about her work:
1. She was a versatile painter. Between 1892 and 1922 she exhibited her works in pencil, crayon, oil, watercolor, and pen and ink. Her landscapes can still be found on the market, are in general of smaller format (roughly in the size of a book), and cost around thousand dollars.
Here is an example in oil on canvass, a calming composition of boats and stones at the water:
2. She was a freelancer who worked for numerous newspapers and magazines as a writer and an illustrator. Boston Globe, The McClure's, and New York Herald Tribune were among her best employers. Even when she retired, she still had enough energy to respond to the offer of the local community and became the chronicler of her new hometown - Altadena, California.
3. She was a prolific illustrator of books for kids and young readers. Her style was extremely versatile, so she could cover a wide range of literary genres and style in black and white and color technique. She also wrote several books (which she also illustrated). Here are a few examples of her works with additional links (just click the picture):
Cinderella by Noble Ives as a painter
Puss in Boots by Noble Ives as an illustrator for children
Old Ben by Noble Ives as an illustrator for young adults
Dog Heroes of Many Lands by noble Ives as a writer and illustrator
Can you add more to the productive life of Sarah Noble Ives?