| Judith Schermer | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1941-02-19) February 19, 1941 (age 83) Detroit |
| Occupation(s) | Painter; former children's author/illustrator |
| Years active | c. 1973–2000s |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | 1 sister |
Judith Schermer (born on February 19, 1941) is a Detroit-born, Philadelphia-based painter who also wrote and illustrated for children during the 1970s and 1980s.
Life and career
Schermer was born on February 19, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan. Her father, Minnesota-born George Schermer, worked in human and urban relations; her mother Bernice had jobs in real estate and teaching. She attended the Universities of Colorado and Pennsylvania in 1964, and Chicago during 1965–67, returning to the Pennsylvania facilities in 1970–72. She was also a member of the Philadelphia Art Alliance.
Schermer studied anthropology in college, but later chose to pursue a career in painting and illustration. Self-taught in that field, she used oils and acrylics in her artwork. Between c. 1973 and 1983, she illustrated titles by other writers; by 1979, she also illustrated Mouse in House, her first and only book as an author.
In 1995, the rundown state of the Philadelphia Naval Home (situated close to her residence) inspired Schermer to create a painting called Burgeoning. Entering the 2000s, her works were exhibited at the city's Third Street Gallery.
Critical analysis
As The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote in March 2000, "Schermer's lines, angles and shadows ... results in crisply defined patterns of the kind that Charles Sheeler made famous. ... small-scale understated in every particular, but not so matter-of-fact that they seem as ordinary as her raw material." Her works, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, "capture a contemporary moment reminiscent of early DeChirico paintings, when forms seem suspended in time."
Selected works
- Break the Smoking Habit (1977; by Ovide F. and Cynthia S. Pomerleau; Research Press)
- Mouse in House (1979; Houghton Mifflin)
- Stepdog (1983; by Marlene F. Shyer; Scribner)
References
- ^ Commire, Anne, ed. (1983). "Schermer, Judith (Denise) 1941–". Something About the Author. Vol. 30. Gale Research. pp. 184–185. ISBN 0-8103-0055-9. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Sozanski, Edward J. (October 22, 2004). "Museums • Galleries — Art: Into the trees". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. W22. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Eby, Eleanor (July 15, 1979). "Children's corner: Field and mouse: Picture books". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15-I. Archived from the original on July 10, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Urban Relations Consultant George Schermer, 78, Dies". The Washington Post. June 5, 1989. p. D04. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Loyd, Linda (June 5, 1989). "Obituary: George Schermer, Housing Activist". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E.10. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Cuddigan, Maureen; Hanson, Mary Beth (1988). "Emotions and Feelings: Jealousy". Growing Pains: Helping Children Deal with Everyday Problems Through Reading. American Library Association (ALA). p. 47. ISBN 0-8389-0469-6. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- Dove, Pheralyn (December 15, 1995). "In Abington show, a celebration of artistry and community". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. N5. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Sozanski, Edward J. (March 31, 2000). "Museums • Galleries — Art: Architectural patterns". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. W42. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Fabbri, Anne R. (March 3, 2000). "Bright Idea: Shed the Darkness and Gloom of Winter – Gallery-Hop by Daylight". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 76. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via ProQuest.
- Monson, Dianne L., ed. (1985). "Contemporary Realistic Fiction: Stories About Everyday Life: Picture Books". Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K - Grade 6 (PDF). National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). p. 160. ISBN 0-8141-0076-7. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via ERIC.ed.gov
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