Nov. 3, 2023- Mar. 17, 2024
Lent by the Homestead National Monument of Beatrice, Nebr., Bone Creek Museum presents Judy Thompson‘s Homestead Series.
Judy says, “I completed the Homestead Series just before the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act by President Abraham Lincoln. As artist-in-residence at Homestead National Monument, my “job” was to interpret this historic site through my watercolors. For two weeks, I hiked and sketched the prairie landscape, explored historic sites, and researched local museums and libraries. I also looked through historic photos at Nebraska’s state archives. This research provided me with the stories, colors and even the textures for each artwork. It doesn’t get better than this!
I was very fortunate to have my series tour throughout the region at a variety of venues during this historic celebration. These exhibitions gave me the opportunity to connect with curators and art enthusiasts from around the country. The icing on the cake, however, was visiting folks whose family history is rooted in the homesteading era. What a delight! The Homestead Series had come full circle.
One of the venues during this150th Anniversary Tour was the Cultural Center in Pierre, South Dakota. This is where the editor of the “Pioneer Girl Series” saw my art on exhibition. You can imagine my surprise when she called was asked if I would be interested in creating the cover art for Laura Ingalls Wilder’s autobiography!”
Watch a video- The Making of the Homestead Series
This memorable collection in watercolor is combined with Judy’s Pioneer Girl Series, serving as the cover art for the New York Times best selling book Pioneer Girl: the Autobiography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The remaining three books deal with Wilder’s journey as an author and her collaboration with her daughter, Rose Lane. All four books are now published, with the latest arriving in bookstores this past spring. Learn more about this project at pioneergirlproject.org.
