From The Archives: More Jon Gnagy Inspired Artwork

Another great thrift store find is this 1950 edition of "Learn to Draw" by Jon Gnagy America's first television art instructor. What makes this worn copy so special is that it includes artwork based on Gnagy's instructions. The name "Emma" is written on the top left cover in pencil and we can assume these were her sketches. Other drawings in this book included a portrait of a dog and a colored picture of a bird.

2021 is the 75th anniversary year of Gnagy's first appearances on television (May 13, 1946). According to some television histories, Gnagy's program could be considered the first children's program on regular broadcast television. This may be true for the post-war period when television finally began to captivate the masses. Gnagy's program "You Are An Artist" (1946-1950) predated NBC's "Campus Hoopla" (1946-1947), a teen dancing program, by seven months.

Whoever "Emma" was, she showed promosing talent. She was most likely a young girl born between 1930 and 1945. This copy with Emma's art was found in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina.

From The Archives: A Vintage Jon Gnagy Kit and Drawing

American Painting legend Bob Ross (1942 - 1995) is continuing to have a surge in popularity with 24 hour streaming channels and YouTube. Long before the genial perm sporting PBS artist, there was Jon Gnagy (1907 - 1981). Gnagy pioneered teaching a television audience how to draw begining in 1946 over the historic WNBT station in Washington D.C. His Jon Gnagy "Learn to Draw" Kits have sold millions for decades, and I was delighted to come across a vintage edition in a church mission thrift store.

The biggest surprise was finding that there were still charcoal drawings inside the kit, one of which is posted at the top of this article.

Also included in this kit were original Jon Gnagy drawing pencils, with additional art supplies. 

There is no way of knowing for sure if this drawing or kit belonged to a child, but Gnagy's impact on generations of future illustrators is well documented. One can wonder if Bob Ross watched Gnagy as a kid.