Jessie Gillespie Willing


Jessie Gillespie Willing was an American illustrator during the Golden Age of illustration. She was considered the foremost silhouette illustrator of her time, although she did traditional illustration as well. Willing illustrated for books and magazines including Life, The Ladies' Home Journal, Woman's Home Companion, Mother and Child, McClure's Magazine, Childhood Education, the Sunday Magazine, Association Men, Farm and Fireside, Every Week, Children: The Magazine for Parents, and the American Magazine. She is perhaps most well known for her work for the Girl Scouts.

Early life

Willing was born in Brooklyn on March 28, 1888, to John Thomson Willing and Charlotte Elizabeth Van Der Veer Willing. Thomson Willing was a noted illustrator and art editor. He was also well known for finding new artistic talent. Jessie Willing was the eldest of three children. Her brother Van Der Veer, who died of pneumonia at the age of 29, was an advertising agent. Her sister Elizabeth Hunnewell Willing was one of the first women to graduate from the Philadelphia Divinity School. Elizabeth married the Rev. Orrin Judd, rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, on September 22, 1931, and was active in church work.
The Willing family moved to the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia in 1901 or 1902. Jessie Willing attended the Stevens School, from which she graduated in 1905. She then went on to attend the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts from 1906 to 1907.

Career

Willing used her middle name Gillespie as her professional surname. She also often signed her illustrations J.G. The story goes that the art editor of Life magazine was in Thomson Willing's office when he was the art editor of the Associated Sunday Magazine syndicate. Thomson Willing had some of Jessie's artwork on his desk, which the Life editor saw and admired. He asked for the artist's information so that he could give her freelance work. Thomson Willing did not want to be accused of nepotism so he persuaded Jessie to use Jessie Gillespie as her professional name, which she did.
In addition to her extensive illustration work, Willing was also the editor of Heirlooms and Masterpieces from 1922 to 1931 and the art editor of Jewelers' Circular-Keystone from 1933 to 1939. She specialized in jewelry publicity and advertising. In 1966 she won the Gold medal of the Printing Week Graphic Arts Exhibit in Philadelphia for her Christmas catalog for J.E. Caldwell Co., Philadelphia.
Willing was a member of the Plastic Club of Philadelphia, the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the National Arts Club of New York. She was an honorary life member of the National Arts Club and served on its Board of Governors from 1941 to 1970. In 1963, she received the Gold Medal of the National Arts Club in recognition of 32 years of selfless devotion. Additionally, she was the national director of the American Institute of Graphic Arts from 1943 to 1946. Previous to this she served as the Program Chairman of the AIGA and in that position she put together a travelling exhibit on the "history of narrative art from the first recorded picture story to the comic book of the twentieth century."

Illustrations in books

With Tongue and Pen – Frederick Bair, et al. Masoud the Bedouin – Alfred Post Carhart The Path of the Gopatis – Zilpha Carruthers The Schoolmaster and His Son: A Narrative of the Thirty Years War – Karl Heinrich Caspari On a Rainy Day – Dorothy Canfield Fisher and Sarah Scott Fisher Book of Games for Home, School and Playground – William B. Forbush and Harry R Allen Making Life Count – Eugene C. Foster Precious Books: Why and Where They are Treasured – Jessie Gillespie The Story of Little Goody Two-Shoes – The Wisdom of Professor Happy, by the Professor Himself – Cliff Goldsmith – Eleanor Glendower Griffith Travels of a Rolled Oat – Grace T. Hallock Grain Through the Ages – Grace T. Hallock A Flower of Monterey: A Romance of the Californias – Katherine B. Hamill Miss Gay's Adventures in First Aid, Series No. II: Artificial Respiration and the Need for Inhalators – Margaret Daly Hopkins Ann of Ava – Ethel Daniels Hubbard The Moffats – Ethel Daniels Hubbard Spending the Day in China, Japan and the Philippines – Sally Lucas Jean and Grace T. Hallock A Lovely Gate Set Wide: A Book of Catholic Verse for Young Readers – Sister Patrice Margaret The Pageant of Protestantism: Celebrating the Quadricentennial of the Reformation – Harriet Earhart Monroe Is this Tomorrow? – A. E. Osmond All Around the clock: Tales of Service and Sport – George Frederick Park Grif of Greenbrier Farm – George Frederick Park Everychild's Book Illustrated – Antoinette Rotan Peterson Rhymes of Cho Cho's Grandma – Mrs. Frederick Peterson Living with the Family – Hazel Huston Price The Knight in Grey: A Historical Novel – Marie E. Richard
  • The Honey Pot,Or, In the Garden of Lelita – Norval Richardson The Three Kings, translated from the German by Gustav Nieritz – Rebecca H. Schively The Singing Weaver and Other Stories – Julius and Margaret Seebach Other Peoples' Children – Margaret R. Seebach Soldier Silhouettes on our Front – William Le Roy Stidger Star Dust from the Dugouts: A Reconstruction Book – William Le Roy Stidger Health – C.E. Turner and Georgie B. Collins
  • The What-Shall-I-Do-Girl: Or, the Career of Joy Kent – Isabel Waitt The Birds' Christmas Carol – Mrs. Kate D. Wiggin The Pleasuring of Susan Smith – Helen Maria Winslow

Illustrations in ''Life'' magazine

Illustrations appearing in Life magazine:
  • Adele –, A-Dell, “Adele!, July 9, 1914
  • All, All are Gone, The Old Familiar Faces, April 7, 1910
  • And I Sent Her Only a Christmas Card!, December 1, 1910
  • At Any Matinee, April 15. 1909
  • At the Afternoon Tea: ’The Ill-bred Line, August 1, 1912
  • Baseball Term: “Perfect Control But No Speed, October 26, 1911
  • Blessed Be the Tie That Binds, November 10, 1910
  • Bride: Quick, John! There's Another Grain!, March 17, 1910
  • Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble, June 15, 1911
  • The Date Palm and the Rubber Plant, July 31, 1919
  • Desperation, Inspiration, Anticipation, Realization, March 1, 1915
  • The Difference Between Counter Irritants and Counter Attractions, September 8, 1910
  • A Directoire Wash Day, March 11, 1909
  • Dutch Treat, May 28, 1914
  • Grandmothers, March 11, 1909
  • Hark the Herald Angels Sing, December 7, 1911
  • In the Hands of the Receiver, December 7, 1916
  • January First: God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen. Let Nothing You Dismay, December 29, 1910
  • A Jug of Wine and Thou, March 31, 1910
  • The Land of the Free, December 15, 1910
  • Metamorphosis, April 29, 1909
  • Miss’ill Toe The Mark, December 7, 1911
  • The Modern Pied Piper, March 24, 1910
  • More Speed, Less Haste, January 6, 1910
  • Needs Must When Fashion Drives, March 2, 1911
  • Oh, the Difference Between Kissing a Miss, and Missing a Kiss!, December 25, 1913
  • Oh, Woman in Your Hours of Ease, October 13, 1910
  • Palms, March 31, 1910
  • Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men, December 2, 1909
  • The Right Kind of ‘Protection, September 7, 1911
  • Sister! As Others See Us, April 7, 1910
  • So Thoughtful of You – Just What I Wanted, December 2, 1909
  • Some are Born Rich, Some Achieve Riches, and Some Have Riches Thrust Upon Them
  • Styles for 1909: But Where Do We Come In?, December 3, 1908
  • Syncopation, Desperation, Renunciation, Abnegation, Consummation But ----ation, August 31, 1916
  • The Theatre Train, March 9, 1911
  • ’There was no room for them in the inn’. – St. Luke 2:7, December 2, 1915
  • They Toil Not, Neither Do They Spin, March 3, 1910
  • To Them That Hath, April 27, 1911
  • Town and Country, May 6, 1909
  • Trying Psycho-Physico Suggestion, September 22, 1910
  • Valentines, February 2, 1911
  • What Next? January 28. 1909
  • The Woman Tempted Me and I Did Eat, March 23, 1911
  • A Women's Work is Never Done, November 26, 1908

Illustrations in other magazines

  • "The Kindergarten and the Nursery School Movement" – Julia Wade Abbot
  • "Health Habits in the Kindergarten" – Julia Wade Abbot
  • "The Blue Store: A Bit of Business Magic" – Richard Bracefield
  • "Lucy and the Fairies" – Margaret Brearley
  • "Chicago, the Healthiest City" – Herman N. Bundesen
  • "Prevent Preventable Diseases" – Herman N. Bundesen.
  • "Afternoon Tea at Washington" – Adele Steiner Burleson
  • "The Gym or the 'Jimmies'" – Ellis Parker Butler
  • "The Thing You Want May Be Right at Your Elbow" – J.S. Cates
  • "Well, What's New in Your Line?" – James H. Collins
  • "Does Your Farming Ever Take You Back to School?" – James H. Collins
  • "The Child at the Christmas Play" – Jessie Collin
  • "Prohibition – And Your Farm" – William Harpter Dean
  • "The Comedy of Clothes" – Jessie Gillespie
  • Cover Art – Jessie Gillespie
  • Cover Art – Jessie Gillespie
  • Cover Art – Jessie Gillespie
  • Cover Art – Jessie Gillespie
  • "Frontispiece" – Jessie Gillespie
  • "Panta=loons" – Jessie Gillespie
  • "The Comic in Dress" – Grace Margaret Gould
  • "The Deceitful Mirror" – Grace Margaret Gould
  • "Good Lucks: After Vacation Comes Renovating Time for Faces" – Grace Margaret Gould
  • "How Do You Wear Your Hat?" – Grace Margaret Gould
  • "How to be happy Through Traveling" – Grace Margaret Gould
  • "As Bad as She's Painted? I Should Say Not!" – Corra Harris
  • "The Rain-Maker and the Missionary" – Harold B. Hunting
  • "Is Your Child's Health Threatened by Your Indifference?" – Sally Lucas Jean
  • "What are Good Manners? Can You Afford to Have Less Than the Best?" – Henry Churchill King
  • "Adventures in Money Raising" – Frank B. Lenz
  • "A Plain Farmer Answers Hughes and Sapiro on Cooperation" – Daniel Lewis
  • "What I See on Fifth Avenue" – Alice Long
  • "What I See on Fifth Avenue: That I Can Make Myself" – Alice Long
  • "Dressing the Heroine" – Kate Masterson
  • "WATER Outdoors and In" – Faith Morrison
  • "Mothers-in Law: Will Find Suggestions Her for Making Good" – A Mother of Five Children ''
  • "When Ideals are in the Making" – Henry Neumann
  • "I Don't Want to go Back! Says the Wife" – Montanye Perry
  • "My Marriage" – Readers of Every Week
  • "The 4-Flavored Cone" – Theodore Roberts
  • "What's in a Name?" – George R. Stewart
  • "A Woman and Her Raiment" – Ida M. Tarbell
  • "Her Search for a Flat: An Urban Monologue" – Helen Green Van Campen
  • "What, Then, is Then That is Worth Doing in this World?" – Joseph Wing
  • "Going After Things" – Edward Mott Woolley

''Vogue'' magazine covers

Willing's art appeared on several Vogue magazine covers from 1910 to 1912. They are generally signed J.G.

The Girl Scouts

Willing was among the noted artists, including Lester Ralph, Margaret Evans Price, and Edith Ballinger Price, to create memorable illustrations for the Girl Scouts. Willing's silhouettes were used in handbooks, song books, certificates, postcards, Christmas cards, stationery, equipment catalogs, and the Girl Scout magazines, The Rally, The American Girl, and The Girl Scout Leader.

Work for nonprofits

In addition to the work that she did for the Girl Scouts, Willing did publicity work for the Children's Aid Society, the Boys' Club of New York, the Peabody Home for Aged and Indigent Women, the Chapin Home for the Aging and the National Council of Protestant Episcopal Churches.
Willing served as president of the Manhattan United Church Women from 1957 to 1960; the vice president and a director of the Manhattan Protestant Council; a member of the Board of the Church Women, Diocese of New York; and president of the Women's Association of Grace Church, NY.

The Parents Magazine Medal and the Boys' Club of NY Harkness Medal

In 1927, Children, The Magazine for Parents created an award for the best book for parents, written by an American author and published during the year. Willing created the medal, which depicts the head of a young boy facing left with the inscription, "Puer melior, civis optimus," which translated means "The better the child, the better the citizen." Children, The Magazine for Parents changed its name to Parents' in 1929. The medal was crafted by the Medallic Art Company and was assigned the MACO number 1928-012.
Willing also created the image for the William Hale Harkness medal for the highest potential in leadership and citizenship for the Boys' Club of NY. The medal depicts three young men facing right. This medal was also crafted by the Medallic Art Company and was assigned the MACO number 1956-076.

Later life and death

Willing moved to West Caldwell, NJ, where her sister lived, in 1971. She died in Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ on August 1, 1972, and was interred in the family plot at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn.