Margaret Rowlett facts for kids

Margaret Rowlett (1897-1963) was a talented American artist and writer. She is best known for her charming children's books and fabric designs, which often featured a character named "Cricket." This character was partly inspired by Margaret's own childhood.

Early Life and Inspiration

Margaret Rowlett was born in North Carolina in 1897. Her early life was quite different from many kids today. She went to school in a simple log house. As a young girl, she helped her family by picking cotton. By the time she was 14 years old, she was working in a rag mill, earning three dollars a week.

It was during these early years that Margaret earned a special nickname from her uncle: "Cricket." This nickname later became the name of a young girl character in Margaret's books and fabric designs. The character "Cricket" helped Margaret share stories and art inspired by her own childhood experiences.

From Teacher to Artist

Margaret Rowlett was a dedicated student. She graduated from Woman's College in 1925. This school is now known as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). She then continued her education, earning a master's degree from Columbia University. After her studies, she became an elementary school teacher in Scarsdale, New York.

What's amazing is that Margaret didn't have much formal art training. She only took one short six-week art course while she was a teacher. However, she loved to paint with her students. This passion for art grew, and she started creating her own illustrations. When she showed her artwork to famous magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and even to the Lord and Taylor's department store, they were very impressed!

Designing for Children

Margaret's unique artistic style quickly gained attention. In 1944, the well-known Lord and Taylor department store asked her to create special designs for children. She designed colorful draperies (curtains) and bedspreads. She also painted fun murals on the walls of their toy shop and milk bar, making these spaces extra special for kids.

Her designs were very popular. In 1945, Margaret won a special award for one of her designs called "Cricket in the Buggy." Her fabric designs were also shown in important art exhibitions. They were displayed at the International Textile Exhibition at UNCG in 1945. The next year, in 1946, her work was featured at the Modern Museum of Art and Design Exhibition. This showed how much her art was appreciated in the design world.

Books and Stories

Besides her fabric designs, Margaret Rowlett also wrote and illustrated books for children. She published two charming books:

• D is for Daddy (published in 1947)
• When Cricket was Little (published in 1948)

Both books shared stories that were perfect for young readers. She also wrote many other short stories and poems that were never published. These often featured her beloved character, Cricket. Margaret's work and life story were even featured in popular magazines like House Beautiful (in January 1947) and McCall's (in October 1948).

Margaret Rowlett's legacy lives on through her delightful art and stories, which continue to inspire creativity and imagination.