Vernon Grant (Kellogg's)
Encyclopedia
Vernon Simeon Plemion Grant (1902–1990) was an American
illustrator known for his whimsical gnome
characters and fairy tale
drawings. Over seven decades, Grant created hundreds of illustrations for advertising (General Electric
, Gillette, Hershey’s. Kellogg's
) and major magazines, including Judge and Ladies' Home Journal
. He is best known as creator of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
cereal characters Snap! Crackle! and Pop!
, to Oliver Simeon Grant and Chloe Barkley Grant. When Grant was six years old, his family moved to South Dakota
where they homesteaded
. His experiences living on the prairies served as the inspiration for many of the artworks he would create throughout his career. While there he also learned illustration techniques from his beloved school teacher cousin Nellie Grant. As a teen, Grant moved with his family to California
. He studied business law and public speaking at the University of Southern California
and, at age 21, enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago
. To help pay for his education, Grant developed his chalk talk
s, which became a popular act on the vaudeville
circuit.
illustration was used for the cover of Ladies' Home Journal. The next year, a radio commercial for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies inspired the gnome-like mascots Snap! Crackle! and Pop! He soon became the lead illustrator for Kellogg's products, becoming so popular that in 1935 the company sent him on a world tour to promote their cereals.
In the 1930s and 1940s Grant became one of the country's most popular and prolific illustrator of children's fairy tales, creating at least ten booklets and 25 individual prints. He did covers for Judge, Collier's
and other magazines. In 1938, Life
magazine ranked Grant as "America's favorite children's artist."
Grant worked with the USO during World War II
, entertaining troops with sketches and fast-paced chalk talks. After the war, he moved to South Carolina
while still working for New York clients.
. They had two children, son Chip and daughter Kay. In 1947, Grant and his family established a 670 acres (2.7 km²) farm outside Rock Hill, raising Angus cattle
and Concord grapes. Grant became active in farming organizations, and his farming practices were recognized with awards from state agricultural associations.
In the late 1950s, Grant led the Rock Hill Chamber of Commerce, promoting changes in city planning and public housing. He served as the city’s first director of public housing from 1965 to 1971.
Grant continued making art until, in 1985, he felt he could no longer work to his own expectations and was forced to put down his brush. When he died in 1990 at age 88, the Charlotte Observer noted that although Grant's illustrations would delight people for years, "in the long run his greatest gift to the community may be the standard of citizenship he exemplified."
Kellogg's Archives houses another substantial collection of original Grant artwork. In 1993, Kellogg’s gave the Museum of York County reproduction rights to produce merchandise of art featured in the exhibition “Seventy-five Years of Gnomes and Folks – A Tribute to Grant’s Career.”
to feature the city’s Glencairn Garden, with an owl drawn by Grant as a mascot. In 1965, Grant created Glen the Frog, which has been the festival mascot ever since. A new festival, ChristmasVille, was begun in Rock Hill in 2006. The festival spotlights Grant’s many Santa Claus and winter illustrations. The festival mascot is Grant the Gnome.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
illustrator known for his whimsical gnome
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
characters and fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
drawings. Over seven decades, Grant created hundreds of illustrations for advertising (General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, Gillette, Hershey’s. Kellogg's
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
) and major magazines, including Judge and Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...
. He is best known as creator of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
Rice Krispies
Rice Krispies is a breakfast cereal that was created by Clayton Rindlisbacher for the Kellogg company, and later marketed by Kellogg's in 1927 and released to the public in 1928...
cereal characters Snap! Crackle! and Pop!
Snap, Crackle and Pop
Snap, Crackle, and Pop! are the cartoon mascots of Kellogg's breakfast cereal Rice Krispies -History:The elf characters were originally designed by illustrator Vernon Grant in the early 1930s...
Early life and education
Grant was born on April 26, 1902, in Coleridge, NebraskaColeridge, Nebraska
Coleridge is a village in Cedar County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 473 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Coleridge is located at ....
, to Oliver Simeon Grant and Chloe Barkley Grant. When Grant was six years old, his family moved to South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
where they homesteaded
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
. His experiences living on the prairies served as the inspiration for many of the artworks he would create throughout his career. While there he also learned illustration techniques from his beloved school teacher cousin Nellie Grant. As a teen, Grant moved with his family to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He studied business law and public speaking at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and, at age 21, enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
. To help pay for his education, Grant developed his chalk talk
Chalk talk
A chalk talk was a popular act in vaudeville. A performer used chalk on a blackboard to make changes in a drawing while delivering a monologue. Some performers would do caricatures of audience members. The term also was used to describe an act done with crayons...
s, which became a popular act on the vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
circuit.
Illustrations
In 1932, a Grant Santa ClausSanta Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
illustration was used for the cover of Ladies' Home Journal. The next year, a radio commercial for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies inspired the gnome-like mascots Snap! Crackle! and Pop! He soon became the lead illustrator for Kellogg's products, becoming so popular that in 1935 the company sent him on a world tour to promote their cereals.
In the 1930s and 1940s Grant became one of the country's most popular and prolific illustrator of children's fairy tales, creating at least ten booklets and 25 individual prints. He did covers for Judge, Collier's
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
and other magazines. In 1938, Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine ranked Grant as "America's favorite children's artist."
Grant worked with the USO during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, entertaining troops with sketches and fast-paced chalk talks. After the war, he moved to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
while still working for New York clients.
South Carolina farming
In 1936, Grant met and married Elizabeth Fewell, a native of Rock Hill, South CarolinaRock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, South Carolina and the fourth-largest city in the state. It is also the third-largest city of the Charlotte metropolitan area, behind Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. The population was 71,459 as of . Rock Hill has undergone rapid growth between...
. They had two children, son Chip and daughter Kay. In 1947, Grant and his family established a 670 acres (2.7 km²) farm outside Rock Hill, raising Angus cattle
Angus cattle
Angus cattle are a breed of cattle much used in beef production. They were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland, and are known as Aberdeen Angus in most parts of the world....
and Concord grapes. Grant became active in farming organizations, and his farming practices were recognized with awards from state agricultural associations.
In the late 1950s, Grant led the Rock Hill Chamber of Commerce, promoting changes in city planning and public housing. He served as the city’s first director of public housing from 1965 to 1971.
Grant continued making art until, in 1985, he felt he could no longer work to his own expectations and was forced to put down his brush. When he died in 1990 at age 88, the Charlotte Observer noted that although Grant's illustrations would delight people for years, "in the long run his greatest gift to the community may be the standard of citizenship he exemplified."
Influence and legacy
In his book Great Cartoonists and Their Art, political cartoonist Art Wood wrote:Archives
The Museum of York County has exhibited Grant’s artwork since 1979. A permanent Vernon Grant Gallery was established at the Museum in 1990. In 2006, the Grant's family donated a collection of more than 1,000 items, including scrapbooks, studio furniture and original artwork, to the Culture & Heritage Museums which manages the Museum of York County. The Museum gift shop sells merchandise based on Grant art, including limited edition prints, books, Christmas ornaments, coloring books and playing cards.Kellogg's Archives houses another substantial collection of original Grant artwork. In 1993, Kellogg’s gave the Museum of York County reproduction rights to produce merchandise of art featured in the exhibition “Seventy-five Years of Gnomes and Folks – A Tribute to Grant’s Career.”
Festivals
In the early 1960s, the city of Rock Hill created its Come-See-Me festivalCome See Me Festival
The Come See Me festival is an annual Spring festival hosted in Rock Hill, South Carolina.-About the Festival:Come See Me was originally founded to be a way for neighbors in the Rock Hill community to get to know one another...
to feature the city’s Glencairn Garden, with an owl drawn by Grant as a mascot. In 1965, Grant created Glen the Frog, which has been the festival mascot ever since. A new festival, ChristmasVille, was begun in Rock Hill in 2006. The festival spotlights Grant’s many Santa Claus and winter illustrations. The festival mascot is Grant the Gnome.