Artworks of Frances Hook

Artist Frances Hook has been called "the Berta Hummel of America" for her ability to capture the emotions and expressions of youngsters in everyday situations.
Frances Arnold Hook was born just outside Philadelphia in Ambler, Pennsylvania. Her artistic talents manifested themselves at an early age. Her studies throughout high school earned her a scholarship to the Pennsylvania Museum School of Art where she worked with the noted illustrator Harry Pitz. Even at that early stage in her career, Hook favored both the subjects and medium which would later become her hallmark — children captured in soft pastels.
All of Hook's collectibles and much of her earlier work is showcased in the Frances Hook Museum, appropriately called "For the Love of Children" which was established in 1982 when Father's Day weekend was designated as the official Frances Hook days. Located in Mishicot, Wisconsin, this museum was opened in the Old School, the village's abandoned elementary school which Lyle and Carole Anderson bought and converted into a group of craft shops and art centers.