Signed Lower Left by Artist

Cover of Saturday Evening Post magazine, February 19, 1949


One of artist Jack Welch's favorite family photographs is one he took from behind the baby - his daughter Ruth Marie - while a friend and his wife, along with Mrs. Welch, all made faces and waved balloon in a futile attempt to get the baby to smile. Very much like you see here in this delightful oil on canvas that was featured on the February 19, 1949 cover of the Saturday Evening Post. Like many illustrators of his day, Welch drew for the everyday experiences of his own life for his numerous illustrations. Today, these charming scenes offer a snapshot into a bygone era, one that is as nostalgic as it is timeless.
Born in small town Texas, Welch first learned his trade through the W. L. Evans correspondence course in cartooning, which led him to a short-lived stint at Southern Methodist University illustrating yearbooks. This work launched him as a newspaper artist, and eventually earning a position as an advertising agency sketch man. Some of Welch's best loved works are from this period, doing work for advertisers such as Keds, Jell-O, Pullman, and Traveler's Insurance. Yet, it is his work for the Saturday Evening Post that is considered his best - he created a number of memorable covers for the publication, as well as others including Family Circle and Woman's Day.