Occupations Related to Industrial Arts Poster

Blanche L. Anish created a poster that provides a platform to discuss the industrial arts and the dynamics of populism during the interwar period. The poster, designed in 1936 was a small part of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration . This was also known as the WPA, whose purpose was to democratize education and labor opportunities in the industrial arts. Anish’s work highlighted various professions, including carpenter, machine shop worker, molder,  and more. 

This design visually aimed to promote inclusivity by providing work for unemployed artists and creating educational and vocational materials. Anish’s design served as a vehicle for progress, promoting the idea that industrial arts should be popularized for all and any.  The WPA’s art programs provided employment to artists from diverse backgrounds, challenging the stereotypes that had long dictated labor industries.

Her work as a designer allowed her to become another impactful female designer within government-sponsored design. She and her designs allowed a space for avocation within industrial labor as a viable career path for any and all. This design contributed to the increase of visual language within the New Deal. In addition to that, it reinforced the power design holds within society as a way of social change. 

Sources: 

https://nightingaledvs.com/the-influence-of-isotype-in-new-deal-information-design-a-resettlement-administration-exhibition-1936/

https://www.loc.gov/item/98518832/

https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/media-gallery/21918680/the-art-of-work-a-look-at-wpa-posters-from-1936-1943-photo-gallery