About This Stamp
The 35th stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Sarah Orne Jewett (1849–1909), a foundational figure in American literary regionalism who published hundreds of short stories and some 18 novels, as well as poetry and essays. Often drawing inspiration from people she knew in her Maine village, Jewett created intimate portrayals of her characters and of the landscape and culture that shaped them. In her work she sought to highlight the positive spirit of the region, an enduring model of harmony between individualism and communal values. Her strong female characters have led to a renewed interest in her work.
Jewett began publishing in her late teens, mainly for children. In her first novel, Deephaven (1877) — about two young Boston women who travel to the titular village for a summer of leisure — Jewett paints a realistic portrait of economically pressed seacoast and inland villages, reflecting tensions between rural locals and urban tourists, as well as the cultural heritage preserved in these insular communities. Admired for its subtle and unsentimental descriptions, Deephaven affirms Jewett’s fascination with and reverence for the natural world as much as for the people of her home state.
The Country of the Pointed Firs (1896), Jewett’s second novel and the work for which she is best known, features a city woman who spends a summer in a small coastal town. The fictional Dunnet Landing, with its picturesque scenery and quaint way of life, holds a deep allure for the protagonist and soon distracts her from her mission of completing a writing project. Critically acclaimed, The Country of the Pointed Firs would come to be seen as an American literary masterpiece.
Illustrator Mark Summers was a natural choice for the Sarah Orne Jewett project: he had worked on several previous USPS issuances and, in his long career, has portrayed hundreds of literary figures. For the stamp artwork he decided on a three-quarter-view portrait of Jewett based on an 1894 photograph. He placed her in front of an expanse of rocky Maine coast framed by coniferous trees, evoking the setting of The Country of the Pointed Firs. The ray of sunshine angling from the upper-left corner references a specific scene described in that novel: “The sunburst upon that outermost island made it seem like a sudden revelation of the world beyond this which some believe to be so near.”
Summers created the artwork using his iconic scratchboard technique, characterized by precisely etched black horizontal lines, reminiscent of late 19th-century engraved illustrations. “The scratchboard style is one that the illustrator has perfected and used on most everything I’ve seen of his, in a way that no one else does quite as masterfully,” says art director Ethel Kessler.
To add the color, Summers made an entirely separate piece with watercolor, pastel, and some airbrush. He then printed the black and white version on top of the color version to produce the final artwork.
Jewett’s portraits of New Englanders, both rural and urban, and of the landscapes of her native Maine, left an indelible mark on American literature. “I wanted to really tie her to the age she lived in and to the landscape of Maine,” Summers says.
The words “THREE OUNCE” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever® stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.
Stamp Designer, Stamp Art Director
Ethel Kessler
Ethel Kessler is an award-winning designer and art director who has worked with corporations, museums, public and private institutions, professional service organizations, and now, the United States Postal Service.
After earning a B.F.A. in visual communications from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Kessler worked as a graphic designer and project manager for the exhibits division of the United States Information Agency. Her work was distributed internationally on subjects such as Immigration, Entrepreneurship, Renovation of American Cities, and the Bicentennial of 1976. She was also responsible for exhibits in Morocco, Botswana, and El Salvador.
In 1981, she established Kessler Design, Inc., for which she is creative director and designer. Clients have included the Clinton Government reorganization, the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic Television, the National Park Service, and the American Institute of Architects.
She has been an art director for the U.S. Postal Service’s stamp development program for more than 25 years. As an art director for USPS, Kessler has been responsible for creating more than 500 stamp designs, including the Breast Cancer Research stamp illustrated by Whitney Sherman. Issued in 1998, the stamp is still on sale and has raised more $98 million for breast cancer research. Other Kessler projects include the popular and highly regarded Nature of America 120 stamp series, a collaboration with nationally acclaimed nature illustrator John Dawson, the 12-year Lunar New Year series with Kam Mak, the American Filmmaking: Behind the Scenes 10 stamps issued in 2003, a 2016 pane of stamps celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and the 2023 stamp honoring Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And many, many others.
Stamp Artist
Mark Summers
Mark Summers works out of his studio in Waterdown, Ontario, Canada. He is known for his detail-rich, black-and-white portraits of literary and historical figures. His drawings, which are regularly featured in the New York Times Book Review section, are distinguished by a dense network of horizontal lines etched with exquisite precision. This scratchboard technique, reminiscent of turn-of-the-century engraved illustrations, has been used by Summers in numerous stamp designs for the U.S. Postal Service including those honoring Claude Pepper (2000), Wilma Rudolph (2004), Harriet Beecher Stowe (2007), James A. Michener (2008), and Abraham Lincoln (2009). While attending the Ontario College of Art in 1976, Summers was introduced to the scratchboard technique by the respected Canadian political cartoonist Duncan Macpherson.
Summers' present endeavors include illustrating book covers, as well as editorial, institutional, and advertising artwork. Some of his best known work was done for Barnes & Noble bookstores where his drawings appear on shopping bags, banners, and vans. Publishing clients include TIME magazine, Rolling Stone (where he currently illustrates the back page of each issue), Sports Illustrated, and The Atlantic. Summers has also created logos for Eddie Bauer and comedian Tim Allen.
Summers has been honored by the Society of Illustrators with two gold medals and one silver medal. He was selected by the Society to receive the coveted Hamilton King award in 2000. In 2019 he was inducted into the Illustrators Hall of Fame.
The 2026 Sarah Orne Jewett stamp is Summers' latest project for the Postal Service.
