Current Exhibition

November 2005 – January 2006
A Childhood Reclaimed: The Whimsical World of Olive Percival
Ingrid Johnson, Guest Curator

[Ingrid Johnson discussed the life and work of Olive Percival on November 15, 2005, as part of the Tuesday Noon Academy speaker series at Scripps College; a podcast of this lecture is available at the Scripps College web site.]

Olive May Graves Percival was born in a log cabin on July 1, 1868 near Sheffield, Illinois. In May of 1887, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother and sister. On the banks of the Arroyo Seco, she lived a life surrounded by friends and immersed in the beauty of her home and garden. Prominent in the social life of the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles, Olive frequently entertained her guests with delightful “at-home-nights,” one of the highlights of the winter season. She was active in the Friday Morning Club, and regularly contributed to the Los Angeles Times, writing articles whose subject matter ranged from women’s suffrage to gardening.

Required to earn a living in an unfulfilling career as an insurance clerk, Olive Percival indulged her creative instincts in many ways, including writing, gardening, and collecting many fine things, including ten thousand books. Perhaps influenced by memories of an unhappy childhood, and a great longing for children of her own, Olive Percival collected items usually perceived to be within a child’s purview. She bequeathed many of these items, including toys, dolls, miniature hats, and tea sets, to Scripps College, believing them to be “valuable Americana” to the students. This presentation highlights a woman who, often beset by feelings of failure and inadequacy, found solace in her home, her garden, her cats, and in the many items now found on display at the Denison Library.

For further information, telephone Denison Library, 607-3941.