Ben Shahn

Art, as I saw it one day when I helped hang a National Academy show while I was a student there, was about cows. In those days, early in the twenties, there were many cow paintings. More than that, the cows always stood knee-deep in purple shadows. For the life of me I never learned to see purple where there was no purple -- and I detested cows. I was frankly distressed at the prospects for me as an artist. But there came a time when I stopped painting, stopped in order to evaluate all these doubts. If I couldn't see purple where there was no purple--I wouldn't use it. If I didn't like cows, I wouldn't paint them. What then was I to paint? Slowly I found that I must paint those things that were meaningful to me--that I could honestly paint in the shapes and colors I felt belonged to them. What shall I paint? Stories.

Ben Shahn (1898–1969) was a painter, muralist, print-maker, and illustrator. He was best known for his socially and politically informed artwork. He illustrated numerous books of poetry. Ounce Dice Trice is the only book he illustrated that was written specifically for children. Ben Shahn illustrates this notebook of fabulous words: heavy words, squishy words, made up words, names for cats, whales, and houses. Says the author: “All the words here are meant to be said aloud, over and over, for your own delight.” 
http://www.nybooks.com/books/imprints/childrens/ounce-dice-trice/

Other works....
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Ben_Shahn.aspx