When he came to California at age 27, artist, author, craftsman, and teacher William Seltzer Rice (American, 1873-1963) traveled, sketched, and painted throughout the state to familiarize himself with its history, flora, and fauna. The arts and crafts movement was flowering and he distinguished himself as a teacher, painter and ultimately printmaker.
There are two calendars featuring William Seltzer Rice available right now: Arts & Crafts Block Prints William Seltzer Rice Wall Calendar and the Arts& Crafts Block Prints by William Seltzer Rice Calendar.
After moving to San Francisco in 1910 he became even more prominent. The images on these calendars are woodblock prints which is the medium he finally specialized in. He designed, carved and printed the blocks himself. He saw it as a way of bringing original art to the people.
His art features images of nature, particularly trees and birds, still-lifes, flowers and picturesque farm houses.
Selzer-Rice learned painting first from traveling painters who came his way. He taught painting locally, in order to be able to afford at the new Drexel School of art in Philadelphia, while also taking a job as the staff artist for the Philadelphia Times.
Throughout his life he worked to promote art in schools, while also developing his own woodblock style. Newly developed in his time was the art of colored woodblock printing.