Introducing the 2016 Carle Honorees Page 7 SOWING THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ERIC THE SEEDS CARLE MUSEUM OF PICTURE BOOK ART SPRING 2016 Illustration by Leonard Weisgard from Raindrop Splash by Alvin R. Tresselt (Lothrop, 1946.) The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Gift of Abigail, Christina, and Ethan Weisgard, 2014.005.046. The Weisgard collection conservation project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (#MA-30-15-0466-15). COLLECTIONS Leonard Weisgard (1916–2000), one of the most innovative American illustrators of the 20th century, brought magic to picture books. In a career spanning six decades and over 200 publications, he rewrote the rules for illustrating children’s books, discarding the sentimental realism of the past in favor of a kinetic, playful, semi-abstract approach. When Weisgard died in 2000 at the age of 83, his three adult children inherited 13 steamer trunks filled with his manuscripts, research materials, and original artwork. After selecting what they wished to keep, the family generously gifted 145 original illustrations to The Carle. Because the trunks had been stored in a barn, however, their delicate contents were damaged by years of exposure to moist air. The poor condition of the illustrations precluded them from entering the Museum because their mold and mildew would jeopardize the other works in our collection. Without remediation and appropriate storage, though, the art was in danger of deteriorating beyond recovery. The Museum started by funding the conservation of 20 of the illustrations. Then in 2015, The Carle received a prestigious federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, DC (#MA-30-15-0466-15) to remediate, stabilize, and catalogue the remaining 125 illustrations and properly store its Weisgard collection. Leslie H. Paisley, head of the Paper Conservation Department at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center in the Berkshires, has meticulously surface-cleaned each artwork to remove particulates and fungal spores, as well as fingerprints and adhesive residue. She interleaved the illustrations between MicroChamber paper to absorb mildew odors and any remaining moisture, while protective new sink mats containing zeolites absorbed off-gassed acids. She is also developing treatment proposals for those works that may require further conservation at a later date. When the Weisgard collection finally arrives at its permanent home in Amherst this spring, it will be safely housed in a new, custom-designed shelving unit in The Carle’s storage vault. This is the largest and most complex conservation project the Museum has undertaken to date. Our board and staff are incredibly honored to steward Weisgard’s legacy, and we’re proud that his work is now preserved for generations to enjoy. Magician of the Modern: The Art of Leonard Weisgard, which showcases some of the newly conserved artwork, is on view at The Carle through June 5. At the opening in March, we were delighted to welcome the exhibition’s guest curator, Leonard S. Marcus, as well as Leonard Weisgard’s extended family, who traveled from Denmark to see the installation. The Art of Conservation Artwork by Leonard Weisgard conserved at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center.
Transcript
Introducing the 2016 Carle Honorees Page 7
SOWINGTHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ERIC
THE SEEDSCARLE MUSEUM OF PICTURE BOOK ART
SPRING 2016
Illustration by Leonard Weisgard from Raindrop Splash by Alvin R. Tresselt (Lothrop, 1946.) The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Gift of Abigail, Christina, and Ethan Weisgard, 2014.005.046.
The Weisgard collection conservation project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (#MA-30-15-0466-15).
COLLECTIONS
Leonard Weisgard (1916–2000), one of the most innovative American illustrators of the 20th century, brought magic to picture books. In a career spanning six decades and over 200 publications, he rewrote the rules for illustrating children’s books, discarding the sentimental realism of the past in favor of a kinetic, playful, semi-abstract approach.
When Weisgard died in 2000 at the age of 83, his three adult children inherited 13 steamer trunks filled with his manuscripts, research materials, and original artwork. After selecting what they wished to keep, the family generously gifted 145 original illustrations to The Carle. Because the trunks had been stored in a barn, however, their delicate contents were damaged by years of exposure to moist air. The poor condition of the illustrations precluded them from entering the Museum because their mold and mildew would jeopardize the other works in our collection. Without remediation and appropriate storage, though, the art was in danger of deteriorating beyond recovery.
The Museum started by funding the conservation of 20 of the illustrations. Then in 2015, The Carle received a prestigious federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, DC (#MA-30-15-0466-15) to remediate, stabilize, and catalogue the remaining 125 illustrations and properly store its Weisgard collection. Leslie H. Paisley, head of the Paper Conservation Department at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center in the Berkshires, has meticulously surface-cleaned each artwork to remove particulates and fungal spores, as well as fingerprints and adhesive residue. She interleaved the
illustrations between MicroChamber paper to absorb mildew odors and any remaining moisture, while protective new sink mats containing zeolites absorbed off-gassed acids. She is also developing treatment proposals for those works that may require further conservation at a later date. When the Weisgard collection finally arrives at its permanent home in Amherst this spring, it will be safely housed in a new, custom-designed shelving unit in The Carle’s storage vault.
This is the largest and most complex conservation project the Museum has undertaken to date. Our board and staff are incredibly honored to steward Weisgard’s legacy, and we’re proud that his work is now preserved for generations to enjoy. Magician of the Modern: The Art of Leonard Weisgard, which showcases some of the newly conserved artwork, is on view at The Carle through June 5. At the opening in March, we were delighted to welcome the exhibition’s guest curator, Leonard S. Marcus, as well as Leonard Weisgard’s extended family, who traveled from Denmark to see the installation.
The Art of Conservation
Artwork by Leonard Weisgard conserved at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center.
An Eventful Spring at The CarleDear Friends,
For the second consecutive year, The Carle was named a finalist for the country’s most prestigious museum prize, the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, which recognizes institutions that “make lasting differences in their communities by serving and inspiring the public.” We were in remarkable (and sometimes daunting) company, with the likes of the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Brooklyn Public Library. We did not win the award this year, so we hope the third time will be the charm! We are especially grateful to U.S. Representative Jim McGovern, who nominated us, and to the more than 100 friends of The Carle who posted supportive testimonials on the Institute for Museum and Library Services Facebook page as part of the “Share Your Story” campaign.
We are newly returned from a few whirlwind days in Manhattan for the opening of The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems at the New-York Historical Society, which drew more than 5,500 people over its first weekend. Chief Curator Ellen Keiter and I then headed to Atlanta to preview I See a Story: The Art of Eric Carle at the High Museum of Art. These two major museums recognize the importance of picture book illustration and the excitement they generate, and they are committed to long-term, multi-exhibition partnerships with The Carle. We’re so grateful to both for their spirit of collegiality and the creative ways the institutions showcase this special art form. They are helping us reach huge audiences, greatly expanding our impact.
We hope in these pages you will enjoy reading about goings-on closer to home as well. They include a wonderful slate of exhibitions, an ambitious conservation project with the work of Leonard Weisgard, and the publication of a book about the Whole Book Approach.
You have probably just received our Spring Annual Fund Appeal in your mailbox. (We have also included an envelope with this newsletter for your convenience.) I hope you will choose to make a contribution to The Carle with the knowledge that your gift always makes a real difference. All of the exceptional work we do is possible because of our contributors. We do it in your name, with great pride.
We are working carefully on plans for Bobbie’s Garden, a special outdoor space in memory of Barbara Carle, our beloved co-founder. Intent on creating something that would have made Bobbie proud, we envision beautiful plantings, sculptures, and a reading space—all things close to Bobbie’s own passions. Bobbie’s Garden will complement the natural beauty that surrounds the Museum and will align carefully with the Museum’s educational goals, inspiring exploration and creativity. To date, we have raised more than $95,000 toward this special installation. We plan a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 22, 2016, Bobbie’s birthday, and a public opening on June 25, 2017, Eric’s birthday. To make a donation, please contact Rebecca Miller Goggins, director of development at 413-559-6308.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Nick Clark, Ellen Keiter, Abigail Weisgard, Leonard S. Marcus, Alix Kennedy, Ethan Weisgard, Christina Weisgard, and Peter Roos at the opening of Magician of the Modern.
The Art of Eric Carle: Hide and SeekThrough August 28, 2016Unbeknownst to most readers, Eric Carle references his family, friends—and even The Very Hungry Caterpillar—in his books in clever hidden messages called “Easter eggs.” Artists, directors, and designers incorporate Easter eggs in their books, movies, and video games to honor someone important to them, or simply as a way to further engage their fans. Carle often hides “C” and “R” in his images, denoting the first letters of his children’s names. “A few times,” he says, “I have even incorporated the names of friends into my books; these names will be hard to find; they are camouflaged.” The Art of Eric Carle: Hide and Seek presents 26 artworks, each featuring one of Carle’s secret allusions. Flip labels reveal the people and places Carle references. We are grateful to the Hsin-Yi Foundation for ongoing support of our Eric Carle exhibitions.
Louis Darling: Drawing the Words of Beverly ClearyMay 17–November 27, 2016
The Carle marks author Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday with the exhibition Louis Darling: Drawing the Words of Beverly Cleary. Darling’s iconic images brought Cleary’s beloved characters Ramona,
Beezus, Henry Huggins, Ellen Tibbets, and Ralph S. Mouse to life. As an illustrator at William Morrow and Company, Darling
was assigned to Cleary’s first book, Henry Huggins, in 1950. Thus began their 20-year association. Darling illustrated most of Cleary’s early books—12 in total—before his untimely death. Though Cleary’s stories have since been re-illustrated, it was Darling’s vision—matched with Cleary’s words—that helped define these stories as modern classics. Drawing the Words of Beverly Cleary, guest curated by Tony DiTerlizzi, features preliminary sketches, finished artwork, correspondence between author and illustrator, and period photographs. HarperCollins Children’s Books has generously provided support for this exhibition.
Americana on Parade: The Art of Robert McCloskeyJune 19–October 23, 2016 In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings (1941), The Carle has organized a retrospective highlighting much of the original art from this beloved book. The exhibition also considers McCloskey’s entire career, from his early publications Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943), and Centerburg Tales (1951), which recall the artist’s youth in rural Ohio, to the family-based stories set in his adopted home state of Maine, such as Blueberries for Sal (1948) and
Time of Wonder (1957). The recipient of two Caldecott Medals and three Caldecott Honors, McCloskey was a major force in 20th-century picture book art. Americana on Parade: The Art of Robert McCloskey features over 90 original artworks, ephemera, and rare preliminary book materials. Our thanks to Penguin Young Readers for providing generous funding in support of this exhibition.
The Carle’s exhibitions have been very much in demand lately, traveling to museums all over the country—proof that picture-book illustration is recognized more and more for its artistic and cultural value. In the last couple of years, our exhibitions have traveled to San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta, to name just a few cities. Last August, we shipped out five exhibitions in one month—a record! Every year in Amherst, we welcome 50,000 visitors to The Carle, an impressive number for our region. By traveling our shows, though, we’re able to extend our reach dramatically. In recent years, two game-changing exhibitions helped to launch ambitious new partnerships between The Carle and the New-York Historical Society, and The Carle and the High Museum of Art. These collaborations help us open up a wider world to the joys of picture-book illustration. In 2014, we debuted Madeline in New York: The Art of Ludwig Bemelmans at the New-York Historical Society, garnering reviews in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and
a featured segment on CBS Sunday Morning. Visitors, especially families, flocked to the exhibition, eager to see the work of the legendary Manhattan artist. Clearly, picture-book art was a hit. For the second year of our collaboration, this spring we sent our Mo Willems retrospective to the New-York Historical Society, where curators infused the exhibition with the story of Willems’ formative years as an animator and illustrator in New York. Maria Russo at The New York Times said of the work in the exhibition: “Drawn with deceptively simple lines and embedded in stories that find depth in utterly commonplace childhood experiences, they are the rare imaginary creatures that have seemed indelible from their first appearances. If there’s a living creator of children’s books who stands a chance of occupying a cultural position akin to a Dr. Seuss or a Charles M. Schulz, it’s Mr. Willems.” Next up, in 2017, The New-York Historical Society and The Carle are working together on an exhibition about another legendary New York illustrator, Hilary Knight, and everyone’s favorite six-year-old heroine, Eloise. It will debut at The Carle in February and travel to New York in June 2017.
4
TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
In collaboration with The Carle, Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey presented Eric Carle: Animals and Friends last fall. It included a special learning space,
which was packed with families throughout the run of the exhibition.
The New York Times praised the Montclair exhibition for its appeal “to fine art enthusiasts and preschoolers in equal measure.”
The Carle’s educators worked with Lamsa, a media specialist in the Middle East, to bring picture-book programs and reproductions of Eric Carle’s, art to a book fair in Saudi Arabia last fall.
55
In 2015, Seriously Silly! The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems opened at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, while performances of Knufflebunny: A Cautionary Musical and Play the Play with Cat the Cat were staged at the neighboring Alliance Theatre. This unique exhibition and theater match-up is part of a multi-year, grant-funded effort across Atlanta’s Woodruff Arts Center campus to create engaging programs for families and schoolchildren. This April, our second Georgia collaboration kicked off with I See a Story: The Art of Eric Carle, a major retrospective representing 50 years of Carle’s picture book art. The ambitious exhibition, which includes work from 15 books, is accompanied by two original plays based on Carle’s books: Pancakes, Pancakes!, for the family series, and From Head to Toe, an interactive performance for toddlers and preschoolers. We’re already at work on another exciting exhibition at the High for 2017. Look for an announcement in an upcoming newsletter!
TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
Clockwise from top left: Photo courtesy Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh; photo by Nick Desroches at Milestone Events; photo by Don Pollard, courtesy New-YorkHistorical Society; photo by Mike Jensen; and photo by Sara Keith courtesy High Museum of Art.
Our greatly beloved Caterpillar Car, a gift from Penguin Young Readers, headed out on an East Coast tour this spring to promote reading, and can be see here
with the Washington Monument. It concluded its journey at the Museum just in time for our Very Hungry Caterpillar Day celebration on March 20.
Seriously Silly: The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems welcomed a huge
family audience at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
Visitors feel like they have stepped into an Eric Carle book in I See a Story:
The Art of Eric Carle at the High Museum of Art.
Very Eric Carle, an interactive exhibition created with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, kicked off its ten-year tour at Magic House in St. Louis.
It is now at the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul.
Mo Willems (and his Pigeon) stand at the gallery entrance for his exhibition at the New-York Historical Society on opening night.
6
EDUCATION
Photo of Megan Dowd Lambert by Sean P. Lambert St. Marie. Photo of Grace Lin by Leah LaRiccia.
The Whole Book Approach Gets PublishedMegan Dowd Lambert’s Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking About What They See (Charlesbridge 2015) offers an overview of the Whole Book Approach. Lambert developed this innovative storytime model as a graduate student at Simmons College, where she now teaches in the Children’s Literature programs, and throughout a decade of work as an educator at The Carle. Half of the book’s royalties benefit the Museum. Eric Carle Museum: Please describe the Whole Book Approach and why it’s important for children. Megan Dowd Lambert: It’s a co-constructive (interactive) storytime model inspired by Visual Thinking Strategies and dialogic reading that invites kids to talk about the picture book as a visual art form with attention to story, art, design, and production elements—the whole book! ECM: What’s the difference between reading “to” children and reading “with” children? MDL: First, I don’t think one way is better than the other; both storytime approaches have value. It’s about intention. Reading “to” children feels more like a performance, with children as audience members who enjoy the book like they’d enjoy a theatrical production. Reading “with” children invites discussion about the book as it’s read aloud, so that children’s responses become central to a shared reading. ECM: Who should read Reading Picture Books with Children? MDL: Teachers and librarians are a main target audience, and we’re delighted that parents and other caregivers have embraced
the book. Writers, illustrators, and college professors are also responding enthusiastically. ECM: How has the book been received thus far? MDL: Very well! It’s already in its second printing and it got a School Library Journal starred review. Signed copies are available through The Carle’s Shop. ECM: Anything else you’d like us to know? MDL: I’ve enjoyed returning to The Carle in recent months as a volunteer storytime reader. Check my website for upcoming dates: www.megandowdlambert.com. I also received an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor for my first picture book, A Crow of His Own, (illustrated by David Hyde Costello) and my next picture book, Real Sisters Pretend, (illustrated by Nicole Tadgell) publishes in May.
2016 BERL Lecture Presented by Grace LinNewbery Honor winner Grace Lin delivered the annual Barbara Elleman Research Library (BERL) Lecture Series on Saturday, April 23 at The Carle. In her presentation, “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf,” the author and illustrator shared personal experiences that underscore poignant points from Rudine Sims Bishop’s 1990 seminal essay of multicultural children’s literature, “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors.” Lin recently filmed a TEDx Talk in Natick on this topic and shared how her experience growing up as the only Asian-American family in her neighborhood shaped her approach to her work. In her own words, “Books erase bias, they make the uncommon everyday, and the mundane exotic. A book makes all cultures universal.”
Megan Dowd Lambert Grace Lin presenting at TEDx.
7Allen Say photo by Motoya Nakamura. Regina Hayes photo by Mark Zelinski.
Steven Heller photo by Nir Arieli.
Introducing the 2016 HonoreesThe 11th annual Carle Honors will be held Wednesday,
September 28 at Guastavino’s in New York City. Selected by a committee chaired by Leonard S. Marcus, founder of The Carle Honors, these esteemed honorees bring creative vision and long-term dedication to children’s books and open children’s minds to art and literacy:
Artist: Allen Say Allen Say was born in Japan and moved to the United States as a teenager. He trained in both Japanese and Western styles of art and had a successful career in commercial photography before becoming a full-time writer and illustrator of picture books at 53. His award-winning children’s books explore many aspects of his bicultural experience.
Angel: Lee & Low Books Represented by Jason LowJason Low is the publisher and co-owner of Lee & Low Books, the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the United States. Dedicated to a new generation of artists and authors who offer children both mirrors and windows to the world, Lee & Low celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Mentor: Regina HayesRegina Hayes served for 30 years as publisher and is now editor-at large at Viking Children’s Books, long known for innovation and dedication to quality. A champion of picture books and picture book art throughout her career, Hayes has worked with Barbara Cooney, James Marshall, Lane Smith, Simms Taback, John Marciano and Sophie Blackall, and Rosemary Wells.
Bridge: Steven HellerA visionary in graphic design and illustration and the recipient of the Design Mind Award in the 2011 Smithsonian National Design Awards, Steven Heller is the co-chair of the School of Visual Arts MFA Design/Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program. The author or co-author of over 170 books on design, he writes for Wired, The Atlantic, Print, Design Observer, and The New York Times.
This year’s awards will be presented by Gregory Maguire, the author of three dozen books for young readers and adults who is best known for his novel, Wicked. A reviewer for the Sunday New York Times Book Review, he taught at the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons College and co-founded the nonprofit Children’s
Literature New England. The Carle Honors Art Auction, a key event fundraiser, will feature original works of art donated by more than a dozen of the industry’s most celebrated artists. For tickets, sponsorship, or general questions, please contact Rebecca Miller Goggins, director of development, at 413-559-6308 or [email protected].
THE CARLE HONORS 2016
Allen Say Jason Low Regina Hayes Steven Heller
Gregory Maguire
NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDSpringfield, MAPERMIT #786
125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 01002 413-559-6300 www.carlemuseum.org
THIS SUMMER
Make Way for PlayMr. Rogers once said, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” On July 18, educators throughout the region will come to The Carle for a one-day workshop recognizing play as an important part in children’s learning and social, emotional, and physical development. In addition to hearing presentations by Lella Gandini, United States Liaison for the Dissemination of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education, and Mark Weltner, a music and movement teacher at Lincoln Nursery School, educators will roll up their sleeves during breakout sessions to explore the galleries, and learn more about picture book/art project combinations inspired by The Carle’s public programs for toddlers and preschoolers.
This organization is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency
Photo by Emily Prabhaker.
Support for all of the educational programming at The Carle is generously underwritten by the:
CORRECTION: In the Fall 2015 issue, we credited an image of Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel as a gift of Barbara Elleman. Ms. Elleman donated a different piece of artwork by Mr. Lobel. The featured artwork was a gift of Adam Lobel, the artist’s son. We are grateful to both Ms. Elleman and Mr. Lobel and apologize for the error.
