SOWING
THE SEEDS
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ERIC
Introducing
the 2016 Carle
Honorees
Page 7
CARLE MUSEUM OF PICTURE BOOK ART
SP R I N G 2016
COLLECTIONS
The Art of Conservation
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.
Artwork by Leonard Weisgard conserved at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center.
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).
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Plans for a
Very Special Place
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 413559-6308.
2
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.
An Eventful Spring at The Carle
Dear 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.
Thank you!
Alix Kennedy
Executive Director
[email protected]
Above: Photo by Kristin Angel © The Carle.
Top left: © 2013 by Eric Carle. Collection of Eric and Barbara Carle. Courtesy of The Carle.
IN OUR GALLERIES
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.
The Art of Eric Carle: Hide and Seek
Through August 28, 2016
Unbeknownst 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.
Americana on Parade: The Art of
Robert McCloskey
June 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
Louis Darling: Drawing the Words of
Beverly Cleary
May 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
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.
Top left: Illustration from Draw Me A Star © 1992 by Eric Carle.
Lower left: Illustration for Runaway Ralph by Louis Darling (Morrow, 1970.) Children’s Literature Research Collections, University of Minnesota Libraries.
Lower right: From Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey, © 1957, renewed © 1985 by Robert McCloskey.
Used by permission of Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
3
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.
Picture Book Exhibitions Across the U. S.
The Carle’s exhibitions have been very much in demand lately,
traveling to museums all over the country—proof that picturebook 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
The New York Times praised the Montclair exhibition for its appeal
“to fine art enthusiasts and preschoolers in equal measure.”
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.
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.
4
Top left: Photo by Erica Boyd Jacob © The Carle. Top right: Photo by Richard Titus. Courtesy of the Montclair Art Museum.
Lower left and right: Photos courtesy Lamsa.
TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
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.
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.
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!
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.
Mo Willems (and his Pigeon) stand at the gallery entrance for his exhibition at the
New-York Historical Society on opening night.
Clockwise from top left: Photo courtesy Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh; photo by Nick Desroches at Milestone Events; photo by Don Pollard, courtesy New-York
Historical Society; photo by Mike Jensen; and photo by Sara Keith courtesy High Museum of Art.
5
EDUCATION
Grace Lin presenting at TEDx.
Megan Dowd Lambert
The Whole Book Approach Gets Published
Megan 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
6
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 Lin
Newbery 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 AsianAmerican 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.”
Photo of Megan Dowd Lambert by Sean P. Lambert St. Marie.
Photo of Grace Lin by Leah LaRiccia.
THE CARLE HONORS 2016
Allen Say
Jason Low
Introducing the 2016 Honorees
The 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 longterm 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 Low
Jason 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 Hayes
Regina 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.
Regina Hayes
Steven Heller
Bridge: Steven Heller
A 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
Gregory Maguire
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 rebeccag@
carlemuseum.org.
Allen Say photo by Motoya Nakamura. Regina Hayes photo by Mark Zelinski.
Steven Heller photo by Nir Arieli.
7
125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 01002 413-559-6300 www.carlemuseum.org
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Springfield, MA
PERMIT #786
Support for all of the educational programming
at The Carle is generously underwritten by the:
This organization is funded in part by the
Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency
THIS SUMMER
Make Way for Play
Mr. 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.
Photo by Emily Prabhaker.
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.