My Critical Connection
I met Eric Carle over ten years ago at the Every Picture Tells a Story Gallery in Santa Monica, California. Eric, in his gentle non assuming way, sat in the gallery signing posters that commemorated the 25th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I stood in line anxiously awaiting my turn to meet him and to ask questions about his collage technique. He patiently answered every question I had and offered valuable tips that I use to this day in my work. I was just getting started in collage and he was one of the masters.
When I was offered the opportunity to sit on an illustrator panel at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art on May 5th, 2006, I jumped at the chance. Though Eric was not present that day, his gentle engaging spirit was, and was reflected in the museum’s quiet architecture juxtaposed against bold bursts of color and imagery.
The Carle, designed primarily to celebrate picture book art from around the world, features three exhibition galleries, a hands-on art studio, library and auditorium and is bordered by apple trees in a beautiful serene setting in Amherst, Massachusetts.
I had the honor of joining acclaimed illustrators, Ashley Bryan, Floyd Cooper, and Daniel Minter, featured illustrators in the exhibit, Picture Stories: A Celebration of African American Illustrators at the Carle. The panel, Critical Connections: People, Pictures and Their Stories was moderated by Darwin Henderson, a University of Cincinnati associate professor of literacy and early childhood education and co-editor of Exploring Culturally Diverse Literature for Children and Adolescents: Learning to Listen in New Ways. Darwin proposed in his introduction to the panel that African American illustrators effectively address all audiences through their picture book as well as celebrate the black experience.
Each artist discussed their work and the importance of literature that positively portrays children of many different cultures. Ashley Bryan, who was first published in 1967, spoke eloquently about the numerous African folk tales he has illustrated and how picture books build visual literacy. Floyd Cooper talked about his art technique in which he erases spaces to take color away from his oil-washed paintings. At the end of the day he gave me the artwork he demonstrated with. I was thrilled. Daniel Minter spoke passionately about his detailed hand colored woodblock prints and how we all belong to a universal family. The dialogue that afternoon was both engaging and insightful.
When I returned home from Massachusetts, I downloaded pictures taken that day and quickly gathered my scribbled notes along with e-mail addresses and phone numbers. I wanted to make good on my promise to stay connected with new found friends and colleagues.
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I met Eric Carle over ten years ago at the Every Picture Tells a Story Gallery in Santa Monica, California. Eric, in his gentle non assuming way, sat in the gallery signing posters that commemorated the 25th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I stood in line anxiously awaiting my turn to meet him and to ask questions about his collage technique. He patiently answered every question I had and offered valuable tips that I use to this day in my work. I was just getting started in collage and he was one of the masters.
When I was offered the opportunity to sit on an illustrator panel at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art on May 5th, 2006, I jumped at the chance. Though Eric was not present that day, his gentle engaging spirit was, and was reflected in the museum’s quiet architecture juxtaposed against bold bursts of color and imagery.
The Carle, designed primarily to celebrate picture book art from around the world, features three exhibition galleries, a hands-on art studio, library and auditorium and is bordered by apple trees in a beautiful serene setting in Amherst, Massachusetts.
I had the honor of joining acclaimed illustrators, Ashley Bryan, Floyd Cooper, and Daniel Minter, featured illustrators in the exhibit, Picture Stories: A Celebration of African American Illustrators at the Carle. The panel, Critical Connections: People, Pictures and Their Stories was moderated by Darwin Henderson, a University of Cincinnati associate professor of literacy and early childhood education and co-editor of Exploring Culturally Diverse Literature for Children and Adolescents: Learning to Listen in New Ways. Darwin proposed in his introduction to the panel that African American illustrators effectively address all audiences through their picture book as well as celebrate the black experience.
Each artist discussed their work and the importance of literature that positively portrays children of many different cultures. Ashley Bryan, who was first published in 1967, spoke eloquently about the numerous African folk tales he has illustrated and how picture books build visual literacy. Floyd Cooper talked about his art technique in which he erases spaces to take color away from his oil-washed paintings. At the end of the day he gave me the artwork he demonstrated with. I was thrilled. Daniel Minter spoke passionately about his detailed hand colored woodblock prints and how we all belong to a universal family. The dialogue that afternoon was both engaging and insightful.
When I returned home from Massachusetts, I downloaded pictures taken that day and quickly gathered my scribbled notes along with e-mail addresses and phone numbers. I wanted to make good on my promise to stay connected with new found friends and colleagues.
_______
Adjoa Burrowes has illustrated seventeen picture books including Grandma’s Purple Flowers. Visit her website at: www.adjoaburrowes.com
