5 Great events at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art celebrates 10 years!

This November marks the 10th anniversary of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. This delightful attraction in Amherst isn’t just for youngsters…visitors of all ages will be enchanted by displays of artwork from their favorite bedtime stories. The museum also features a cafeteria, a reading library, and an art studio where kids and their parents and other adult guests are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and let the magic take over! There are several terrific events and exhibits happening at The Carle…here are 5 great ones:

1. “Imagining Your Special Day,” September 27 - November 7, 2012. Free with Museum Admission. Peter, in Ezra Jack Keats book The Snowy Day, spends hours journeying through his neighborhood, magically changed overnight by fresh snow. Imagine yourself anywhere in the world for just one day. Paint a scene from your special day using brushes and colorful watercolor paints.

2. In The Reading Library – “Special Storytime with Jane Schoenberg,” September 29 at 2pm. Free with Museum Admission. Stuey Lewis conquered second grade but third's no piece of cake, either! Find out if he can come up with a cool-enough critter to bring to the class's pet show, when Jane Schoenberg reads from her newest book, Stuey Lewis Against All Odds. Book signing to follow.

3. “Exploring the Art of Ezra Jack Keats, Gallery Tour with Curator, Nick Clark,” Now through October 14, 2012. Free with Museum Admission. The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats is the first major exhibition in this country to pay tribute to award-winning author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats (1916–1983), whose beloved children’s books include Whistle for Willie, Peter’s Chair, and The Snowy Day—the first modern full-color picture book to feature an African-American protagonist. Published in 1962, at the height of the civil rights movement in America, the book went on to become an inspiration for generations of readers, transforming children’s literature forever. The exhibition, curated by Claudia J. Nahson of The Jewish Museum in New York City, features over 70 original works by the artist, from preliminary sketches and dummies or preparatory books, to final paintings and collages, including examples of Keats’s most introspective but less-known output inspired by Asian art and poetry.

4. “Beyond Books: The Independent Art of Eric Carle,” September 30, 2012 - February 24, 2013. Eric Carle is primarily known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar and over 70 picture books done in his colorful collage technique. For the first time, fans will have a chance to see the remarkable variety of paintings, sculptures, and personal sketches that he has been making privately for more than 60 years. Starting with his career as a poster artist in the 1940s and carrying through to the street photographs he is shooting today, this exhibition, Beyond Books: The Independent Art of Eric Carle, provides viewers a chance to see what Eric himself calls his “ArtArt.”

5. “Our British Cousins: The Magical Art of Maisy and Friends,” Now through November 25, 2012. Lucy Cousins is the creator of the beloved Maisy series. She is also the author-illustrator of numerous other stories, including the widely acclaimed “Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales,” a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children’s Book, as well as “I’m the Best and Hooray for Fish!” The Eric Carle Museum is pleased to announce it will host a survey of this wonderful artist’s work: “Our British Cousins: The Magical Art of Maisy and Friends” in the central gallery. The exhibition, comprising forty works, will be on view until November 25, 2012.

Take advantage of great early fall weather and explore all the fun attractions, restaurants, shopping sites and more that await you in the Pioneer Valley. Click here to order a free copy of the “2012-2013 Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley Visitor Guide.” Then click on our WOW Values bubble to take advantage of some great discounts at top spots.