The Carle Announces Exhibition of Artwork from Eric Carle’s New Book, <i>Friends</i>
Amherst, MA (September 4, 2013)—The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition The Art of Eric Carle: Friends, beginning September 17, 2013 and running through March 24, 2014. The exhibition will feature artwork from Eric Carle’s much-anticipated picture book, Friends, which will be released on November 19, 2013.
Illustrated with his signature colorful, tissue-paper collages, Friends tells a story about perseverance, love, and childhood friendship. When a little boy’s best friend moves away, the boy braves harsh weather, tall mountains, and long distances to reunite with her.
“Friends was inspired by many of my own friendships,” says Carle. “One that I had as a three-year-old boy, another as a six year old when I was taken by my parents to Germany, and another as a young man when I arrived back in the United States with my portfolio in hand. I have always believed that friendship is very important. I know it was for me as a child. I can still remember my strong attachments and feelings for my friends when I was a boy.”
The exhibition features the finished art from the book with numerous pieces taking on an abstract quality that evokes a mood or moment of utmost importance. Carle did an initial version where the theme was marriage rather than friendship, and he reworked it to keep the story in a more child-like context. As well, preliminary drawings and mock-ups of the book will articulate the rigorous process the artist goes through to arrive at his final vision.
About the Museum
The mission of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, a non-profit organization in Amherst, MA, is to inspire a love of art and reading through picture books. The only full-scale museum of its kind in the United States, The Carle collects, preserves, presents, and celebrates picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world. In addition to underscoring the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of picture books and their art form, The Carle offers educational programs that provide a foundation for arts integration and literacy.
Eric and Barbara Carle founded the Museum in November 2002. Eric Carle is the renowned author and illustrator of more than 70 books, including the 1969 classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Since opening, the 40,000-square foot facility has served more than half a million visitors, including 30,000 schoolchildren. Its extensive resources include a collection of more than 10,000 picture book illustrations, three art galleries, an art studio, a theater, picture book and scholarly libraries, and educational programs for families, scholars, educators, and schoolchildren. Educational offerings include professional training for educators around the country. Museum hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 12 noon to 5 p.m. Open Mondays in July and August and during MA school vacation weeks. Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for children under 18, and $22.50 for a family of four. For further information and directions, call 413-658-1100 or visit the Museum’s website at www.carlemuseum.org.
