The Eric Carle Museum Announces New Chief Curator
(Amherst, MA—January 20, 2015) The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is pleased to announce that Ellen Keiter has joined the staff this month as the Museum’s new chief curator. Keiter is replacing H. Nichols B. Clark, the Museum’s founding director and chief curator. Clark, who retired in December after more than thirteen years with The Carle, will continue in an emeritus role as a visiting lecturer and guest curator for the Museum.
Keiter brings to The Carle more than 20 years of professional museum experience. Most recently she was the Director of Exhibitions at the Katonah Museum of Art in Katonah, New York, specializing in contemporary art. Among the many exhibitions she curated are Jasper Johns & John Lund: Masters in the Print Studio; Eye to I: 3,000 Years of Portraits; Shattering Glass: New Perspectives; and I © the ‘Burbs. During her thirteen years at Katonah, she also met and worked with numerous children’s book illustrators through the museum’s Children’s Learning Center, which is dedicated to the display and celebration of original picture book art. Prior to her work at Katonah, Keiter was the Curator of Exhibitions at The Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, New York. She has a BA in Art History from Muhlenberg College and a MA in Art History from American University.
“Ellen brings tremendous energy, warmth, and experience to this important role and will be an exceptional leader for our growing exhibition program and collection. She has a great interest in collaboration and partnership. She will work closely with the board and both the collections and education teams to continue the tradition of quality and innovation that Nick began,” said The Carle’s Executive Director Alexandra Kennedy.
The Carle is the country’s premiere center for picture books. Even as a young museum, it has a world-class collection, housing more than 13,000 objects, including 6,600 permanent collection illustrations. The Museum’s exhibitions travel nationally and internationally. As chief curator, Keiter will oversee all aspects of The Carle’s exhibition program, including the acquisition, care, research, and interpretation of the Museum’s art collections and special exhibitions program. She will also manage staff and work regularly with the public, donors, artists, students, and professional colleagues to expand the audience for The Carle and for the larger field of picture book art.
“I am honored to join the talented team at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art,” says Keiter. “I’m eager to extend the reach of the Museum through a robust travel program, while continuing to celebrate picture books with our local, national and international audience. Just as I vividly recall Robert McCloskey’s Time of Wonder from my childhood, The Carle creates meaningful connections between art and stories that resonate for a lifetime. I am indebted to Nick Clark for his groundbreaking scholarship in the field and for assembling a world-class art collection. He has adeptly built the solid foundation from which The Carle now soars.”
About The Carle:
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. The Carle houses more than 13,000 objects, including 6,600 permanent collection illustrations. The Carle has 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.
