Founding Director H. Nichols B. Clark to Retire From The Eric Carle Museum
(Amherst, MA—September 11, 2014) Alexandra Kennedy, Carle executive director, announced this week that H. Nichols B. Clark, The Carle’s chief curator and founding director, will retire in December after more than 13 years of service to the Museum.
Clark was instrumental in establishing The Carle as an influential national center for picture books. He has been a tireless champion for the art form, organizing exhibitions that have traveled all over the U.S. and abroad and building a world-class collection for The Carle. More than half a million guests have visited since the Museum opened its doors in 2002.
Clark first came to The Carle in January 2001, following a career as the Chair of Education at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, then as Curator of American Art at the Chrysler Museum in Virginia. There, he and his late wife Trinkett Clark organized an exhibition with Michael Patrick Hearn called Myth, Magic, and Mystery: One Hundred Years of American Children’s Book Illustration, which ignited his passion for picture books.
"I came to the Carle to help Eric and Bobbie Carle create a museum that honors the art of picture books, and it has been such a privilege to help them realize that dream,” said Clark, when he announced his retirement. “It stands as the crowning achievement of my career. I saved the best for last!"
Clark will continue to teach and lecture for the Museum and to guest curate exhibitions. “Nick’s professionalism, scholarly insights, curiosity, and wit set the tone for The Carle and its staff, “ said Kennedy. “We will miss working with him on a daily basis but look forward to welcoming him as a consulting curator.”
Kennedy is leading a search committee to find a successor. For more information about the curator position, see the job posting at www.carlemuseum.org/content/carle-seeks-curator.
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 12,000 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.
