Eric Carle Painting Mural
I’m embarrassed to say that until day before yesterday, we had never been in the Tacoma Art Museum since it opened its new facility in 2003. But, as it happened, we went at exactly the right time. This is the final week of an exhibition called “Beyond Books: The Independent Art of Eric Carle.”
Carle, of course, is best known for his many (over 70) picture books done in his colorful collage technique. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is probably the most beloved. This exhibition went far beyond his career as a children’s book illustrator/author, though. It featured a remarkable variety of paintings, sculptures, posters, and personal sketches that he has been making privately for more than 60 years,
But what delighted me the most were the videos featuring Carle at work and, in particular, the video that took viewers into the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts. Nyel and I had been there ten or so years ago with Louise Espy and, on that occasion, saw a display of our friend Petra Mathers’ work. So, being at the Tacoma Art Museum on Wednesday and virtually ‘revisiting’ the museum in Ameherst was almost a déjà vu experience.
We had gone to the East Coast to visit friends and relatives and among our many wonderful experiences, we took Louise up to Vermont to spend some time with my cousin Medora and her family. (Medora is Willard’s granddaughter which makes her my first cousin once removed.) While we were “on the road,” we decided to take a little side trip to see the exhibition of work from Petra’s first book, Lottie’s Beach Towel.
Petra’s First “Lottie” book
Lottie, of course, is the amiable chicken from Oysterville (a magical version of here) and that exhibit celebrated Petra’s extraordinary gift to the museum of her original art work and preliminary materials from the Lottie series. We enjoyed that entire trip with Louise so much and seeing Lottie and her friends at the Eric Carle Museum was icing on the cake!
So, here we were, years later and almost on home turf on the West Coast, finally visiting the Tacoma Art Museum, and we just happened upon the Eric Carle exhibit. I love it when those circles within circles occur. And the nice thing about getting older is that they happen more frequently, of course! In any case, I highly recommend the “Beyond Books” exhibition. But, hurry! It closes July 7th.
Gosh, I always get my son Josh a membership to TAM and will have to get him to take me. That is one of the stipulations of my gift is that he take me there. We haven’t been since the Norman Rockwell exhibit which I LOVED. That work is so much a part of my growing up. I’m delighted you had such a good time!
Always a special delight to fall upon a treasure like this unexpectedly. When I was in Bellevue. Washington, passing through, I stopped at their museum and fell upon the most gorgeous display of Rozome Japanese silk painting. As I studied Rozome, a wax painting process that was lost for centuries before being rediscovered, I was stunned to see what the real masters could do. I never forgot the breathtaking experience. Yes, I know exactly how you felt.