Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710
FAX (215) 567-7850
Contact: Communications and Development
Free Library Presents Retrospective Exhibition on Art and Life of Acclaimed Children’s Illustrator Jerry Pinkney
PHILADELPHIA June 24, 2013—The Free Library of Philadelphia is pleased to host a new exhibition, Drawing on the Reverse Side: The Art and Life of Jerry Pinkney at the Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street. Free and open to the public now through September 1, 2013, Drawing on the Reverse Side offers an inside look at one of the United States’ most celebrated children’s illustrators, focusing on Pinkney’s local family roots and the creative process behind many of his best-known and most-beloved works.
Jerry Pinkney has illustrated more than 100 books over the course of his five-decade career. He received the 2010 Caldecott Medal for his picture book, The Lion and the Mouse, and his many other awards include five Caldecott Honor Medals, five Coretta Scott King Book Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators in New York. Pinkney grew up in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood, and his work touches upon personal and cultural themes of the African American experience, the majesty of wildlife, and the wisdom of folk tales.
“Drawing on the Reverse Side is a fun way to take a peek into the creative process of a talented artist—and native Philadelphian—who has created strong and beautiful portraits and elevated the level of work in picture books for children,” said Rachel Fryd, Library Coordinator at the Free Library of Philadelphia. “His watercolors capture the fleeting emotion in his characters and they seem so real that I almost expect them to talk to me!”
In addition to the exhibition, the Free Library will also host a free author event with Jerry Pinkney on Monday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Parkway Central Library. Drawing on the Reverse Side is on display at Parkway Central in conjunction with the exhibition, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For more information, please visit freelibrary.org or call 215-686-5322.
# # #
The Free Library of Philadelphia system consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. With more than 6 million in-person and 9 million online visits annually, the Free Library is one of the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia.
06/25/2013
Department of External Affairs, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710, FAX (215) 567-7850