There’s a series of video (and audio) interviews from WETA learning media on iTunes of interviews with (American) authors and illustrators. (view them here [launches iTunes]).
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Own a Piece of the Magic
I’ve donated some artwork for Own A Piece of the Magic, a fundraiser for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) and the BC Coalition for School Libraries (BCCSL). I’m happy to lend a hand in supporting the cause of promoting Canadian children’s books.
$100 dollars gets you in the door of “one of Vancouver’s most spectacular waterfront venues” and guarantees you a piece of original artwork from a West Coast children’s book illustrator. The pieces are randomly matched to their new owners – but if you are particularly fond of a work, you can bid more to ensure you get it. More information about the event, including an order form for tickets is available on the BCCSL website (I apologise in advance for exposing you to the discordant colour palette on that page).
Pileated Woodpecker Study | ink on paper | 10 1/2″ x 13″
(for the book Looking for Loons)
If there are other children’s book illustrators out there who are interesting in donating a piece of artwork, please contact Kathryn Shoemaker asap at kshoe [at] telus [dot] net.
New York Library’s Donnell Branch Closing
Winnie-the-Pooh & Piglet at the New York Pubic Library’s Donnell Library Center Central Children’s Room.
I just read on 7-Imp, where there’s a much more in depth and eloquent summary than I can attempt here, that the New York Public Libaries Donnell Branch will be closing in May. This branch houses the Central Children’s Room, home to, among other things, the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys (sans Roo who, being small, must have been lost along the way), Mary Poppin’s umbrella and, during the time of my visit, original N.C Wyeth Robin Hood illustrations. With the closure of the branch the future of the Children’s Room seems uncertain and many are worried it will disappear all together.
The photographs here are from our visit to New York in January of 2006. We were told about the Children’s Room by a New York aquaintence who we had hit up for tips on New York must-sees – especially those that involved art, books or food. We didn’t have a lot of time to spend at the library – it was more of a quick pilgrimage to see the toys so it was an extra bonus to see the Wyeth illustrations. I would have loved to had more time to explore more of the library and to have gone through the collection of reference books. I can only imagine how wonderful it would have been to have access to a library like this when I was little, not only for the books but for the chance to see original, classic illustrations. Here’s to hoping that the Children’s Room reopens in a brand spanking new location (with better lighting) and that for many years to come, kids will have access to literature in this way.
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I love Winnie-the-Pooh – the proper A.A Milne original book versions with the lovely E. H. Shepard illustrations – not what’s become of it now, so it was kind of sad to see this – not a Milne in sight – completely obliterated (at least on Flickr) by the ‘D’ word:
Kirsti Anne Wakelin | picture book illustration 