Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Art Exhibition / Curator *Barbara Wing* Interview

LAST WEEK! "Ordinary into Extraordinary" is up until June 13 at Brooklyn Central Library 10 Grand Army Plaza.

CONTEST Win a FREE Autographed Copy of MERMAIDS ON PARADE!


I met BPL curator Barbara Wing in April 2008 at the Dweck Auditorium. She had been sitting in the audience for my program. Afterwards, she asked that I write a proposal for an exhibition of my picture book art. The rest is history.

Q: Why is it important to show original picture book art at Brooklyn Central Library?

BW: The main reason to show original picture book art is to share the illustrators’ original artwork with children and adults, before it is printed into an actual book. Children can view wonderful art that is vibrant, exciting, full of color and form, and hopefully imaginations will be stirred by the artists’ illustrations which relate to children’s everyday experiences and fantasies.

We are fortunate to have so many terrific children’s picture book illustrators living and working in Brooklyn to provide us with a rich reading and art experience.

Q: How do you choose the picture book artists?

BW: The library has an exhibitions committee that decides upon which picture book illustrator will have an exhibition. The committee includes artists, teachers, librarians, gallery owners and specialists from the library’s programs & exhibitions department.

Q: What does a curator do?

BW: A curator usually selects the artwork of a guest artist, especially at a gallery, museum, library or other place of exhibition. Part of the curator’s responsibility is to look after the artwork and to take good care of it. Frequently, the curator will have a theme or topic in mind, and both the curator and artist will work together to determine how the artist’s art will be featured, organized and displayed.

Q: If you had a mermaid name, what would it be?

BW: I’ve always liked the name, KAI (pronounced kye and rhymes with sky). It is of Hawaiian origin and its meaning is “the sea.”

Thanks for making the experience such a pleasure, Barbara!

Photo: Herb Hernandez

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