Going to the Dogs
ZELIENOPLE — Meet a hungry lion hound, an unpredictable springer spaniel and even a “Great Dane-osaurus” at “SPEAK! Children's Book Illustrators Brag About Their Dogs,” an art exhibit hosted by Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School.
“SPEAK!” is a traveling exhibit of the Mazza Museum, the world's largest museum devoted to literacy and the art of children's picture books.
The exhibit showcases the work of well-known artists like Steven Kellogg, author and illustrator of the “Pinkerton” series, and Natalie Babbitt, author of the award-winning novel “Tuck Everlasting.”
Based at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, the Mazza Museum contains more than 5,000 original works.
Thirty-three of them are now on display at the school, which will be open March 16 to the community.
Connoquenessing Valley's parent- teacher organization is sponsoring the event here.
The exhibit features original drawings, paintings and mixed media portraits of the artists' favorite dogs along with their stories.“We really like to integrate art and reading,” said art teacher Clare Torso. “Whenever we can do that, it's a great opportunity.”As Torso led a third grade class through the exhibit on Monday, she spoke about the different materials used to create the artwork, such as pen and ink, colored pencils and different types of paint.“Acrylic is kind of like the tempera paint we use here, except it's a little thicker,” Torso explained. “See how it's a little different?”Artist Barry Moser's painting of his Rottweiler Franklin D. Roosevelt elicited giggles from the crowd.Franklin looks as if he could eat small children for breakfast, according to the exhibit, but he was actually quite meek.“What's funny about this painting is that he has a little mask on, like you'd wear for Halloween,” Torso said. “That makes him look even meaner.”Most pieces are accompanied by a note from the illustrator, reminiscing about their pictured pet.According to artist Wendell Minor, “Growing up in the Midwest without a dog is like being a farmer without a tractor,” said Torso, reading aloud from the exhibit.“I just love all the stories,” she added.Minor's painting of Sally, a wild-eyed springer spaniel baying at the moon, was a favorite among the third grade set.“I like the details,” said Jared Nabry, 9. “Like how the moon looks like a ball she's balancing on her head.”
In the hallway, students' artwork is just as prominently displayed.The third graders' assignment was to create a pet bed occupied by a dog or cat by using oil pastels and watercolor paint.Cut-outs of neon-colored tabbies and polka-dotted dogs coexist on the walls outside the exhibit.“It's a really great inspiration for their artwork,” Torso said.To generate excitement for the exhibit, the school has incorporated the dog theme into countless projects, said school librarian Mary Parish.“We have been talking about dogs all year,” she said.Dozens of dog-themed lessons, activities and more have taken place at CVE, Parish said.For instance, the theme for Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, a national initiative, is “Be a Buddy, Not a Bully,” and staff and students received T-shirts depicting a dog, she said.Another project was an accelerated reading challenge, whose winners helped bake homemade dog biscuits for the Humane Society of Butler County.The art teachers also taught lessons on featured illustrators Minor, Elizabeth Sayles, Peter Catalanotto and Steven Kellogg.
Talking about dogs naturally engages the elementary school students, all of whom have their own pet story to share, Torso said.“You can imagine all the dog and cat stories we started here,” said Torso.Everyone loves to talk about their dogs, said Linnea Baktay, 8.“Dogs like to be playful and play with their owners,” said Baktay.And they like to be around people,” added classmate Marc Amado, 9.The conversations will continue at the school's open house, where student docents will be on hand to talk about specific pieces of art, Parish said.“They're experts on that particular illustration,” Parish said.To add to the display, Parish created a reading area within the exhibit by pulling additional books by some of the contributing artists.“Art is all around us,” said Parish. “We don't always realize the hours and hours that go into the process of creating a piece of artwork for every single page of a book.”
The artwork featured in “SPEAK!” comes from a 1993 book of the same name by author and illustrator Michael Rosen.“It was his idea to put together a book of major and famous children's book illustrators and to use the proceeds from that book to help fund animal shelters across the United States,” said Ben Sapp, director of the Mazza Museum and instructor of education at the University of Findlay.A companion book about cats called “PURR!” is also available.Rosen traveled with the exhibit for several years after the book was published before approaching Mazza, Sapp said.The museum purchased the exhibit about 10 years ago and markets it to schools, libraries, small museums and other organizations, which is valuable to all visitors, Sapp said.“If you take the works that these illustrators have done in the past and are presently doing, it's just so extensive in the amount of quality, rich literature and art they can be exposed to,” he said.The exhibit provides a narrative that any pet lover can relate to.“Some of the artwork and the information given about the artwork is somewhat comical, but some of it is very sincere and heartwarming, and some of it is almost a bit sad,” Sapp said. “The variety of the artwork and the stories is quite extensive as well,” he added.</B>
<B>WHAT: </B>“SPEAK! Children's Book Illustrators Brag About Their Dogs” art exhibit<B>WHEN: </B>6 to 7:30 p.m. March 16<B>WHERE:</B> Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School, 300 S. Pittsburgh St., Zelienople<B>INFO: </B>Call the school at 724-452-8280.
