How It Began - Opening Night
By Elizabeth O. Dulemba, SCBWISouthern Breeze Illustrators' Coordinator
Our 1st Annual SCBWI Southern Breeze Children’s Book Illustrators' Gallery Show opened during kick-off night for the Decatur Arts Festival. The independent children's book store, Little Shop of Stories, hosted the event in their fabulous new location on the square. As my first event as Southern Breeze’s new Illustrators’ Coordinator, and with good friend Liz Conrad’s help, the show came together smoothly and surpassed all expectations - it was a truly magical evening. To see more pictures of opening night CLICK HERE. Our inaugural show included work from Liz Conrad, Ami Blackford, Mark Braught, Yours Truly, Rick Anderson, Rick Spears, Sarah C. Campbell, Daniel Powers, Karen Stormer Brooks, and Laura Knorr. (To view the original invitation with links to all illlustrator sites, click here.) We are lucky to have such wonderful talent in our region!
Accompanying picture books for each illustration were displayed on low stools making the show a perfect introduction of fine-art for children and drawing interest from South Arts (a branch of the National Endowment of the Arts). In a stroke of good luck we couldn't have forseen, South Arts has taken it on to become a traveling show all over the South for two years!
Here is where I'll attempt to keep track of what has become:
April 2009 - April 2011
The show opened during the Fay B. Kaigler International Book Festival in April 2009 at the Saenger Theater and is already receiving lots of press. If you would like to bring Storybook Look to your library, gallery, or event, there are still plenty of dates available and government funding is also now available. Contact Teresa Hollingsworth of the Southern Arts Federation by phone (404) 874-7244 or email.
