Purdue News
Purdue News
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February 2, 2001 Award-winning illustrator comes to PurdueWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Illustrator Jerry Pinkney will share his creative experiences in "Weaving the Common Thread in Children's Literature," a lecture sponsored by the Purdue University Black Cultural Center at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, in the BCC. Pinkney, known for his renderings of African-American life and culture, is a four-time recipient of the Caldecott Honor Medal and four-time recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award. His Caldecott Award winning illustrations are pictured in "John Henry," by Julius Lester; "The Talking Eggs," by Robert D. San Souci; and "Mirandy and Brother Wind," by Patricia C. McKissack. He received the Coretta Scott King Award for "The Talking Eggs;" "Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman," by Alan Schroeder; "The Patchwork Quilt," by Valerie Flournoy; and "Tales of Uncle Remus," by Julius Lester. Both awards are administered by the American Library Association. Pinkney also has received the Drexel Citation for Children's Literature, the David McCord Award, and the Philadelphia School of Art and Design Alumni Award for his work. "I always wanted to bring a sense of dignity to my characters," he said. "I personalize my characters. You see through my work how varied black folks really are." Other projects by Pinkney include designing 11 postage stamps for the U.S. Postal Service Black Heritage series and drawing illustrations for a special issue on the Underground Railroad for the National Geographic. He also was invited by NASA to join its artist team for the Space Shuttle Columbia. "I wanted to show that an African-American artist could make it in this country on a national level in the graphic arts," he said. "I want to be a strong role model for my family and for other African-Americans." Pinkney began his creative career after graduating from a commercial art course at Dobbins Vocational School. He continued his education at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art, worked as a designer at Rustcraft Greeting Card Company, formed Kaleidoscope Studio with two other artists, then opened the Jerry Pinkney Studio. He has taught art at the University of Delaware and State University of New York at Buffalo. Established at Purdue in 1969, the BCC is nationally recognized and acknowledged by the Association of Black Culture Centers as one of the best centers of its kind. The center, according to BCC director Renee Thomas, helps black students gain a greater understanding of their heritage and supports and enhances cultural diversity on campus and in the community. Thomas said the BCC serves as a catalyst for a host of cultural, educational, artistic, social and technological initiatives and provides an environment that fosters cross-cultural exchanges and noteworthy research, as well as artistic expression through music, dance, drama and creative writing. CONTACT: Dorothy Washington, Black Cultural Center librarian, (765) 494-3093, dwashin2@purdue.edu. NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: A publication-quality photograph of Jerry Pinkney is available at the ftp site. It is called Pinkney.jpeg
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