Ed Emberley: Better You Than Me

"…while friendly to any age group, it [Ed Emberley: Better You Than Me] doesn’t talk down to anyone. Here we have a museum that is trying to engage the audience in a way that is educational as well as a partnership, allowing us to see the exhibit in a place full of meaning and quality for every patron. Shows like Ed Emberley: Better You Than Me are why the Akron Art Museum should be such a point of pride for the community."—Anderson Turner, "Art review: See the process of creating a children's book in Ed Emberley," Akron Beacon Journal. Using simple shapes and lines, beloved illustrator and picture book artist Ed Emberley has created enchanting worlds for generations of young people, while also giving them the tools to create worlds of their own. Ed Emberley: Better You Than Me opens on January 11, 2018 and includes an array of dazzling artwork from the artist’s personal archive of hand drawn sketches, woodblock prints, mock-ups, and first edition books. Emberley’s drawing books empowered countless children to create by utilizing simple shapes and step by step techniques to make elaborate characters and scenes. In addition to his inventive drawing books, the artist is known for his Caldecott Medal-awarded 1967 picture book Drummer Hoff, and for his 1992 bestseller Go Away, Big Green Monster. The exhibition will also feature a stylized reproduction of Emberley’s drawing and light table from his home studio, where visitors of all ages can try their hand at his diverse and playful art making techniques. Ed Emberley: Better You Than Me was organized by Caleb Neelon for the Akron Art Museum. Its presentation in Akron is sponsored by a generous gift from the Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation, with additional support from the OMNOVA Solutions Foundation and Fifth Third Bank. Media support provided by ideastream®. Related Links: [ Alexxa Gotthardt, "The Beloved Children’s Book Illustrator Who Taught Us to Draw with Our Fingerprints," Artsy.net ] [ Anderson Turner, "Art review: See the Process of creating a children's book in Ed Emberley," Akron Beacon Journal ]