FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 5, 2008 Contact: Susan Calabria Brattleboro Museum & Art Center Phone: 802-257-0124 (ext. 102) Chris Van Allsburg’s Illustrations at BMAC Original art from award-winning author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg are on display through August 3 in the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center’s Activity Gallery. Included in the exhibit, The Magic of Chris Van Allsburg, are drawings that appear in The Polar Express, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, The Widow’s Broom, Two Bad Ants and other books written by Van Allsburg and by Mark Helprin. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Van Allsburg studied art at the University of Michigan where he made fanciful objects of bronze, wood, and resin that showed a taste for humor and Surrealism and a talent for fine craftsmanship. After completing his graduate studies at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where he taught drawing from 1979-1991, Van Allsburg began to draw at home when his unheated sculpture studio was too cold. Van Allsburg’s ability to tell a story in images was encouraged by his wife, Lisa, and her friend, the author and illustrator David Macauley (the inspiration for Santa Claus in The Polar Express). Lisa, an art teacher who in the early 1980s used picture books with her elementary school students, encouraged Chris to create a book for children. Van Allsburg’s first picture book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979), was awarded a Caldecott Honor. Since then, he has written and/or illustrated nineteen books, has received two Caldecott Medals, and has had three books adapted as movies, with two more being developed for the future. The illustrations exhibited at BMAC represent Van Allsburg’s facility with a variety of media, from oil pastel and colored pencil to scratchboard and charcoal. Along with the artwork, many of the artist’s books are available to read in the gallery, and a drawing activity for all ages inspires visitors to create stories and pictures in a relaxing setting. Major support for the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center’s 2008–2009 season is provided by Entergy Vermont Yankee, Foard Panel, the Brattleboro Reformer, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, and Chittenden Bank. Founded in 1972, the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center presents art and ideas in ways that inspire, educate, and engage people of all ages. Each season features compelling new exhibits of contemporary artwork by regional and internationally acclaimed artists, complemented by lectures, artist talks, film screenings, and other public programs. The Museum’s exhibits and gift shop are open year-round, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Tuesday; please check the website for holiday and other special closings. Regular admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for students. Members and children under 6 are admitted free of charge. Located in historic Union Station in downtown Brattleboro, at the intersection of Main Street (Route 5) and Routes 119 and 142, the Museum is wheelchair accessible. For more information call 802-257-0124 or visit www.brattleboromuseum.org. .