“The Hungry Goddess” by Maya Gonzalez (2001). Photo courtesy of Heard Museum.
Most children have seen Eric Carle’s colorful tissue paper illustrations for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but few are familiar with Maya Gonzalez’s “The Hungry Goddess.”
It’s an acrylic-on-paper image from Barefoot Books’ Fiesta Feminina: Celebrating Women in Mexican Folktales by Mary Joan Gerson — and it’s one of 60 family-friendly illustrations included in an exhibition opening soon at the Heard Museum in Phoenix.
“Latino Folk Tales: Cuentos Populares” features 60 works by a dozen award-winning children’s book illustrators whose works enrich bilingual Latino folk tales gathered from Spanish-speaking regions including Mexico, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America and South America.
The stories are primarily from Latin America and rooted in post-European contact times, but also are believed to contain elements of Native cultures prior to that time.
The exhibition, which is curated by Sylvia Nissley, has been touring the nation since November 2012.
“Nine Hundred Hummingbirds flew out of a Piñada” by Esau Andrade Valencia (2007). Photo courtesy of Heard Museum.
Featured artists include Honorario Robledo, Esau Andrade Valencia, Maya Christina Gonzalez, Lulu Delacre, Gloria Osuna Perez, Lucia Anglea Perez, Leovigildo Martinez, Batriz Vidal, Susan Guevara, Felipe Dávalos-Gonzalez, Amy Córdova and Raul Colón.
Their works incorporate different styles, such as magical realism and surrealism. Many of the materials they used – including watercolors, colored pencils and acrylic paint — are ones your child can work with at home.
Exploring “Latino Folk Tales” is a fun way to ignite your child’s interest in books, artwork, history and diverse cultures.
The exhibition opens Sunday, Oct. 13 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014. Special guests will be reading related books (including A Perfect Season for Dreaming and The Bossy Gallito) on select dates.
Artist and author Cathy Cano-Murillo, known to many as the “Crafty Chica,” is reading The Tortilla Factory at the museum on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Radio Disney heads to the Heard Museum in Phoenix on Sunday, Oct. 20 for a special reading, music, games, giveaways and a performance by the Radio Disney Road Crew.
Learn more about the exhibit.
Ways to extend your child’s learning and fun:
• Follow your visit to the Heard Museum with a trip to your local library or bookstore to explore works featuring Latino stories and artwork.
• Clear space at home for exhibit-inspired art making. Writing and illustrating your own homemade books is a fun family activity that will give you insights into how your child sees his or her world. Family art-making engenders conversations it’s sometimes hard to create in more hurried or distracted settings — and one-of-a-kind books make lovely holiday gifts for friends and family.
More ways to enjoy Latino arts and culture:
• Attend Hispanic Heritage Month events at the Phoenix Public Library
• Explore the Latin American collection at Phoenix Art Museum
• Attend CALA Alliance International Festival events taking place at various venues through Nov. 5
• Explore murals created by Calle 16 artists (start along 16th Street between Thomas and McDowell Roads in Phoenix)
• Visit the Arizona Latino Arts & Cultural Center in Phoenix
• Explore Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibits at Burton Barr Central Library and Desert Botanical Garden
• Attend the Dia de los Muertos Festival at Mesa Arts Center
• Explore La Gran Fiesta at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
• Visit galleries currently exhibiting works by local Latino artists (including 6th Ave Gallery in Phoenix)
• Welcome Xico when its new Phoenix gallery opens later this year