Inspiring Artist

Have you ever been blown away by seeing an artist's work? This happened to me (and Marti) on this past Monday when we visited the Kenosha Public Museum. The artist's name is S.D.Schindler.

Until January 18, 2009, about 100 of his children's book illustrations from nearly 50 different books are on display in this FREE musuem. It's worth the trip.

Wisconsin is not all that far from the Illinois border. And the rest of the musuem is worth a look-see as well. There's a wooly mammoth skeleton, ivory carvings from China, life-sized dwellings of Native Americans, a fabulous hands-on work area for kids...we wished this would have been around when our own kids were younger! Next door is a Civil War Museum that warrants a future visit.

Back to S.D. Schindler: His illustrations appear in many different genres including picture books, non-fiction, folk lore tales, juvenile fiction and holiday books. Here are but a few of the titles you should check out.

Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin

Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant

How Many Fish by Caren Lee Cohen

Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler

Whittington by Alan W. Armstrong

Betcha! by Stuart J. Murphy

If You Should Hear a Honey Guide by April Pulley Sayre

Johnny Appleseed by Stephen Benet

Boy, Were We Wrong About the Dinosaurs by Kathleen V. Kadlinski

I Love My Buzzard by Tres Seymour

Bat in the Dinig Room by Crescent Dragonwagon

How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

To further whet your appetite, here are a few photos taken at the exhibit. There was a sign up that photos could be taken, just no use of flash, please.

Has there been an artist who has inspired you?