First Friday Art Walk

About this event

DINOSAURS have been an enduring fascination for humankind since the first giant bones were unearthed from the ground. What did these creatures look like? How did they live? The mystery created by their extinction has made these ancient beings immortal. The soaring size of sauropods and the mythic power of the T. Rex have captured the imagination and passion of children and adults alike, in part because they must be imagined. This fact has fostered an amazing cooperation between science and art: paleontologists and illustrators have been historical partners in bringing dinosaurs to life. Illustration Institute presents ILLUSTRASAURUS, an exhibition curated to capture the uniquely rich subject of dinosaur art. It is a subject that inspires our imaginations and presents an important link between illustration and science - one that is particularly accessible to children. Dinotopia, Danny and the Dinosaur, Hattie and Hudson, and Dinosaur Stomp are just a few books that will be represented in this show. In children's books such as these, dinosaurs can be silly, sweet, cantankerous and tender. One of the most meaningful experiences we’ve had in our Garth Williams, Robert McCloskey, and most recently Mice in the Bookshelves exhibits was that adults return to the books from their childhood to share them with young readers, inspiring a new generation to read and learn. On the more scientific side, magnificent artwork in books, magazines, murals, movies and more tries to picture dinosaurs as they may have lived millions of years ago, allowing us to step into another world. The dinosaurs in paleoart are also characters in the much broader story of paleontology. As scientific understanding has developed over time, so too can we watch these dinosaurs develop as characters from fierce, bizarre monsters to tangible yet magnificent animals. This progression where science and illustration have worked hand in hand is what the paleoart in our show depicts. This 600 million year old story – one that links art, science, and reading for people of all ages – is what ILLUSTRASAURUS is about.