WHEREAS, Children's Book illustrator and Philadelphia native - Jerry Pinkney, is the featured artist to the
Witness-Art Splash
exhibition on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from June 28
- September 2, 2013; and
WHEREAS, A native of Philadelphia, Jerry studied at the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) where, in 1992 he received the Alumni Award for his long-standing career in illustrating children's books since 1964; and
WHEREAS, His prestigious career consists of illustrating over one hundred children's book titles, having over thirty, one-man exhibitions, in over one hundred group shows within the USA, and exhibited internationally in Japan, Russia, Italy, Taiwan, Jamaica, Bermuda, and Honolulu; and
WHEREAS, From 1982 to 1992 he was appointed to serve on the US Postal Services Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee, and fulfilling his appointment to the National Council of the Arts as a board member from 2003 to 2009; and
WHEREAS, Then First Lady Laura Bush invited Jerry Pinkney to illustrate and design the White House Christmas Program for the Visitors Center along with being assigned to create a painting for the 30th Bologna Book Fair in Italy and for the NASA Art Collection of the John F. Kennedy Space Center; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, he received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University; in 2010 the Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa from the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, Lancaster, PA; and in May 2012 an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Bank Street Graduate School of Education in New York; and
WHEREAS, As a much sought after scholar, he has held several professorships and taught at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY; the University of Delaware, Newark, DE; and the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; and
WHEREAS, His honors include being the recipient of five Caldecott Honor Medals, a Caldecott Medal, and five The New York Times "Best Illustrated Books", receiving five Coretta Scott King Awards, and four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and published in fourteen countries; and
WHEREAS, Also a United States nominee for the l997 Hans Christian Andersen Illustration Medal and The Society of Illustrators in New York presented Jerry with four gold medals, four silver medals, the Hamilton King Award, and in 2006 their Original Arts Lifetime Achievement Award; and
WHEREAS
, His art can be found in the permanent collections at the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Delaware Art Museum, the Brandywine River Art Museum, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art as well as in private collections; and
WHEREAS
, His work has been featured in The New York Times - Art Section, American Artist Magazine, The Horn Book Magazine, The CBS Sunday Morning Show, and the PBS Reading Rainbow; and
WHEREAS, Presently Jerry; continues his work serving as a Trustee for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst MA, and on the Board of the Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah NY; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, he was elected into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of a lifetime of dedication of his art and in celebration of the
Jerry Pinkney: Witness
exhibition, which will be a resounding success in attracting thousands of children and families from both the region and all corners of the world to the city and the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and
WHEREAS, We hereby welcome and honor Philadelphia native, Randolph Dobbins High School graduate, Jerry Pinkney, as the featured artist on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from June 28th until September 2nd; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize June 26th as Jerry Pinkney Day in Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Jerry Pinkney and the Philadelphia Museum of Art as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End