Wendell Minor's America
25 Years of Children's Book Art
March - May 2017

The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi will feature original works by award-winning illustrator, Wendell Minor, at an exhibit from March 1 through May 14 at Oddfellows Gallery in downtown Hattiesburg. These pieces are part of a traveling exhibit organized by Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Wendell Minor’s America: 25 Year of Children’s Book Art traces the personal and artistic journey of the acclaimed book illustrator and admirer of Norman Rockwell, through original artwork, artifacts, and references from Minor’s expansive visual chronicles, as well as commentary about his collaborations with our nation’s most prominent authors, scientists, and historians; highlights include original work from such books as Reaching for the Moon and Look to the Stars by Buzz Aldrin; Sitting Bull Remembers by Ann Turner; Abraham Lincoln Comes Home by Robert Burleigh; Arctic Son by Jean Craighead George; Shane by Jack Schaefer; and America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates.

Minor is nationally known for the artwork he has created for over fifty award-winning children’s books. His many collaborators include Jean Craighead George, Robert Burleigh, Buzz Aldrin, Tony Johnston, Mary Higgins Clark, and last but not least, his wife Florence. In 2009 Wendell and Florence’s If You Were a Penguin, was chosen by Pennsylvania for their “One Book, Every Young Child” 2009 early literacy program, and they enjoyed the month they spent speaking to children in Pennsylvania’s libraries, schools, Head Start facilities, and Museums.

Minor is also the cover artist and designer of over two thousand books for authors Pat Conroy, David McCullough, Fannie Flagg, Nathaniel Philbrick and many others.  His portrait of Truman for the cover of David McCullough’s book is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.

All events will take place at Oddfellows Gallery in downtown Hattiesburg located at 119 East Front Street #100. 

The gallery is open for walk-ins Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m. on Sunday.

View on map.