VISUAL CAFFEINE: THE POLITICAL, EDITORIAL AND PICTURE BOOK ART OF CHRISTOPHER BING

by Margaret Marschner, Director
Conway Public Library
(603) 447-5552 · www.conway.lib.nh.us

Christopher Bing is a multiple award winning conceptual, editorial and political illustrator whose work has appeared in almost every major newspaper in the U.S., including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston Globe. He is also the illustrator of three picture books: Casey at the Bat, a 2000 Caldicott Honor Award winner, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, and The Story of Little Black Sambo. A selection of his work will be exhibited at the Conway Public Library this July. Adults will enjoy the biting political wit of his op-ed work. Children will enjoy the detailed-rich worlds he has created in his picture book illustration. Each of the images in the exhibition will be accompanied by a written commentary.

One of the more interesting aspects of this show will be several of the works in progress. Chris has included illustrations for two as yet unpublished picture books; one, the classic Little Red Riding Hood.

His published picture book work illustrates images that he rejected and reworked for the finished publications. Examples of this from all three published books prove that even professionals mess up and have to do it over again. You might also find revelations of a few (not so secret) secrets in his books.