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The Art of Rabbit Ears: Contemporary Children's IllustrationFebruary 13 through March 22
Original children's book illustrations from the collection of Mark Sottnick and Doris Wilhousky, founders of Rabbit Ears. Opening Reception: Thursday, February 22, 5-7 pm.
In 1985 Mark Sottnick and Doris Wilhousky began Rabbit Ears with a simple formula. Take a great classic children’s story, have it read by great narrators, illustrated by talented artists and set to original music by world famous musicians and composers. The resulting videos, audio tapes and books have been delighting children and their parents ever since, while garnering top praise and awards for their exceptional quality, design and originality from parents, critics, educators, and entertainment organizations.
“The Art of Rabbit Ears: Contemporary Children’s Illustration" celebrates both the art and artists of this innovative company. Great design and quality illustrations by the best children’s illustrators has always been an earmark of a Rabbit Ears book or video. Over twenty original illustrations culled from 19 classic Rabbit Ears tales will be on display. The illustrations are a delightful sampling of some of the top illustrators at work today and are as wide ranging in their media as they are in style.
Rabbit Ears stories and the artists, actors and musicians who brought them to life have won numerous awards including 2 Grammy Awards, 18 Grammy Award nominations, 21 Parents' Choice Awards, A Parents' Choice Award for the Entire Storybook Classics series, 7 Action for Children's Television awards, A National Education Association Award and the Humanitas Prize.
Artists included in the exhibition are Jeff Smith, David Johnson, Peter DeSever, Greg Couch, Jack Malloy, Henrik Drescher, Steven Guarnaccia, Tim Raglin, Vivian Flescher, Karen Barbour, Stephano Vitale and Peter Sis.
Actors and musicians who have collaborated in the productions have included Meryl Streep, George Winston, Jack Nicholson, Danny Glover, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Garrison Keillor, Robin Williams, Ry Cooder, and B.B. King, to name a few.
Press Coverage: Sun News, Kicks! Friday, March 2, 2007
CCU displays children's art exhibit
By Rogers Walker Jr.
For The Sun News
The term "children's art" can be deceptive due to its implication of mediocrity of style and technique. The work of the Rabbit Ears illustrators is anything but.
Several artists that have worked with the innovative Rabbit Ears children's media company will have their works on display through March 22 at the Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery at Coastal Carolina University.
The show's depictions of such classic childhood stories as Thumbelina and Aladdin are rendered in a variety of mediums and run the stylistic gamut from whimsically elaborate to contemplatively minimalist.
Though the images in the show were originally part of filmed story sequences, the works can easily be appreciated as individual works of art.
"They are all pretty self-contained in terms of design and content," said Gallery Director Cynthia Farnell.
"You really can take them without knowing the full story."
Indeed, the show's individual pieces lend themselves to reflection and analysis in much the same way that works in a traditional gallery show would.
The levity of the works and a characteristic lack of pretension make the pieces easy to enjoy while still challenging to appreciate.
"The illustrators that have worked with Rabbit Ears have commented on the extraordinary amount of creative freedom that they have had with these projects," said Farnell.
The husband-and-wife team of Mark Sottnick and Doris Wilhousky started Rabbit Ears in 1985 and have since seen their successful venture win two Grammy Awards and 21 Parents' Choice Awards.
Their winning formula has included teaming highly creative illustrators with innovative musicians and celebrity voices such as Jack Nicholson and Danny Glover.
"It goes to show that you can make money, work creatively and produce a high-quality product at the same time," said Farnell.
Perhaps the most well-known of their productions was the endearing 1985 production of the Velveteen Rabbit read by Meryl Streep.
This rendition of the classic tale of a plush rabbit come to life, like so many of Rabbit Ears' productions, has left its soft imprint on the imagination of many of today's young adults.
The show aims to be informative for both children and adults alike.
"We live in quite a visual culture, and yet we are not all visually astute," said Farnell.
Students and visitors to the show can learn about the diverse techniques used within the field of drawing in addition to seeing the fruits of the Rabbit Ears business model.
On a recent school-day morning, Coastal senior Christian Galloway strolled through the gallery with a discerning eye.
As Galloway paused in front of each painting, she gave a brief explanation of the artists' materials and techniques along with an appraisal of the works' distinctive merits.
"It's inspirational," she said.
"You can look at something and then come up with an idea for yourself and for your own artwork."
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