STOCKBRIDGE, MASS.- Norman Rockwell Museum announced the winter exhibition, Jan Brett: Stories Near and Far. Featuring more than 100 original illustrations, sketches, and personal artifacts, this seasonal family-friendly exhibition explores the range of Brett’s art and the travel experiences that have inspired her many books and characters. Spanning twenty-five years, Stories Near and Far is the most extensive exhibition of Brett’s picture book art to date, and is on view from November 13, 2021 to March 6, 2022. Brett is one of the nation’s foremost and most widely read author/illustrators for children, with over 42 million books in print.
NRM Director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffat says “Jan Brett, our Berkshire neighbor, is beloved near and far. We are immensely grateful to Jan and are honored to present the most comprehensive exhibition of her work, an exhibition for all ages. Like Norman Rockwell, Jan’s work inspires happiness and joy in people of all ages. She takes us on adventures through villages in faraway locales, creating intimate and enchanting scenes to engage every reader and viewer and has inspired millions of children and parents around the globe.”
Brett’s global perspective has been inspired by her appreciation for world cultures and her many travel experiences, which have taken her from Arctic Sweden to Namibia, and from Costa Rica to China. The rich traditions and cultures of the countries she visits and her own menagerie of animals serve as a starting point for her stories, and the artist’s home is filled with objects and artifacts that she has collected along the way—including a selection that will be shared publicly in this special exhibition for the first time.
“We are thrilled to be working with Jan,” Deputy Director/Chief Curator, Stephanie Plunkett “who takes great pleasure in engaging deeply with readers, both through her books and the many talks and signings that connect her with people across the country and throughout the world.” Her trademark illustration style incorporates pen & ink along with watercolor and emphasizes layouts with intricate, stylized frames and borders, which carry unique and unexpected elements that enhance her narratives.
One of Brett’s favorite books, Berlioz the Bear, was set at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Stockbridge, MA, located near NRM, and the book’s setting drew upon an orchestra tour to Germany and Austria. Berlioz is a character based upon her husband, musician Joe Hearne who has been a bass player with the BSO for 59 years, and other characters were inspired by his fellow orchestra members.
While many of Brett’s works are set in faraway places, some of her books reflect locations closer to home. Mossy unfolds by a turtle pond in Hingham, MA, where Jan grew up, and The Easter Egg is set in her hometown of Norwell. She also created a fanciful homage to Norman Rockwell by painting her own version of Stockbridge, Massachusetts’ Main Street for her book, The Night Before Christmas. Others are set in “Jan Land,” the colorful made-up world that exists only in the artist’s vivid imagination. The complete suite of artworks from her recent publication, Cozy, is on view, as are examples from Jan Brett’s The Nutcracker, which debuts this fall.
Artwork includes:
Cozy: Displayed in complete form, Cozy follows a group of clever animals who find an unusual but warm and furry home during Alaska’s long winter. Brett’s illustrations and storytelling often reflect her research and Cozy is no exception. NRM’s exhibition explores how Brett’s experiences in Alaska and her visit to a musk ox farm gave birth to the illustrations which make the story of Cozy an immersive and lively experience.
The Mitten: One of the author’s most popular works, is a distillation of Brett’s favorite themes: animals, winter, and all things Christmas, The Mitten explores these heartwarming motifs in great detail. A highlight of the exhibition is a detailed exploration of the enthusiasm she feels for her surroundings. “The world is so incredibly magnificent,” she remarked. “I feel like [I’m discovering] just the tip of the iceberg…I used to feel that I could just disappear into a book. So when a child opens [one of my books], I want them to feel like they could just walk right into the forest and know what it feels like and smells like….It’s about making a fantasy place a real place. . . . that’s the key to storytelling.”
The Turnip: Drawing from Brett’s 2011 trip to Russia, the idea for The Turnip came from a simple carved wooden toy of three people and a bear struggling to pull up a large turnip. Brett and her husband were driving by a farm in rural Russia, and the idea of finding a giant turnip really tickled her fancy. The toy, based on a classic Russian folktale, inspired the book, with Brett deciding to use animals as the story’s characters. The toy and other personal souvenirs and items are on view.
THE ARTIST
With over 42 million books in print, Brett is one of the nation’s foremost authors and illustrators of children’s books. She lives in Norwell Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. As a child, Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. Influenced by travel and the world around her home, Brett began work on what would be her first stories. Of Norman Rockwell, she says “When I was a little girl, Rockwell was the most iconic artist in America. As an illustrator who grew up in that period, it’s hard not to be influenced by his sense of optimism and ability to show the world from a unique point of view.”
Brett’s illustrious career began when she was a student at the Boston Museum School, where she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. “It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain,” she has said. “I’m delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting.”
Brett has written over 40 books, and created artworks for Daisy Comes Home; Gingerbread Baby; Hedgie Blasts Off!; The Three Snow Bears; The Animals’ Santa; The Mermaid; Cinders A Chicken Cinderella; On Noah’s Ark. The Turnip; and The Snowy Nap are among the full-color originals from the artist’s books to be enjoyed. A video interview with Brett, exhibition audio tour in the artist’s voice, and recorded book readings will be featured in the galleries and online.
Brett’s illustrations are full of references to her life experience. Through her visits to many different countries she has researched the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. “From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children’s books.”
Brett’s next release will be Jan Brett’s The Nutcracker, a reimagining of the classic Christmas tale, which will be released on November 16, 2021 from Penguin Young Readers Group. A special book launch and signing will be held at the Museum on December 11, 2021 at 1 p.m.
Alongside the exhibition will be events featuring the artist, book signings, events & resources for educators, and an eventual virtual exhibition of Brett’s artwork. Following NRM, the exhibition will travel to other venues, TBA.
