Two Exhibitions to Open with Original Art from Dinotopia
For Immediate Release
To accompany the October, 2007 release of Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara, there will be two museum exhibitions of original oil paintings from Dinotopia by James Gurney. These are completely separate and non-overlapping shows, with most of the artwork never before exhibited.
DINOTOPIA: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney
Los Angeles Public Library, August 4, 2007 through January 6, 2008
This exhibition features 23 original paintings drawn exclusively from Journey to Chandara, including "Waterfall City: Afternoon Light" and "Irish Elk,"
along with a scale model of Waterfall City and a three-dimensional model of Arthur Denison's Chandara journal. People Magazine stated, "Critics have gushed over Gurney's phantasmagorical creation, likening him to such venerated literary fantasists as Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and J.R.R. Tolkien." Walt Reed, founder of Illustration House, commented about these new paintings: "Gurney joins the company of America's noted illustrators such as Howard Pyle (who also wrote and illustrated many of his own stories), Maxfield Parrish, and N.C. Wyeth."
An expanded version of the "Fantastical Art" exhibition, consisting of over 60 paintings, including classics from the first two Dinotopia books, will continue a year later at the Delaware Art Museum from January to April, 2009. The Norman Rockwell Museum of Stockbridge, Massachusetts organized this exhibit and arranged the tour.
Return to DINOTOPIA
Oshkosh Public Museum, November 3, 2007 through January 27, 2008
The Oshkosh Public Museum had such a successful response to a Dinotopia exhibition they hosted in 2003 that they have organized a new exhibition of artwork exclusively from Journey to Chandara. The show, called Return to Dinotopia, currently consists of 31 works, including Arthur Denison's Antique Map, "Song in the Garden," and "Chandara." In 2008 Return to Dinotopia will expand to 53 paintings and travel to Yverdon, Switzerland to the museum of utopia and science fiction called Maison d'Ailleurs. The art will then tour Europe in 2008 and 2009.
Mike Breza, assistant director of the Oshkosh Public Museum in Wisconsin, said "For the Oshkosh Public Museum the Dinotopia exhibit has been the best exhibit, in terms of visitor numbers and their satisfaction, to be hosted by the museum in many many years ... Younger visitors said they wished the entire building was filled with the Dinotopia experience." Gurney will be at the museum for events on November 2 and 3, 2007.
Contacts:
L.A. Public Library — Toria Aiken, taiken@lapl.org, 213.228.7546
Oshkosh Public Museum — Mike Breza, mbreza@ci.oshkosh.wi.us, 920.236.5765
Traveling Exhibitions "Fantastical Art" — Mary Dawson, mdawson@nrm.org, 413.298.4100 x 245
"Return to Dinotopia" (Europe) — Patrick Gyger, Maison d'Ailleurs, www.ailleurs.ch
Publicist: Kathy Hilliard, Andrews McMeel Publishing, khilliard@amuniversal.com, 816.932.6741
Preview the book at: www.andrewsmcmeel.com
Images/Interview: Please contact Kathy Hilliard
