Eric Carle Museum to Open Jerry Pinkney Retrospective Exhibition
SOUL, SOUND, AND VOICE will highlight music's role in Pinkney's work.
A new exhibition at The Carle showcases the influence of music on a legendary picture book artist's life and work. On view June 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027, Soul, Sound, and Voice: The Art of Jerry Pinkney features more than 75 works from across Pinkney's acclaimed career.
Co-organized by The Carle with Woodmere in Philadelphia, PA, which debuted the exhibition in 2025, Soul, Sound, and Voice is the first major retrospective exhibition of Pinkney's work since the artist's death in 2021.
Pinkney said, “I'd like my art to feel the way music sounds,” and he believed that music was the key to understanding his work. Music flows through his depictions of American history and African American traditions, and Pinkney often showed how fictional characters and historic figures drew strength from the discovery of their own unique voices.
The exhibition features three thematic sections: Soul explores depictions of spirituality and commitment to fostering empathy and connection; Sound features Pinkney's books that explore the music of nature, lyrical poems, and fables; and Voice showcases his dedication to uplifting Black voices, from biographies to folklore and fairy tales.
“Music and art share a common language understood across cultures, generations and worlds. Jerry Pinkney's ability to convey the sounds and energy of music through his picture book art is an inspiration to all of us who believe in the beauty of the world and humankind. We are honored to showcase the work of Jerry Pinkney, our dear friend and longtime supporter, in our exhibition,” said Jennifer Schantz, Executive Director of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
“We are delighted that this landmark exhibition celebrating the brilliance of Jerry Pinkney's artistry will continue to shine with its next stop at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art,” said William Valerio, Woodmere Director & CEO. “Pinkney's work transcends illustration. It is a profound testament to the power of storytelling, imagination, and humanity. Through every brushstroke, he illuminated the beauty of resilience, compassion, and cultural memory, leaving an enduring imprint on generations of readers and artists alike. As this extraordinary exhibition continues its journey, we are honored to see his legacy inspire new audiences, inviting them not only to admire his unparalleled artistry, but also to reflect on the timeless values of empathy, wonder, and hope that define his work.
Exhibition Highlights
As seen in the Soul section of the exhibition, Pinkney drew on his spiritual beliefs throughout his career to create illustrations that center stories about hope that feed the soul. Among the vibrant watercolors on view are illustrations for The Sunday Outing (1994), written by his wife Gloria Jean Pinkney, showing a family listening to gospel music on the radio; an image of a joyous children's choir from Music From Our Lord's Holy Heaven (2005), a family collaboration with his wife and children featuring hymns, spirituals, and children's inspirational songs; and the cover illustration for God Bless the Child, his picture-book rendition of the song by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. (2004), of a boy with a harmonica, sitting on the front steps on his home.
Pinkney's affinity for music led him to take on projects that allowed him to visually depict melodies both familiar and imagined. Some illustrations on view in the Sound section are rooted in the rhythms of the natural world, such as Half a Moon and One Whole Star by Crescent Dragonwagon (1986), which captures the sounds of animals in the woods and crickets chirping, while others take nature to fabulous heights, such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (2011), which reimagines the lullaby as a chipmunk's magical adventure in the sky. For The Grasshopper and the Ants (2015), based on an Aesop fable celebrating the joy of play and the rewards of discipline, Pinkney said “It stirred my imagination to envision the winged grasshopper as a one-man band, and to invent a simple, lyrical text with the hint of a chorus."
Pinkney's genius for bringing historical characters and stories to life shines in his illustrations for Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelson (2009), which depicts a world-famous, all-women integrated jazz and swing band active from 1937-1949. Pinkney's bright colors and textured collages capture the energy of a big band performance.
The Voice section represents stories that Pinkney uplifted through illustration, giving voice to the Black experience and so inspiring readers to find their own voice. In A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein (2019), about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington, an illustration shows gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouting from the crowd, “Tell them about the dream!”—prompting King to put aside his notes, find his voice within, and express his vision for the future. I Want to Be by Thylias Moss (1993) is a joyful poem about a free-spirited girl who imagines all the possibilities of her future. Pinkney felt this was among his most significant works, for the importance of its message and because it connected to his own experience, expressing the sense of freedom instilled in him by his parents.
Pinkney requested that his illustrations for More Tales of Uncle Remus: Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others by Julius Lester (1988) be included in this exhibition, as the tales preserve an important component of the African American voice. A series of folklore stories that center on animals with human traits and personalities, the tales were brought to the Western hemisphere by enslaved West Africans through oral traditions. Pinkney and Lester often included contemporary elements of clothing, objects, and architectural details to reflect the evolving nature of folklore.
Programming
The Soul, Sound, and Voice exhibition inspired upcoming Summer at The Carle programming, with live jazz music performances and drawing activities on Sunset Thursdays in July and August. Other special programming related to the exhibition includes a gallery tour on June 20 at 10 a.m. with Isabel Ruiz Cano, Brian Pinkney, and Gloria Jean Pinkney. Event updates and more details can be found at https://carlemuseum.org/visit/events.
About the Artist
Jerry Pinkney (1939–2021) was an artist and storyteller whose books influenced millions of young readers and an entire generation of up-and-coming illustrators. A prolific watercolorist with an affinity for retelling classic tales and fables, Pinkney illustrated more than 100 books since 1964. Many of his books were about the Black experience—which was woefully missing from publishing—and he broke through that commercial barrier to set a new course for the field. In 2010, he received the Caldecott Medal for The Lion & The Mouse. A founding trustee of The Carle, and its 2014 Carle Honors Artist, Pinkney also had strong ties to Woodmere in his hometown of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA.
About Woodmere
Nestled in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Woodmere offers a unique museum experience that centers on the art and artists of Philadelphia. Vibrant exhibitions explore the achievements and social ideas of Philadelphia's artists in the broader context of American art; Woodmere prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in its collecting, programming, and admission policies. In November 2025, Woodmere opened a second site, Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education, alongside its existing Charles Knox Smith Hall. Marking Woodmere's most significant expansion since its founding in 1910, the opening of the second site adds 14 new galleries showcasing Woodmere's permanent collection, featuring American Impressionism, figurative arts, modernism, and Philadelphia's jewelry arts. The expansion also introduces a children's art and education studio, along with new public spaces for events and programs.
About The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Founded by Eric and Barbara Carle in 2002, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is the international champion of picture book art. Situated on 7.5 acres in Amherst, Massachusetts, The Carle cares for more than 20,000 works of art from more than 300 picture book artists, including Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar), and illuminates its collection through exhibitions, education, programming, and art-making—making it a critical resource for picture book artists and authors, and art-loving communities locally, nationally, and abroad. The Carle's mission is to elevate picture book art and inspire a love of art and art creation. Since opening its doors more than 20 years ago, The Carle has welcomed more than one million visitors—plus more than four million additional museumgoers who have enjoyed its touring exhibitions around the world.
Videos
|
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Wheaton College - Watson Fine Arts (6/05-6/14) |
|
The Spongebob Musical Stageworks Arts (5/30-6/07) |
|
Eureka Day Theatre Workshop of Nantucket (6/04-6/20) |
|
Summer in the City: the Circus that Never Sleeps Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (6/25-9/06) |
|
Valerie June Payomet Performing Arts Center (8/30-8/30) |
|
John Cameron Mitchell: Hedwig 25th Anniversary Movie Tour Boch Center (10/01-10/01) |
|
John & Jen The Unicorn Theatre (5/20-6/07) |
|
Honey Honey Moon Moon Huntington Theatre, Maso Studio (6/27-6/28) |
|
Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL JR. AND Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 JR. North Shore Music Theatre (7/23-7/24) |
|
Pride Night: Alex Newell and the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus Boston Symphony Hall (6/05-6/05) |
| VIEW ALL SHOWS ADD A SHOW | |
