An acclaimed author and illustrator of picture
books — among them
Grandfather’s
Journey, awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1994 — Allen Say has spent much of his career
exploring the rich divide between his Japanese youth and American coming of age, with
personal and family experiences at the soul of many of the stories. It is Say’s keen ability
to convey sentiments of alienation and dislocation, in ways that speak directly to children,
that makes his books so remarkable. A Mind’s Eye
Gallery exhibition,
Journey of Memory examines
both the thematic complexity and the technical
mastery of this prolific artist and writer.
See nearly 80 pen and ink and watercolor
illustrations for 22 books including
The Boy of the Three-Year Nap (Caldecott Honor),
Tree of Cranes, Grandfather’s Journey, Tea with Milk, Allison, The Sign Painter, Home of the
Brave, Music for Alice, The Boy in the Garden, and
The Favorite Daughter. Also included are
illustrations for
Drawing from Memory, which chronicles Say’s own journey, during WWII, as
an apprentice to Noro Shinpei, whom he came to consider his “spiritual father” and mentor.
Organized by National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (Abilene, TX). Sponsored by an
anonymous donor. An Omaha Sister Cities 50th Anniversary event.
What's Pictured: (above right) "Outside, everything was covered with snow," from
Tree of Cranes, 1991, watercolor on paper,
© Allen Say
Allen Say found his place writing and
illustrating children’s books somewhat by
chance. Born in Yokohama, Japan, in 1937, he
dreamed of becoming a cartoonist from an
early age. At 12 years old, he left home and
apprenticed to Japan’s leading cartoonist,
Noro Shinpei. After moving to California at age
16, Say attended a military academy, studied
architecture at the University of California at
Berkeley, spent two years in the U.S. Army, and
eventually settled into a career in advertising. He
worked as a commercial photographer for 20
years before stumbling into a rewarding career
as an author-illustrator in the 1970s. Say lives in
Portland, Oregon.
Omaha Sister Cities Association
Celebrates 50 Years!
Omaha’s first sister city relationship
with Shizuoka, Japan (just a two-hour
drive from artist Allen Say’s birthplace)
began in 1965. In 1992, Omaha and
Braunschweig, Germany were twinned;
followed by Siauliai, Lithuania in 1996;
Naas, Ireland in 2002; Xalapa, Mexico
in 2005; and most recently, Yantai,
China in 2011. Omaha will showcase
each of these Sister City relationships
throughout 2015.
Journey of Memory:
Allen Say is Joslyn’s congratulatory
nod to OSCA for its ongoing mission
of promoting peace through
mutual respect, understanding, and
cooperation . . . one individual, one
community at a time.
Friends from Shizuoka, Japan, will join
us for a special
KickstART Saturday
program on June 13.