The Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover will host Award Winners IX, an exhibition featuring the artists who won the Delaware Division of the Arts 2009 distinguished fellowship prizes. Nancy Carol Willis, Middletown illustrator and author, is one of 10 featured artists, painters, photographers, writers, musicians and craft artisans.
An opening reception, “First Look pARTy,” will be held at the Biggs Museum Friday, July 3, from 4 to 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The exhibition runs from July 3 through Oct. 25.
The Artist Fellows are chosen by a committee from hundreds of entrees. Willis won an Established Professional grant for her children’s book illustrations. The exhibition will feature eight illustrations from four of Willis’s children’s nature books. Her autographed books will also be available.
A lifelong artist and nature-lover, Willis draws inspiration for her book projects from first-hand experiences. Over the years she has served as a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator for Tri-State Bird Rescue in Newark, rescued orphaned raccoon cubs, and helped band migratory shorebirds.
In 1998 she formed Birdsong Books and wrote, illustrated and published the award-winning picture books: “The Robins In Your Backyard,” “Raccoon Moon” and “Red Knot: A Shorebird’s Incredible Journey.”
In 2008 Willis partnered with longtime friend and nature author, Lynda Graham-Barber, to produce “The Animals” Winter Sleep.
For more information about “First Look pARTy” or to RSVP to this free program for all ages, call the Biggs Museum at (302) 674-2111.
Dover, Del. —
