Tour Management by Smith Kramer Fine Art Services, Kansas City, Missouri
In The East Gallery
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
February 7 - June 10, 2012
"We are the ship; all else the sea."
Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League
On view in the museum’s East Gallery from February 7 until June 10, 2012 will be thirty-three paintings, thirteen sketches and educational materials from the book, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball, by Kadir Nelson, award-winning artist and author. Nelson spent seven years researching, writing, and creating handsome paintings to be included in the brilliantly illustrated book, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball, which is dedicated to the preservation of the history of Negro Leagues. During the process of creating the paintings and the book, Nelson interviewed former Negro League players, traveled to museums around the country, pored over old photographs, firsthand testimonies and documentaries, collected baseball memorabilia, sports equipment and uniforms, then posed and photographed himself in them, all with the intention of putting himself in the shoes of a former Negro League player to recreate an authentic depiction of life in the Negro Leagues. This exhibition is the story of the Negro Leagues—the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
The New York Times named WE ARE THE SHIP one of the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008, and Kadir was honored with the 2009 Coretta Scott King Book Award for this work.
On April 1, 2012, the museum will host a conversation with Sharon Robinson, Kadir Nelson, and NPR’s Scott Simon, who has written a biography of Jackie Robinson.
Support for We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball has been generously provided by Disney Publishing Worldwide.
Interview with Kadir Nelson
www.kadirnelson.com
Boston Globe Kadir Nelson article
See preview of exhibition on Ch. 40
In The Art Studio
Telling Our Stories
February 1 - March 13, 2012
Free with Museum Admission
Timelines are records highlighting significant events and journeys in the past. Create a personal timeline with drawings of your most memorable life events. During school vacation week help honor the important people in your life on the Art Studio’s giant timeline.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball Tour Management by Smith Kramer Fine Art Service
Members Only Event
Members’ Opening Reception
We Are The Ship: The Story of
Negro League Baseball,
original paintings by Kadir Nelson
February 18, 2012
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join us for an intimate Members' evening to celebrate the opening of our newest exhibition. The event includes complimentary appetizers and drink ticket, a presentation at 6:15 by by Kadir Nelson, and the chance to win exhibition-related items in our free drawing. Members RSVP by Monday, February 13 to Jenny Darling Stasinos at (413) 658-1104 or membership@carlemuseum.org.
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In The East Gallery
Special Gallery Tour with Kadir Nelson
February 19, 2012
1:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
From his first painting in college on the subject of the Negro Baseball League to the publication of his book, We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Kadir Nelson has been inspired by the history of the league and the strong heroic people who were a part of it. Join him as he shares some stories, talks about his process, and highlights aspects of this extraordinary exhibition.
Book signing to follow
illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Scholastic Inc./Scholastic Press. Illustrations
copyright © 2009 by Kadir Nelson. Used by permission.
In The Auditorium
Jackie Robinson: A Conversation with
Kadir Nelson, Sharon Robinson
and Scott Simon
April 1, 2012
1:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
(1 PDP) Kadir Nelson; Sharon Robinson, Jackie Robinson's daughter and the director of Educational Programming for Major League Baseball; and Scott Simon, author of Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball, will reflect on the personal and professional life of the famed baseball player, Jackie Robinson. Book signing to follow.
Please note - In the event that all tickets are taken, we hope you will still enjoy the exhibitions and meet our featured guests during the book signing.
In The Auditorium
Baseball-Related Films
February 3 - February 28, 2012
Free with Museum Admission
Please check our Film Schedule for film titles and times.
Tour Management by Smith Kramer Fine Art Services, Kansas City, Missouri
2012 Children’s Book Festival:
Baseball Bonanza!
June 9, 2012
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join a host of authors and artists who have created some of your favorite baseball picture books for our 7th annual Children’s Book Festival in conjunction with the exhibition We Are The Ship: The History of Negro League Baseball, original paintings by award-winning artist Kadir Nelson.
The Museum will host members of the Negro League Baseball Players Association for a special program in the Auditorium. In addition, this event for art-, book-, and baseball-lovers of all ages will feature art activities, artist and author presentations and demonstrations, and book signings. Enjoy ballpark fare or bring your own picnic to enjoy in our apple orchard.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Click the above link for a schedule of the day's events as well as a list of participating artists and presenters.
For more baseball-related art visit rmichelson.com