June 22, 2009

Picture book author/artist Aliki has donated 21 pieces of original art – as many pictures as for one of her famous picture books – to the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at California State University, Fresno.

Aliki’s colorful illustrations feature dozens of charming and playful cats, plus a few birds and mice, too, as only Aliki can portray them: writing, painting, working and reading, reading and reading some more.

The cats, “born” in Aliki's London studio, now have an American address at www.arnenixoncenter.org.

After designing the illustrations, Aliki donated the actual art: charming multimedia pictures, on paper, done in pen and ink, colored crayons, markers, and watercolor pens -- “whatever I needed,” she explained, “to keep the sketches free.”

Aliki, who has written and/or illustrated more than 200 books, worked on the cat pictures between other projects, including her forthcoming picture book, “Push Button.” This features a little boy, based on her toddler grandson, who loves to push buttons. When his finger gets tired, he finds another way to amuse himself (hint: it involves books).

For more information, contact the Arne Nixon Center’s curator, Angelica Carpenter, at 559.278.8116 or angelica@csufresno.edu.