A docent in the Mazza Museum shows visiting school children the differences between what they see in an illustrated book and the original art that hangs on the museum’s walls.

More than 80 pieces of art from The University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum will be on display at the Toledo Museum of Art Oct. 9 – Jan. 31, 2010.

Storybook Stars: Award-Winning Illustrations from the Mazza Collection will be shown in the Works on Paper Galleries. Admission to both the museum and the exhibition is free.

The new exhibit features works produced over the past 50 years by artists including Maurice Sendak, Eric Carle, Arnold Lobel and Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss). All of the works have been honored with well-known (as well as lesser-known) honors, ranging from the Hans Christian Andersen International and Caldecott medals to the Coretta Scott King and Ohioana Book awards.

Benjamin E. Sapp, director of the Mazza Museum, and Jerry J. Mallett, curator and founder of the Mazza Museum, started the selection process by initially identifying every piece of artwork that fit the Toledo museum’s criteria. From there, the pieces were narrowed down to the final pieces that will be on display in Toledo. Extra effort was made to include some works by Ohio artists.

All but three illustrations were selected from more than 4,000 works in the collection of the Dr. Jerry J. Mallett Institute’s Mazza Museum at the University. Founded in 1982, the Mazza is the largest teaching museum devoted to literacy and the art of children’s picture books.

The three illustrations not from the Mazza Museum are by artist Mo Williams, who loaned his works for display.

Edward T. Hill, the works on paper assistant at the Toledo museum, said the organizers sought to present culturally diverse stories, a variety of artistic styles and techniques, and something about the process involved in creating art for books. The exhibit also includes some storyboards and a dummy book (a workup of the final book before printing) to show the progression of work leading up to publication.            

For more information about the Mazza Museum, visit www.findlay.edu, Keyword: Mazza.