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Ard Hoyt, “We’ll get another dog…,” 2004, pen and ink with watercolor on paper. Copyright Ard Hoyt.

Cara Armstrong, Moxie Carries Mrs. K’s Shoe, 2009, watercolor on paper. Copyright Cara Armstrong 2009, used with permission of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Moxie is shown courtesy of Bright Sky Press.

BENTONVILLE, Ark., October 21, 2009 – Inspired by Place: The Illustrations of Cara Armstrong and Ard Hoyt, the latest exhibition at Crystal Bridges at the Massey, presents artwork by two children’s book illustrators who celebrate the people and places that make us feel at home. Ranging from a dog’s-eye-view of Frank Lloyd Wright’s residential masterwork Fallingwater to a little boy’s dreamtime swim with manatees through his home, the artwork in the exhibition represents both the imaginative fantasy and emotional warmth that characterizes the best work in children’s literature. Inspired by Place is the first gallery exhibition for both Armstrong and Hoyt and will include videotaped interviews with both artists.

The exhibition launches at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 with a panel discussion on the creative process featuring both artists and led by Chris Crosman, chief curator at Crystal Bridges. This free event will take place in the Walmart Community Room at the Bentonville Public Library, located at 405 S. Main St., and is best suited for teens and adults; no registration required. A public opening will follow from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Massey, Crystal Bridges’ temporary gallery space located at 125 W. Center in downtown Bentonville. The reception will include a book sale and signing courtesy of Borders book store.

Cara Armstrong was educated as an architect and is the curator of education for Fallingwater, the house poised above a waterfall in Mill Run, Pa. that Wright designed for Edgar Kaufmann, owner of a Pittsburgh department store, and his family. The exhibition will feature 28 original watercolor illustrations from Armstrong’s first book Moxie, the Dachshund of Fallingwater, which was published last month. Inspired by one of the Kaufmann’s pets, the illustrations take the viewer on a dachshund-level romp through Wright’s iconic work, highlighting the architecture of the house and the life of the family who made a masterpiece their home.

“Mrs. Kaufmann raised dogs, and the place was dripping with dachshunds,” Armstrong said, adding that the dachshund’s long low lines provide the perfect perspective on the horizontal planes that characterize Fallingwater.

“I think Moxie is a superlative hostess and guide, and hope that my book will get kids (and adults!) to think about architecture as part of their daily lives and routines,” she said.

Bentonville artist Ard Hoyt has won national recognition for his lively illustrations. Original pen, ink and watercolor renderings from nine of his popular books will be on display, ranging from the whimsical When the Cows Got Loose to Saying Goodbye to Lulu, a sensitive treatment of the loss of a beloved pet. Hoyt claims his five young daughters and his cattle farm in Cave Springs as inspiration for his work. Ensconced in his tiny studio, he uses the story and a blank piece of white paper to create a new reality.

“With every story I move in for a while,” he said. “In my mind I’m there, and I’m sorry to leave when it’s done.”

The artwork on display will be enhanced by the Experience Art area in the front of the gallery, which invites young visitors to engage in tactile exploration of the themes explored in the exhibition. A series of learning experiences developed by Crystal Bridges will involve guests in a variety of ways. In addition to the panel discussion prior to the opening, upcoming programming includes:

• ArtBuzz After Dark: Fallingwater, – Whose Views? 5:30 – 7 p.m. Friday, November 6. Free gallery talk best for teens and adults; no registration. Join Cara Armstrong on a walk through the gallery to discuss her illustrations for Moxie, the Dachshund of Fallingwater.

• Discover Art: Discover Arf!, 10 a.m. – noon Saturday, Nov. 7. Free drop-in family program, best for children aged 5 – 12 and their adult partners; no registration.  Children will make creations for their pet – dog tags, kerchiefs and more. Volunteers from the Bella Vista Animal Shelter will be on hand with adoptable dogs, and Borders will host a book sale and signing to benefit the shelter. Artists Cara Armstrong and Ard Hoyt will be there, drawing and talking to children about their work.

For more information about Crystal Bridges at the Massey, including a full schedule of educational programs, go to www.massey.crystalbridges.org or call 479-418-5721.

Inspired by Place: The Illustrations of Cara Armstrong and Ard Hoyt will be on display through January 3, 2010.