AMHERST, MASS.- A new exhibition at The Carle showcases the profound influence of music on a legendary picture book artist’s life and work. On view June 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027, Soul, Sound, and Voice: The Art of Jerry Pinkney features more than 75 works from across Pinkney’s acclaimed career. Co-organized by The Carle with Woodmere in Philadelphia, PA, which debuted the exhibition in 2025, Soul, Sound, and Voice is the first major retrospective exhibition of Pinkney’s work since the artist’s death in 2021.
Pinkney said, “I’d like my art to feel the way music sounds,” and he believed that music was the key to understanding his work. Music flows through his depictions of American history and African American traditions, and Pinkney often showed how fictional characters and historic figures drew strength from the discovery of their own unique voices.
The exhibition features three thematic sections: Soul explores depictions of spirituality and commitment to fostering empathy and connection; Sound features Pinkney’s books that explore the music of nature, lyrical poems, and fables; and Voice showcases his dedication to uplifting Black voices, from biographies to folklore and fairy tales.
“Music and art share a common language understood across cultures, generations and worlds. Jerry Pinkney’s ability to convey the sounds and energy of music through his picture book art is an inspiration to all of us who believe in the beauty of the world and humankind. We are honored to showcase the work of Jerry Pinkney, our dear friend and longtime supporter, in our exhibition,” said Jennifer Schantz, Executive Director of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
“We are delighted that this landmark exhibition celebrating the brilliance of Jerry Pinkney’s artistry will continue to shine with its next stop at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art,” said William Valerio, Woodmere Director & CEO. “Pinkney’s work transcends illustration. It is a profound testament to the power of storytelling, imagination, and humanity. Through every brushstroke, he illuminated the beauty of resilience, compassion, and cultural memory, leaving an enduring imprint on generations of readers and artists alike. As this extraordinary exhibition continues its journey, we are honored to see his legacy inspire new audiences, inviting them not only to admire his unparalleled artistry, but also to reflect on the timeless values of empathy, wonder, and hope that define his work.”
Exhibition Highlights
As seen in the Soul section of the exhibition, Pinkney drew on his spiritual beliefs throughout his career to create illustrations that center stories about hope that feed the soul. Among the vibrant watercolors on view are illustrations for The Sunday Outing (1994), written by his wife Gloria Jean Pinkney, showing a family listening to gospel music on the radio; an image of a joyous children’s choir from Music From Our Lord’s Holy Heaven (2005), a family collaboration with his wife and children featuring hymns, spirituals, and children’s inspirational songs; and the cover illustration for God Bless the Child, his picture-book rendition of the song by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. (2004), of a boy with a harmonica, sitting on the front steps on his home.
Pinkney’s affinity for music led him to take on projects that allowed him to visually depict melodies both familiar and imagined. Some illustrations on view in the Sound section are rooted in the rhythms of the natural world, such as Half a Moon and One Whole Star by Crescent Dragonwagon (1986), which captures the sounds of animals in the woods and crickets chirping, while others take nature to fabulous heights, such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (2011), which reimagines the lullaby as a chipmunk’s magical adventure in the sky. For The Grasshopper and the Ants (2015), based on an Aesop fable celebrating the joy of play and the rewards of discipline, Pinkney said “It stirred my imagination to envision the winged grasshopper as a one-man band, and to invent a simple, lyrical text with the hint of a chorus.”
Pinkney’s genius for bringing historical characters and stories to life shines in his illustrations for Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelson (2009), which depicts a world-famous, all-women integrated jazz and swing band active from 1937-1949. Pinkney’s bright colors and textured collages capture the energy of a big band performance.
The Voice section represents stories that Pinkney uplifted through illustration, giving voice to the Black experience and so inspiring readers to find their own voice. In A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein (2019), about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington, an illustration shows gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouting from the crowd, “Tell them about the dream!”—prompting King to put aside his notes, find his voice within, and express his vision for the future. I Want to Be by Thylias Moss (1993) is a joyful poem about a free-spirited girl who imagines all the possibilities of her future. Pinkney felt this was among his most significant works, for the importance of its message and because it connected to his own experience, expressing the sense of freedom instilled in him by his parents.
Pinkney requested that his illustrations for More Tales of Uncle Remus: Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others by Julius Lester (1988) be included in this exhibition, as the tales preserve an important component of the African American voice. A series of folklore stories that center on animals with human traits and personalities, the tales were brought to the Western hemisphere by enslaved West Africans through oral traditions. Pinkney and Lester often included contemporary elements of clothing, objects, and architectural details to reflect the evolving nature of folklore.
Jerry Pinkney (1939–2021) was an artist and storyteller whose books influenced millions of young readers and an entire generation of up-and-coming illustrators. A prolific watercolorist with an affinity for retelling classic tales and fables, Pinkney illustrated more than 100 books since 1964. Many of his books were about the Black experience—which was woefully missing from publishing—and he broke through that commercial barrier to set a new course for the field. In 2010, he received the Caldecott Medal for The Lion & The Mouse. A founding trustee of The Carle, and its 2014 Carle Honors Artist, Pinkney also had strong ties to Woodmere in his hometown of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA.
