Illustration of boy running.
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Brinton Turkle, Illustration for Obadiah the Bold, 1965. Gift of the Brinton C. Turkle Family Collection. © 2011 The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

A Friend Among Us: The Art of Brinton Turkle

December 13, 2016 - May 7, 2017
Central Gallery

This exhibition features Brinton Turkle’s tales of American lore. Whether set on the island of Nantucket or in the mountains of Appalachia, his stories and poetic imagery capture both the history and nuances of place. Turkle follows the escapades of a young Quaker boy in his Obadiah series, offers a surprising twist on a favorite fairy tale in Deep in the Forest (1976), and sprinkles magic realism throughout the pages of The Sky Dog (1969). All work is from the museum’s permanent collection, generously donated by the artist’s children. A highlight is surely Turkle’s watercolor illustrations from Thy Friend, Obadiah, awarded a 1970 Caldecott Honor.

Featured Artists

Photograph of the artist.

Brinton Turkle

Brinton Turkle worked in New York City advertising for a decade before publishing his first children’s book, Obadiah the Bold (1965), at the encouragement of Ezra Jack Keats. His stories and poetic imagery capture the history and nuance of place and his deeply rooted Quaker values.