FINDLAY (WTOL) - The University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum has showcased the original artwork of children’s books for years. But a new exhibit will now show you the hands that created that art as well.
Three years ago, when Dan Chudzinksi was first hired as curator of the Mazza Museum, he met Mark Brown, creator of Arthur the aardvark. And with molding supplies in his truck, on a whim he asked if he could make a plaster cast of the popular children’s author’s hand.
That spur of the moment act has grown into a collection of 55 hands from visiting author’s and artists over the years. They are now on display at the museum in the “Show of Hands” exhibit that showcases the casts alongside their corresponding art.
Including notable artists like Rosemary Wells, creator of Max and Ruby, and Tom Lichtenheld, illustrator of Mighty, Mighty Construction Site, and Michale J Rosen and his dog Chant.
The goal of the exhibit is to showcase how real people came up with these pieces of art and hopefully can inspire the next generation.
“You can look in great detail, right down to the fingerprints of what these hands looked like. And I think a lot of times, especially for children, we tend to think of these as mythical figures that magically create art. We don’t realize that they’re people just us,” said Dan Chudzinski.
The Show of Hands exhibit will be on display at the Mazza Museum until February of 2020.
The Mazza Museum regular hours are Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. During the upcoming holidays, it will be open on Dec. 28. It will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019.