Illustrating Words: The Wondrous Fantasy World of Robert L. Forbes, poet and Ronald Searle, artist

Exhibition features more than 60 works combining the creative poetry of Robert L. Forbes and the highly imaginative art work of Ronald Searle. The inventive and whimsical words of Forbes are insightfully illustrated with Searle’s joyful watercolor illustrations. Rich with color and fanciful detail, the drawings capture the spirit and essence of each poem. The delightful collaboration of these two artists invites the viewer to expand their imagination, creativity and appreciation of words brought further to life with illustration.

Ronald Searle was long known as one of the world’s top illustrators who produced drawings for Life Magazine, The New Yorker, and numerous British publications. Robert Forbes has published three books and is fast becoming a major children’s author.

The Mary Alice Fortin Children’s Art Gallery, located in the Children’s Library, is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., September through July, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., November through April. For additional information please call (561) 655-2776. There is no charge for admission.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.

Whether you go or not, you will get the fanciful flavor of the exhibition in Beast Friends Forever, a collection of delectable verses about animals both rascally and sweet.  With delicious poems by Robert Forbes and zany illustrations of each poem by master artist Ronald Searle, these wildly playful rhymes and charmingly intricate illustrations will keep readers seven to seventy coming back again and again. The anteater (who is not a cheater), a brave meerkat named Lee, Bugsie Seagull, and Dapper Don the fox feature along with many others in this timeless collection.