Art Exhibit Brings Up Childhood Memories

If you can draw a triangle, then you can make a dragon.

That is the philosophy behind "Ed Emberley and Friends," an exhibit on display at the Scion Installation L.A. in Culver City. Emberley's well-known and simple instructional drawing books feature shapes easy enough for children to copy, but so timeless that some kids who grew up reading Emberley's books were inspired to become artists themselves. Thus, the idea for the show was born.

"Enough time has passed that some of the kids who grew up on Ed Emberley books are now accomplished artists in their own right," said Caleb Neelon, exhibit curator. "So I wanted to put together something that showed a generational connection."

Artists selected for the show include Seonna Hong, Raul Gonzalez, Christopher Kline, Saelee Oh and Matt Leines. Each one of their pieces illustrates their strong connection to and affection for Emberley's books.

When I walked into the show, it felt like a place where adults could come to relive their childhoods, where the murals on the wall were really school projects that the artists had painted to show to their favorite teacher, Mr. Emberley.

There were murals of pirates, UFOs, dragons and lions. Each work defied borders and physics, and shapes and mountains and the sky merged into one. I was impressed with the level of detail put into the murals, as though each piece was a subject that was near and dear to the artist.

After Saturday, the last day of the gallery show, the art will be donated to children's hospitals in Boston and Los Angeles, as well as in other cities.

Although the show is geared toward children, one viewer said Emberley's books--and the art inspired by them--are more significant than just cute drawings.

"I've used his books with children of all types of backgrounds-- whether it's children with Attention Deficit Disorder or children with really weak hand strength," said occupational therapist Melody Lin, as her toddler nephew ran around exploring the animals on the walls and the drawing tables with colorful markers and paper. "In one book, there are a world of choices."  

As I walked through the world of big monsters and smiling hippos, I was happy to step back into the limitless world of childhood potential.

"Ed Emberley and Friends" display ends Aug. 7 at Scion Installation L.A., 3521 Helms Ave. in Culver City. The exhibit is free and open Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.