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Kids > Author and Illustrator Exhibits > Bryan Collier > Educator Guide

Defining Moments: An Exhibition of Works by Bryan Collier

Educator Guide

Biography

Bryan Collier

Bryan Collier grew up in Pocomoke, Maryland, the youngest of six children. He developed an early appreciation for books, eagerly poring over the titles his mother brought home from her work. He was particularly interested in the illustrations, and how a story could be told through the pictures. Two of his favorite books at that time were A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.

Mr. Collier remembers being fascinated by the purple crayon as it moved from page to page, creating one adventure after another. A grandmother who lived next door provided him with awareness of another type of art, quilt-making. She influenced the development of his paint-and-collage artwork through her landscapes created from fabric pieces.

When he was 15, Mr. Collier began to paint. He walked into an art room at school, discovered that he enjoyed painting, and so began his artistic career. Three years later, when he was 18, Mr. Collier won the 1985 Congressional Competition. His work was exhibited at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Later that year, he was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York City through the institute's National Talent Search Competition.

While a student at Pratt, Mr. Collier enjoyed the art scene on campus and in the city, and he continued to develop his own style of artwork, a unique mix of watercolor and collage. He felt particularly connected to Harlem, which he happened to discover one day when he got lost on the New York City train system. After graduating with honors from Pratt in 1989, he became director of the Harlem Horizon Art Studio. This program, connected to Harlem Hospital Center, provides a creative outlet for youth who have experienced trauma. Two years later, he became art director of another Harlem Hospital Center program, Unity through Murals. He walked through Harlem in the summer, working with young people to create murals in the parks. As he pushed his painting cart from one park to another, he had the opportunity to admire the many interesting Harlem buildings and other sites. His keen observations of the area helped him later when he was developing the picture book, Uptown.

Mr. Collier first became involved in book illustration in 1999, when he created artwork for a picture book by Hope Lynne Price, These Hands. His next book, Uptown, was met with great acclaim, winning both the 2001 Coretta Scott King Award for illustration and the 2001 Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. Subsequent titles garnering awards for illustration have been Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport (2002 Coretta Scott King Honor Award) and Rosa by Nikki Giovanni (2006 Coretta Scott King Award and 2006 Caldecott Honor). All of these books are lushly illustrated with Mr. Collier’s striking watercolor and collage artwork.

Mr. Collier lives in Harlem with his family. He continues to illustrate children’s books, and also finds time to connect directly with many children, teens and adults. He stays involved with his community by volunteering with the Harlem Horizon Studio program, and he visits schools in order to talk with students and teachers in their classrooms. He enjoys young people; he believes in the importance of instilling in them an appreciation for the arts, and of providing them with positive role models.

"I get so much from those school visits. With the books I’ve been doing, I have this amazing opportunity to bring my art and the process of making artwork and books into the classroom. I ask the students to talk to me and talk to each other about how they feel and what their own experiences are. Basically I ask them to tell their own story. Then I ask them to tell their own story through art."

Activities

Uptown bookjacketUptown
Mr. Collier believes, “Collage is more than just an art style. Collage is all about bringing different elements together. Once you form a sensibility about connection, how different elements relate to each other, you deepen your understanding of yourself and others.” In this book, Mr. Collier uses cut paper collage to show the reader how a young boy feels about the neighborhood where he lives. When he makes a picture of the brownstones, we can see that they look like a row of chocolate bars all lined up.

Collage street scene

Materials needed:

  • Old magazines (choose ones with plenty of pictures)
  • A variety of paper such as recycled gift wrap, textured packing paper, wall paper samples or paper bags
  • A blank piece of heavy paper (your “canvas”)
  • Glue stick or liquid glue
  • Scissors

Look at the buildings in a street near your home or school, or look at paintings or photographs of buildings. Using small pieces of cut or torn paper, create a street scene by gluing layers of paper onto your heavy paper “canvas.” Start with the buildings, then add interesting details.

Martin's Big Words bookjacketMartin's Big Words
Martin Luther King had a dream that people of all races would get along together. In this book, Mr. Collier used the colors in stained glass windows to stand for different races of people.

Tissue paper stained glass windows

Materials needed:

  • 1 sheet construction paper in black or other dark color, 8 ˝” x 11”
  • 1 sheet wax paper, 8 ˝”x 11”
  • Tissue paper of various colors cut or torn into small pieces
  • White glue (small amount in a dish; mix in a few drops of water so the glue spreads easily)
  • Small paint brush

Prepare a frame for your window by measuring in 1” on all sides of the sheet of construction paper. Cut out the center area, leaving a 1” wide frame. Set the frame aside. Using the wax paper as a canvas, brush the thinned glue on the wax paper, then add a piece of tissue paper. Brush a layer of glue over the tissue paper. Continue to cover your “canvas” with layers of tissue paper almost to the edges. When your wax paper piece is dry, glue the frame to it with the white glue (no water added). Place it in a window so the light shines through.

John's Secret DreamsbookjacketJohn's Secret Dreams
When he was preparing to work on the illustrations for this book, Mr. Collier listened to music by John Lennon. Many of his pictures show a story told by the words in a Lennon song.

Picture the music

Materials needed:

  • Paper
  • Pencils, markers, crayons
  • Paints & brushes (optional)
  • Recordings of music by John Lennon or the Beatles; children especially enjoy the Beatles albums Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Yellow Submarine.

While listening to music by John Lennon or by the entire Beatles group, draw or paint a picture about one of the songs. Try writing some of the song words somewhere on your picture.

Web connections

Bibliography

2008

2007

2006

2005

  • Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

2004

2002

2001

2000

1999

Sources