Howard Pyle and his children at Rehoboth, 1897

Get Pyled for FREE @ the Delaware Art   ~ Admission & all activities FREE all weekend March 3rd & 4th.

Howard Pyle(March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator, author, primarily of books for young people & a native of Wilmington, Delaware.

The Delaware Art Museum’s widely-celebrated exhibition Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered, which honors both Pyle’s life & the Museum’s 1912 founding, closes Sunday, March 4, 2012. The exhibition will then travel to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., where it will be on display June 9 thru Oct. 28, 2012.

In celebration of this extraordinary exhibition, & Howard Pyle’s birthday (March 5), the Museum is hosting a free weekend of exciting Pyle-inspired events on Saturday, March 3 & Sunday, March 4. Events include a theatrical presentation, a showcase of decorative cakes, a screening of Howard Pyle & the Illustrated Story, and docent-led tours of the Howard Pyle exhibition.

Saturday, March 3

All Day – View 3-dimensional cakes inspired by Howard Pyle’s paintings & characters in East Court. Participating pastry chefs include Liz Marden from Gourmet Cakes and Desserts, Inc., Jess Mogardo, the Corporate Pastry Chef at Garces Restaurant Group in Philadelphia, and Michele Mitchell, Hotel du Pont’s Executive Pastry Chef.

Documentary Screening: Howard Pyle & the Illustrated Story. Written, produced, and directed by Paul Mento of Silver Hand  Productions, a Wilmington film maker with a lifelong passion for the artist,  this dramatic 47-minute documentary traces Howard Pyle’s work around the world and his  influence through generations of books, movies, and art. The film will loop  continuously in the DuPont Auditorium.

11:30a.m. – Theatrical presentation: Advice to the Ladies From Howard Pyle. Starring Jim Norton
and Joyce Hill Stoner, this 50-minute illustrated lecture delves into Pyle’s perspective as he critiques works by his female students.

1 p.m. – FREE CAKE for all visitors in honor of Pyle’s birthday
2 p.m. –Docent-led tour of Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered

The Mermaid, 1910 ~ Gift of the children of Howard Pyle in memory of their mother, Anne Poole Pyle, 1940

Sunday,March 4

All Day – Documentary Screening: Howard Pyle & the Illustrated Story

All Day – Centennial Cake showcase continues in East Court

1 p.m. – Docent-led Spanish language tour of Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered

2 p.m. – Docent-led tour of Howard Pyle: AmericanMaster Rediscovered

About the Delaware Art Museum

The Delaware Art Museum, located at 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806, is open Wednesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. & Sunday noon – 4:00 p.m. Admission fees:  Adults (19 – 59) $12, Seniors (60+) $10, Students (with valid ID) $6, Youth (7 – 18) $6, and Children (6 & under) free. Admission fees are waived every Sunday, and admission will be free on Saturday, March 3rd & Sunday March 4th.  For more information, call 302-571-9590 or 866-232-3714 (toll free), or visit the website at www.delart.org

Founded in 1912, the Delaware Art Museum is best known for its large collection of British Pre-Raphaelite art, works by Wilmington-native Howard Pyle and fellow American illustrators, and urban landscapes by John Sloan and his circle. Visitors can also enjoy the outdoor Copeland Sculpture Garden and a number of exhibitions throughout the year.