Grab a pot of honey and your favorite Winnie-the-Pooh book written by A.A. Milne and plan your trip to the Hundred Acre Wood at the 14th Children’s Art + Literacy Festival! We are celebrating Pooh’s 100th anniversary and the art of the book’s original illustrator, Ernest H. Shepard, with four days of fun for the whole family June 11-14. The National Center for Children’s … [Read more...]
Phase 1 of New Storybook Garden Will Debut at CALF
Stephen M. Jones grew up in Albany just 34 miles northeast of Abilene in a family active in the oil and gas and banking industries and active in giving back to their community. He spent 30 years working in Austin, where he fostered a love for the arts and helped lead an effort to renovate and expand a contemporary art space called Arthouse and merge it with the Austin Art … [Read more...]
Theater Major Takes on Biggest Role Yet – Directing CALF
Madi Melbourne will never forget the first Children’s Art + Literacy Festival (CALF) she attended as a high school senior volunteering at the Big Country Home Educators concession stand. “It was one of the most magical experiences,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I ended up falling in love with the whole concept.” Over the next six years, Melbourne finished … [Read more...]
Children’s Book Festival is Sure to Bring a Smile
Jeff Nelson describes the Children’s Art + Literacy Festival as a “non-stop smile-fest.” “I challenge you to come to CALF and not find a world of smiles that will make the corners of your mouth turn upward,” he said. “Like me, you’ll be back!” The 2022 festival was Nelson’s first experience as a volunteer. He took on the role of parade assistant to Melody Kern, the … [Read more...]
Children’s Art & Literacy Festival Back on Track
Postponing last year’s Children’s Art & Literacy Festival was one of the hardest decisions the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council has had to make, said Lynn Barnett, the council’s executive director. She said it was the right thing to do given that most major events across the state and U.S. were canceled due to safety concerns with the pandemic. “We missed seeing all the … [Read more...]