lllustration from “Zoom” by Istvan Banyai, 1995. Puffin Books. ©Istvan Banyai. All rights reserved.

Stockbridge, MA, April 9, 2013—Norman Rockwell Museum will celebrate the wonder of wordless picture books with “Zoom,” a special family day event to be held on Saturday, April 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. Meet illustrator Istvan Banyai, the creator of “Zoom,” “Re-Zoom,” ”REM,” and “The Other Side;” whose artwork is currently on exhibit at the Museum. Mr. Banyai will join us for a day of talks, workshops, demonstrations, and signings.

Starting at 1 p.m., enjoy a special gallery tour of the exhibition, “Istvan Banyai: Stranger in a Strange Land,” with curator Martin Mahoney. Find inspiration in the art to create your own moving pictures that tell a personal story. Throughout the day Meredyth Babcock, artistic director of the puppet company Marmalade Productions, will show you how to design your own shadow puppet characters that have the gift of movement, expression, and unique points of view, followed by a special performance.

At 1:30 p.m., Istvan Banyai will share stories, demonstrate his drawing technique, and offer insights into his creative process. A book signing will follow the artist’s talk. At 2:30 p.m., join singer-songwriter JoAnne Spies as she explores the different shapes and sounds of music, and how our point of view can make a song speak in many different ways.

“Zoom: A Special Family Day” is free for Museum members, or with regular Museum admission.

Istvan Banyai: Stranger in a Strange Land

On view through May 5, 2013

An innovative Hungarian-born artist whose illustrations have been sought after by clients throughout the world, Istvan Banyai made his mark as an award-winning artist in the United States, and has been creating persuasive, elegant artworks for publishers and corporations for more than thirty years. Banyai’s striking imagery has appeared on the covers and pages of “The New Yorker,” ”Atlantic Monthly,” “Playboy,” “Rolling Stone,” “Mother Jones,” “The New York Times,” “GQ” and “Esquire,” and has been featured by Absolut Vodka, Nickelodeon, MTV Europe, Encyclopedia Britannica, Penguin Putnam/Viking, and many others. The artist’s influential visual commentary and his approach to image-making will be explored.