A special exhibit titled Birth of a Book showcasing the work of author Suzanne Tate and illustrator James Melvin, and the Parallel Play exhibit featuring KDH Cooperative artists will open at Dare County Arts Council on Friday, April 6 at 6pm.

The Birth of a Book exhibit will walk viewers through Tate and Melvin’s process of creating Timmy T. Frog, A Tale of a Tree Climber with original sketches, page mock-ups and author notes. Bringing Tate and Melvin’s dedication to their craft to life, the exhibit will also feature aspects of their newest collaboration called Merri-Lee Monarch, A Tale of a Big Trip, which is the 39^th book in Tate’s Nature Series.

“Merri-Lee Monarch, A Tale of a Big Trip, is about a super-generation of monarchs, which occurs in our area every fall,” said author Suzanne Tate. “The super-generation is the one that migrates thousands of miles to Mexico and spends all winter there, clustered on fir trees. In springtime, it mates and returns north – an amazing story of survival.”

2018 marks Tate and Melvin’s 30^th year working together on the Nature Series, which has sold more three million books.

“James and I are happy that Dare County Arts Council is celebrating 30 years of creating children’s books with us,” added Tate.

The Parallel Play exhibit will showcase the works of over 25 KDH Cooperative artists in various media.

“As a diverse group, the artists at the KDH Cooperative often find themselves admiring each other’s creations,” said artist Julie Moye. “Occasionally we even get to work alongside one another, sometimes working in each other’s media for fun or collaborations. Parallel Play is less a theme than a condensed demonstration of who the artists at the KDH Cooperative are.”

Tate and Melvin as well as numerous artists from the KDH Cooperative will be at the free opening receptions of these unique exhibits. Reception guests will have the opportunity to purchase books from Tate’s Nature Seriesand have Tate and Melvin sign them.

The opening receptions will feature hors d’oeuvres, libations and live music by Martin Terry, and are part of Roanoke Island’s April First Friday celebrations.

Birth of a Book and Parallel Play will be on display at Dare County Arts Council through April 30.

For more information about these exhibits, visit DareArts.org or call Dare County Arts Council at 252 473 5558. Dare County Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment and opportunity.