Illustrator Peter Sis Claims Mazza Medallion Award

The tenth Mazza Medallion Award was bestowed upon renowned children’s book illustrator Peter Sis, who was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, and named a MacArthur Fellow in 2003. He has received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration as well as three Caldecott Honor Medals for his titles, Starry Messenger, Tibet Through the Red Box, and The Wall. The biennial Medallion Award is presented by The University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum to recognize artists whose works represent diverse artistic styles and techniques that suit each book’s individual characteristics. Sis’ varying techniques and media include pointillism, watercolors, oil pastels, gouache, pen-&-ink, oil paints, and rubber stamping. According to ArtDaily.com, he says, “In the United States, artists are given more freedom to vary their style using an assortment of illustration techniques. I am grateful that I can sort of play around and try new things.”