It comes as no surprise that Alice A. “Bunny” Carter has risen to the highest levels of accomplishment as an award winning illustrator, an award winning writer, and a very dedicated award winning educator.
Simply put, it’s in her DNA. The daughter of Ben Eisenstat, and Jane Sperry Eisenstat, Bunny was exposed to all of these creative disciplines from childhood.
Her father Ben was a beloved teacher who taught at the Philadelphia College of Art for forty years. He was also a noted illustrator, painter, and a frequently published writer. Ben was awarded the Distinguished Educator Award posthumously in 2003. Her mother Jane is a highly respected educator who also taught at the Philadelphia College of Art and Glassboro College in New Jersey. Jane is a water colorist of extraordinary ability and is also a published author.
As I said, it’s in the DNA.
At the present time, Bunny is the Acting Director and Professor of Art in the School of Art & Design at San Jose State University in California. Just a few of the many awards Bunny has received in her long and distinguished teaching career are; The San Jose State University teachers Scholar, the San Jose State College of Humanities & the Arts teaching innovation award, and the San Jose State University Teacher, Scholar award.
On numerous occasions, when I have visited San Jose State, I have been consistently impressed by the obvious affection and respect shown by her students as well as the dedication Bunny has for every student in her department.
Many of her students have gone on to successful careers at Walt Disney Animation, DreamWorks, Pixar, and Industrial Light & Magic among dozens of other places.
All of this while writing books, curating exhibitions, acting as a consultant on various arts related projects and continuing her illustration career.
I know of no one who can balance all of these activities as gracefully as Alice A. Carter and I can think of no one more deserving of this prestigious award.
Murray Tinkelman, Director MSA Program, University of Hartford