Meet Barnaby Benjamin Bear

Join us for a book reading of Meet Barnaby Benjamin Bear with author Loretta Sue Gould and illustrations by posthumous SI Illustrator Member John F. Gould. Afterwards, there will be a draw along workshop led by Paul Gould, the youngest son of John F. Gould. 

Meet Barnaby Benjamin Bear tells the story of an adventurous Teddy Bear who has exciting ways to show his independence and all the while remains close to his Teddy Bear parents. All of Barnaby’s exciting experiences were created at the easel of John F. Gould. Loretta Sue Gould utilized Artist Gould’s original illustrations to bring Barnaby to life in the book. 

Best for ages 5-8. All supplies will be provided. Free with RSVP; all participants must be accompanied by an adult.

John F. Gould (1906-1996) was a prominent artist/illustrator for over 70 years. In 1957, John and Mary Gould established the Bethlehem Art Gallery in Cornwall, New York. The art work of John Gould is now available at johngouldart.com. John was born in Worcester, MA, studied art and graduated from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and later instructed at Pratt for 22 years. He was a prominent illustrator for the Saturday Evening Post for more than 8 years and also for many national corporations. For over 20 years, Mr. Gould was an art consultant/illustrator for General Electric Company in Schenectady, NY, and Erie, PA, locomotive division. The inspiration for the images in “Meet Barnaby Benjamin Bear” was John Gould’s own original “teddy bear” that is now over 100 years old and being given a comfortable retirement with son, Robert and wife Loretta Gould.

Loretta Sue Gould is an educator who taught school at the elementary level before being an elementary school principal for 20 years while living in New York. She utilized children’s books as part of her teaching at the second grade level and thoroughly enjoyed visiting classrooms to read to students in her years as a principal. Her desire to write a children’s book came to fruition when she discovered her father-in-law’s teddy bear illustrations. She and her husband, Robert, have John Gould’s original “teddy bear” placed in their home in Ooltewah, TN. This book not only provides a venue to share original art by Mr. Gould, but it offers a historical perspective about events that today’s children might not be aware of. “Meet Barnaby Benjamin Bear” introduces children to those events as adventurous Barnaby travels from place to place. The author has many wonderful memories of reading stories to her students and her grandchildren. Putting together this book was done by visualizing children surrounding her to hear the story of Barnaby Benjamin Bear.