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Animation Legend Chuck Jones' Paintings on Display at Leatherby Libraries Through Feb. 28

ORANGE, Calif., Jan. 28, 2008 -- On Saturday, February 2, an exhibition of original oil paintings by the late animation director Chuck Jones opens for public viewing at Chapman University in historic Old Towne Orange. The exhibition is jointly sponsored by Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, the nonprofit organization founded by Jones before his death, and Chapman University’s Leatherby Libraries.

Chuck-staposed: A Collection of Chuck Jones Oil Paintings from the Humorous to the Sublime represents the largest public display to date of Jones’ oil paintings. From the familiar, lovable characters he created for Warner Bros. to profoundly personal images drawn from his own life and imagination, Chuck-staposed reveals some of the more private aspects of the renowned, Academy Award-winning director, producer, artist, and author. The examples of fine art included in this exhibition have their roots in Jones’ formal training at Chouinard Art Institute (now CalArts) in Los Angeles and subsequent decades of artistic endeavor; truly a lifetime in art, at its most exquisite, intimate, and meaningful level.

Chuck-staposed will be on public display at the Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, free of charge, February 2 through February 27, 2008.

Marian Jones, Chuck Jones’ widow, and Craig Kausen, his grandson, are co-curators of the exhibition and Trustees of Chuck Jones Center for Creativity.

According to Linda Jones Clough, Chuck Jones’ daughter, “Picasso said, ‘An ordinary artist shows you the things everybody can see. The egotistical artist shows you the things only he can see. But the great artist shows you things nobody ever saw before.’ Not surprisingly, I suppose, I count my father as a great artist and I think you will, too, when you see this remarkable collection. Although I have been surrounded by his drawings and paintings all my life, this exhibition of paintings will be the first time I have had the privilege of seeing so many of his oil paintings displayed together in one place. His lifelong devotion to finding new artistic problems to solve, and solving them, will be available for the art aficionado, as well as the cartoon fanatic and all of us in between. I can hardly wait!”

Chuck Jones Center for Creativity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission is to foster creativity, especially in young people, using the drawings, films, writings, and other works of legendary animation director, Chuck Jones, as inspiration.

The mission of Chapman University is to provide a personalized education of distinction that leads to inquiring, ethical and productive lives as global citizens.