Woodstock: Small is Beautiful
View images from the exhibition! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose June 3 through October 30 , 2007 For the first two decades of the strip, Schulz's birds appeared as incidental props, serving as sight gags or background filler, like movie extras in a crowded street scene. Give the extra a name, though, and one’s attention becomes focused. Once Schulz christened him Woodstock in 1970, the bird gradually developed a personality. Schulz didn’t think out this new character, with a plan for his development; rather he gradually saw the possibilities this “extra” provided, and once named he provided more and more opportunities, which Schulz exploited. Woodstock: Small is Beautiful is comprised of original Peanuts comic strips, artifacts, and photographs. The strips reveal Woodstock’s personality, his relationship with Snoopy, and the many non-birdlike roles he assumed over the years, and the Woodstock-themed products display character's popularity over four decades. Visitors will also enjoy a look at the City of Santa Rosa’s “Summer of Woodstock” tribute and learn how the 76 five-foot high Woodstock statues were created and decorated. An exhibition catalogue is available through the Schulz Museum Store! |
In the 1960s, Schulz reflected on this transformation: “I’ve been drawing birds in the strip for some time—at least 10 years. Like a lot of things in this medium, suddenly your drawing starts to work. At one point I began to draw the bird a little better.”