Count yourself blessed, Tacoma, because you get to see something few people in the world have seen. Throughout his career Eric Carle, famous for children's books such as Brown Bear - Brown Bear, What Do You See? And The Very Hungry Caterpillar and more than 70 other picture books - has created art for his own personal satisfaction that he never showed to anyone outside of family and friends. He called it his "ArtArt," and he had to be coaxed into showing it publicly. To our great benefit, Tacoma Art Museum Director Stephanie Stebich is a personal friend of the Carle family. She is the one who talked him into showing this work, and Tacomans get to be the first to see it.

And it is great. Absolutely outstanding.

Read Alec Clayton's full review of "Beyond Books: The Independent Art of Eric Carle" in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

TACOMA ART MUSEUM, "BEYOND BOOKS: THE INDEPENDENT ART OF ERIC CARLE," THROUGH JULY 21, WEDNESDAYS-SUNDAYS 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M., THIRD THURSDAYS 5-8 P.M., $8-$10, 5 AND YOUNGER FREE, THIRD THURSDAYS FREE FROM 5-8 PM., 253.272.4258, WWW.TACOMAARTMUSEUM.ORG