FAIRFIELD, CA, Nov. 28, 2012 --- A new exhibition, Jelly Belly Masterpieces of Jelly Bean Art opens at the Reading Public Museum on Saturday, January 26, 2013 and continues through Sunday, May 5, 2013. This unique show includes eight masterpieces of art made entirely from Jelly Belly^® jelly beans - each a sweet replica of a classic painting found in some of the world’s most prestigious museums.

Each Jelly Belly Art work is approximately four by six feet and is made with between 9,000-12,000 Jelly Belly jelly beans. The collection includes: American Gothic (original by Grant Wood); Girl with a Pearl Earring (original by Johannes Vermeer); The Great Wave Off Kanagawa (original by Katsushika Hokusai); Mona Lisa (original by Leonardo da Vinci); The Starry Night (original by Vincent van Gogh); We Can Do It! (original by J. Howard Miller); Woman with a Mango (original by Paul Gauguin); and Young Blonde Girl (original by Pierre-Auguste Renoir).

John Graydon Smith, Director and CEO of The Museum said, "This is a really fun, colorful show, and it ties in very well with our LEGO^® Castle Adventure exhibition, which is on display here at the same time. Kids and their families will love it!"

Commissioned by Jelly Belly Candy Company, California artist Kristen Cumings created Jelly Belly Masterpieces of Jelly Bean Art for the company's private collection. The eight individual works were meant to capture the original vibrant colors of some of history's most recognizable paintings. Each artwork in the collection was created over the course of several months and took up to 100 hours to complete. Cumings worked on small sections at a time and placed each Jelly Belly jelly bean by hand using mosaic-making techniques. The concept of Jelly Belly Art was created in 1982 when San Francisco artist Peter Rocha created a portrait of President Ronald Reagan - a famous fan of Jelly Belly jelly beans.

This exhibition is presented locally by MJ Earl Inc.

The Reading Public Museum is located at:
500 Museum Road, Reading, PA.

Admission per day is:

• $10 adults (18-64)
• $6 children/seniors/college students (w/ID)
• Free to members and children three years old and under