Rick Graefe Journal Jimmy Johnston, a member of the family that started the St. Louis Children's Illustrated Art Museum in Crestwood Court, takes a break in the middle of the museum.

As bright and inviting as the pictures in a children's book are, they're only a copy of an artist's artwork.

To see some of the originals, a person will have to visit the St. Louis Children's Illustrated Art Museum in the Art Space in Crestwood Court.

There, they'll see original artwork by dozens of illustrators, including Mary Engelbreit, Guy Gilchrist and Leslie Faust.

If they listen closely to curator Jeanne Johnston, they'll learn how an effort to help a young relative with cancer led to the establishment of the museum.

About six year's ago, Johnston's niece, Abby Shaw, was diagnosed with two kinds of cancer.

As a result, the family started raising money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

Six years later, Abby is in remission, but the Johnstons are continuing their work to help victims of cancer.

"We wanted to make a journal to give to sick kids in hospitals," Jeanne Johnston's son, Jimmy Johnston, said. They wanted to include reproductions of artwork by illustrators of children's books.

Where to put the illustrations as they gathered them? A museum, of course.

Thus was born the St. Louis Children's Art Museum, which opened Aug. 29.

"We realized that having the museum first would be a better way to go about it," Jimmy Johnson said.

When the family is finished producing the books, they will donate most of them to hospitals. The rest will be sold in the museum's gift shop.

In their search for a location, the Johnstons settled on the ArtSpace. That's a group of former storefronts at Crestwood Court being offered to arts groups for a nominal rent.

The 15,000-square-foot museum contains more than 150 individividual pieces, most of which are framed. The artwork, which is on loan, comes from artists from throughout the country, Jeanne Johnson said. A number of the artists who have loaned artwork have agreed to have their images included in the journals.

While most have artwork from already-published books, a few are from yet-to-be published books. It includes original artwork for comic books and comic strips.

Part of the exhibit demonstrates the steps a children's book goes through from illustration to published book.

During the Christmas holidays, part of the museum will showcase a new book by Engelbreit, "The Night Before Christmas."

The family always has loved art, Jeanne Johnston said. "I've always loved reading to kids."

Eventually, the family would like the museum to be in a home, Jeanne Johnston said.

That would be fine to Nita Pace, of McKinley Heights. The museum is fabulous, Pace said in a recent visit. "All the artwork around shows the multitalented people in the area," she said.

It shows the difference between the original artwork and the artwork in the book, Jimmy Johnston said.

"The biggest change from the original to the production prints within the book is the addition of the words," Jimmy Johnston said.

Adults may appreciate the work that goes into producing a book, but children have a simpler reason for liking the museum.

"It's fun with the kids," Jeanne Johnston said.

"A lot of people get really emotional when they're looking at the artwork," Jeanne Johnson said.

One elderly woman sat quietly gazing at the art work.

"She said, 'I'm just drinking it all in," Jeanne Johnson said. "The adults like it as much as the kids."

About the St. Louis Children's Illustrated Art Museum.

- Location: 37 Crestwood Court,

- Open: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Admission: Free.

- For more information: Go to http://www.stlciam.org/.