Pippin Paints a Portrait


Book Description

A laugh-out-loud story of artistic expression, told in direct speech and adorable manga-inflected illustrations by Charlotte Mei. ''The author and illustrator, Charlotte Mei, provides beautifully simplistic artwork to accompany her uplifting and inspirational story of self-discovery''. -- Seattle Book Review ''I love that this book talks about famous artists but ultimately Pippin finds his own way of creating. Perfect for budding artists''. -- Picturebook Playdate ''This is an ideal introduction to famous artists and some of their most celebrated works for young readers''. -- Library Girl and Book Boy ''This successful debut dips into artistic mediums, and shows that there is much fun and mileage to be had in imitating old masters, as well as managing to ace your own style''. -- Good Reads ''Charlotte Mei provides playful illustrations that contrast with the fine art at the heart of the book''. -- The Great British Bookworm ''This beautifully illustrated picture book will not only inspire children to want to create art but also feel confident and determined to do it''. -- School Reading List "Today I am going to paint a portrait. It is a portrait of someone very important. That someone is ME (it is a self-portrait). All famous artists paint pictures of themselves, and I am a famous artist. Or at least I will be when I've finished my portrait." Pippin is painting his self-portrait, but his friends think he's got a lot to learn about painting. They take him to see Angelique's portrait, which takes inspiration from Cubism, Dudley's portrait, which is inspired by the work of Chris Ofili, Momo's portrait, which draws from the work of Yayoi Kusama, and Franklin and Aaliya's portrait, which is a colour field painting in the style of Mark Rothko. Pippin is feeling very deflated, but his little friend Minky helps him to dig deep and find the artist inside himself. Packed with information about famous artists, their approaches and their mediums, this book simultaneously engages, informs and asks young readers to question how they themselves 'read' and create art.




A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin


Book Description

A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award An ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book Winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children As a child in the late 1800s, Horace Pippin loved to draw: He loved the feel of the charcoal as it slid across the floor. He loved looking at something in the room and making it come alive again in front of him. He drew pictures for his sisters, his classmates, his co-workers. Even during W.W.I, Horace filled his notebooks with drawings from the trenches . . . until he was shot. Upon his return home, Horace couldn't lift his right arm, and couldn't make any art. Slowly, with lots of practice, he regained use of his arm, until once again, he was able to paint--and paint, and paint! Soon, people—including the famous painter N. C. Wyeth—started noticing Horace's art, and before long, his paintings were displayed in galleries and museums across the country. Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet team up once again to share this inspiring story of a self-taught painter from humble beginnings who despite many obstacles, was ultimately able to do what he loved, and be recognized for who he was: an artist.




Horace Pippin


Book Description

The first examination of the evocative paintings of the self-taught African American artist Horace Pippin in over twenty years. Horace Pippin's response to the question of what made him a great painter: "I paint it the way I see it." This exciting new publication will look closely at Pippin (1888-1946) as an artist who was embraced by the art world, yet remained independent, creating and upholding a unique aesthetic sensibility while also candidly, if subtly, expressing his opinions on a wide range of social issues. A self-taught master of form, colour and composition, Pippin vividly depicted a range of subject matter, from scenes of war, history and religion, to sporting scenes, floral still lifes and intimate family moments. Accompanying a major exhibition at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, the book will be the first examination of the artist's work in twenty years and is an opportunity to re-examine Pippin with fresh eyes. His development as a self-aware, self-taught artist will be explored in-depth, looking at the rich pictorial language and multi-layered narratives of his paintings. Fully illustrated with over 60 works from around the United States, the book will introduce a new generation of scholarly voices, speaking to such issues as influence, racial and religious politics, and narrative truths in history. AUTHOR:- Audrey Lewis, Editor, is the Associate Curator at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Judith F. Dolkart is Director of the Addison Gallery Museum of Art, and the former Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Barnes Foundation. Jacqueline Francis is Associate Professor of Visual and Critical Studies at California College of the Arts. Anne Monahan is an independent scholar who focuses on contemporary African American art. Edward Puchner is Curator of Exhibitions, McKissick Museum, South Carolina. Kerry James Marshall has been described by the National Gallery of Art as one of the most celebrated painters currently working in the United States. 120 colour




Coyote's Soundbite


Book Description

Excitement spreads like wildfire through the jungle. Earth-goddesses are planning a conference! From Australia to Antarctica, Amazon to Africa, goddesses will debate the burning environmental issues of our times . . . and bushy-tailed, smooth-talking Coyote wants in on the action. Can this infamous trickster come up with a plan to infiltrate the conference and leave a lasting legacy for our planet? This is a rip-roaring poem by a master poet.




Jemmy Button


Book Description

Provides a fictionalized account of Jemmy Button, a native boy from Tierra del Fuego who was brought to London to be educated and then returned home to his island.




Art Before Breakfast


Book Description

Packed with the signature can-do attitude that makes beloved artist Danny Gregory a creativity guru to thousands across the globe, this unique guide serves up a hearty helping of inspiration. For aspiring artists who want to draw and paint but just can't seem to find time in the day, Gregory offers 5– to 10–minute exercises for every skill level that fit into any schedule—whether on a plane, in a meeting, or at the breakfast table—along with practical instruction on techniques and materials, plus strategies for making work that's exciting, unintimidating, and fulfilling. Filled with Gregory's encouraging words and motivating illustrations, Art Before Breakfast teaches readers how to develop a creative habit and lead a richer life through making art.




The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York


Book Description

A year in the life of a baby in Maine who is just like any other baby except that he is gigantic.




The Great Paint


Book Description

The Great Paint is a brilliantly funny tale about what can happen when we forget to think of others and get carried away with our artistic endeavours ... Frog thinks he's pretty artistic and that the rest of the forest could do with a little bit of inventive improvement. From painting to sculpture, to performance art and origami, Frog gets to work on beautifying everything around him ... but will his friends appreciate his creativity? And how will Frog show them he's sorry and that true creative inspiration lies in the friendship of others?




Metropolitan Philadelphia


Book Description

As America's fifth largest city and fourth largest metropolitan region, Philadelphia is tied to its surrounding counties and suburban neighborhoods. It is this vital relationship, suggests Steven Conn, that will make or break greater Philadelphia. The Philadelphia region has witnessed virtually every major political, economic, and social transformation of American life. Having once been an industrial giant, the region is now struggling to fashion a new identity in a postindustrial world. On the one hand, Center City has been transformed into a vibrant hub with its array of restaurants, shops, cultural venues, and restored public spaces. On the other, unchecked suburban sprawl has generated concerns over rising energy costs and loss of agriculture and open spaces. In the final analysis, the region will need a dynamic central city for its future, while the city will also need a healthy sustainable region for its long-term viability. Central to the identity of a twenty-first century Metropolitan Philadelphia, Conn argues, is the deep and complicated interplay of past and present. Looking at the region through the wide lens of its culture and history, Metropolitan Philadelphia moves seamlessly between past and present. Displaying a specialist's knowledge of the area as well as a deep personal connection to his subject, Conn examines the shifting meaning of the region's history, the utopian impulse behind its founding, the role of the region in creating the American middle class, the regional watershed, and the way art and cultural institutions have given shape to a resident identity. Impressionistic and beautifully written, Metropolitan Philadelphia will be of great interest to urbanists and at the same time accessible to the wider public intrigued in the rich history and cultural dynamics of this fascinating region. What emerges from the book is a wide-ranging understanding of what it means to say, "I'm from Philadelphia."




I Hate Picture Books!


Book Description

A little boy explains why he hates picture books.