This book is part of a new series from Wide Eyed editions. Each will feature the biography and work of a well known artist and is geared for elementary school students. If this book is anything to go by, this will be an informative and beautifully illustrated series.
The book includes many of the important aspects of the artist’s life from her polio and devastating accident to her meeting Diego Rivera and her travels to places including the U.S. and France, where she was the first Mexican artist to find her work in the Louvre. There is also information about how Kahlo painted, what she painted and her love of Mexico. The illustrations are much in the style of the artist and many of her paintings are featured in the background of the text. At the end of the book, the reader can learn more about Kahlo and her works of art.
Some quotes:
Frida liked to paint lots of outfits or versions of herself in the same picture. She did this to show what it was like to feel like lots of different people, all rolled into one body.
Sometimes Frida felt on top of the world! When she felt like this, her paintings would be filled with sunny colors and Mexican plants from her garden. Sometimes Frida felt low and frustrated that one of her legs was always more tired than the other. When she felt like this, her paintings were filled with gloomy colors.
This book deserves its place in school and home libraries. It is a wonderful way for children to learn about art history.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.
From the Publisher
Portrait of an Artist: Frida Kahlo
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Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon, or Frida to her friends, was an artist.She lived in sunny Mexico. Unlike most artists whose work you might see in a gallery, Frida didn’t go to art school. Instead she taught herself. At this time, it was thought that only men could become ‘serious artists’. Frida thought that was silly, so she didn’t let it worry her. |
At this time, the most famous artists in Mexico were mural painters who painted straight onto walls. The most famous of them all was Diego Rivera.One day, Diego was painting near where Frida lived. She took one of her paintings to show him. As soon as he saw it, he could tell that Frida was a brilliant artist. |
In Mexico, Frida made friends with a French poet called André Breton.He loved Frida’s unusual painting of a bath and asked her to show her work to people in Paris. This was the first time her art had been so far away from Mexico. |
This book will be published in the summer and is a welcome re-issue of a title by Jenny Colgan. This author’s novels are always involving and heart warming.
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