Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Check It Out.

My selection is "Speaking of art: colorful quotes by famous painters" edited by Bob Raczka.

Raczka has found an interesting format for introducing young -- and not so young -- readers to eighteen famous nineteenth and twentieth century painters by pairing their work with actual quotes from the artist.  Raczka provides a thoughtful range of artists across both time and artistic style from Grandma Moses to Juan Gris, Klee to Kahlo, Degas to Dali,  

Each quote provides a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of these well-known painters.  Van Gogh "The only time I feel alive is when I'm painting." is paired with "The Sower." Raczka enhances the learning potential on each page by making unexpected choices rather than always selecting the artist's most recognizable work.  One might have expected "Starry Night" or "Sunflowers" -- two of Van Gogh's most often discussed works, but "The Sower" is a lovely surprise.  The book concludes with black and white photographs and a paragraph of interesting facts about each of the featured artists .