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All About Artists (Kids)

Explore the lives of various artists! Find out what urged them to be creative and how they created their masterpieces.

Vincent van Gogh : he saw the world in vibrant colors by Amy Guglielmo

A picture book biography of the life of Vincent van Gogh. Includes a time line of his works as well as related art appreciation activities

Pigskins to paintbrushes : the story of football-playing artist Ernie Barnes by Don Tate

"From acclaimed author and illustrator Don Tate, the rousing story of Ernie Barnes, an African American pro football player and fine artist"--

The people's painter : how Ben Shahn fought for justice with art by Cynthia Levinson

""The first thing I can remember," Ben said, "I drew." As an observant young child growing up in Lithuania, Ben Shahn yearns to draw everything he sees-and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers' rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too. So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings with him both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what's right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art-from challenging classmateswho bully him for being Jewish, to resisting his teachers' calls to paint beautiful landscapes in favor of painting stories true to life, to using his work to urge the US government to pass Depression-era laws that help people find food and security. In this moving and timely portrait, award-winning author and illustrator Cynthia Levinson and Evan Turk honor an artist, immigrant, and activist whose work still resonates today: a true painter for the people"--

Faith Ringgold : narrating the world in pattern and color by Sharna Jackson

Introduces American painter Faith Ringgold, revealing what led her to mix different media and craft her narrative quilts, and how her life and art inspire kids to create their own masterpieces

Jean-Michel Basquiat by Ma Isabel (Maraia Isabel) Saanchez Vegara

Recounts the life of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, from his interest in art at a young age to his rise as a graffiti artist and international sensation.

A storm of horses : the story of artist Rosa Bonheur by Ruth Sanderson

"An inspiring picture book about Rosa Bonheur, the most famous and best-selling painter of her century In a stunning ode to underrepresented women everywhere, award-winning illustrator Ruth Sanderson tells the untold story of French artist Rosa Bonheur inthis picture book biography. Rosa Bonheur was born in 1822 in France at a time when young women had limited options beyond being a wife and mother. But Rosa wouldn't stand for this. She wore pants, rode horses astride, and often broke society's rules. She wanted to be a famous painter just like her father. Female artists at the time were encouraged to paint domestic scenes of children and family, but Rosa was determined to capture the unbridled wild beauty of horses. Her masterpiece The Horse Fair was eight feet high and sixteen feet wide. Rosa went on to become the most celebrated artist of her time with paintings purchased by art collectors, museums, and galleries around the world. With the decline in popularity of realistic painting, Rosa's trailblazing story was almost forgotten. Revel at the bravery and fortitude of young Rosa as you take in Ruth Sanderson's immaculate rendition of her life and artistry"--

Pocket full of colors : the magical world of Mary Blair, Disney artist extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo

Presents the life of the American artist, describing her early work at Disney Studios, her frustrations at not getting her color work accepted, and the later incorporation of her work into some of Disney's best-loved films.

Sewing stories : Harriet Powers' journey from slave to artist by Barbara Herkert

Frida Kahlo by Ma Isabel (María Isabel) Sánchez Vegara

An introduction to the life and achievements of the famed Mexican artist describes the childhood accident that ended her ambitions to study medicine and prompted her to become an artist while regularly confined by disabilities

Yayoi Kusama : from here to infinity by Sarah J Suzuki

Growing up in the mountains of Japan, Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929) dreamed of becoming an artist. One day, she had a vision in which the world and everything in it—the plants, the people, the sky—were covered in polka dots. She began to cover her paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even her body with dots. As she grew up, she traveled all around the world, from Tokyo to Seattle, New York to Venice, and brought her dots with her. Different people saw these dots in different ways—some thought they were tiny, like cells, and others imagined them enormous, like planets. Every year, Kusama sees more of the world, covering it with dots and offering people a way to experience it the way she does. Written by Sarah Suzuki, a curator at The Museum of Modern Art, and featuring reproductions of Kusama’s instantly recognizable artworks, this colorful book tells the story of an artist whose work will not be complete until her dots cover the world, from here to infinity

Dancing through fields of color : the story of Helen Frankenthaler by Elizabeth Brown

Explores the early life of the pioneering artist and encourages young readers to express themselves through art in their own unique ways.

Georgia O'Keeffe : she saw the world in a flower by Gabrielle Balkan

See the world through Georgia O'Keeffe's eyes and be inspired to produce your own masterpieces. Have you ever wondered exactly what your favorite artists were looking at to make them draw, sculpt, or paint the way they did? In this charming illustrated series of books to keep and collect, created in full collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can see what they saw, and be inspired to create your own artworks, too. In What the Artist Saw: Georgia O'Keeffe, meet famous American painter Georgia O'Keeffe. Step into her life and learn what led her to look closely at nature and paint her iconic paintings of flowers and bones. See the vast New Mexico landscapes that inspired her work. Have a go at producing your own close-up still-life artworks!

Jackson Pollock : splashed paint and wasn't sorry by Fausto Gilberti

A clever, charmingly quirky portrayal of painter Jackson Pollock - and the first in a series of picture-book biographies of contemporary artists Jackson Pollock was unlike any other painter. Instead of sitting in front of an easel with brushes, he poured paint over canvases rolled-out across the floor, moving, splashing, and making the vivid liquid run with energy and rhythm. Pollock's story is told here with wit and eccentricity, perfectly paired with black-line illustrations - and splatters galore. Fausto Gilberti brings movement, life, and whimsy to the true life story of one of the most important contemporary artists of our time

Discover her art : women artists and their masterpieces by Jean Leibowitz

Introduces readers to twenty-four professional women artists and their paintings in a variety of genres. Also describes their painting techniques, challenges, and triumphs

Andy Warhol by Ma Isabel (María Isabel) Sánchez Vegara

Little Andy was the tiniest and palest child of the Warholas, a humble couple from Slovakia who lived in Pittsburgh. Sketchbook glued to his hand, he loved every minute of drawing, but he was too shy to show his work to others, even to his family! As an adult he got a chance to publish his first illustration for a glamorous magazine. He turned his attention to the ordinary, like soup cans he ate from for lunch every day. He showed the world that the ordinary objects could POP, and founded a cultural movement. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the inspiring artist's life

I am Leonardo da Vinci by Brad Meltzer

"A picture book biography of Leonardo da Vinci"--

Keith Haring : the boy who just kept drawing by Kay Haring

Traces the life of artist Keith Haring, from his childhood love of drawing to his meteoric rise to fame, with a focus on his concern for children, humanity, and disregard for the established art world.

Who was Leonardo da Vinci? by Roberta Edwards

Presents the life and accomplishments of the famous artist, scientist, engineer, and inventor

Who was Pablo Picasso? by True Kelley

Highlights the life and work of innovative artist Pablo Picasso, who founded the movement known as Cubism

Recipient of the National Medal, the nation's highest honor for libraries.