ABLAZE WITH COLOR: A STORY OF PAINTER ALMA THOMAS, by Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise, HarperCollins, Feb. 22, 2022, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas celebrates one of the most preeminent painters of the 20th century
As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost 70 years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel. —Synopsis provided by HarperCollins
Alma Thomas was a trailblazer. She spent her life teaching and sharing art with young people. Later in life, she was the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City, and after her death, the first black woman to have her work chosen for the White House collection.
Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas is a rich picture book from beginning to end. Author Jeanne Walker Harvey’s text is clear and warm as she follows Alma’s life and passion. Illustrator Loveis Wise emulates Alma’s abstract style, creating emotion through splashes of color and texture.
Of particular note is the excellent backmatter. There, readers can see photos of Alma and her artwork, read an author’s and illustrator’s note, and find sources for further exploration. A two-page timeline helps readers place Alma’s life within the context of current events.
Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas is an fantastic choice for budding artists, future historians and those who just love a good biography.
About the creators:
Jeanne Walker Harvey has had many jobs, ranging from working as a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney for high-tech companies to a writer of magazine articles to a teacher of Language Arts and writing workshops at a public middle school. She has also been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just like Alma Thomas, Jeanne believes that art brings us joy. Her other picture books include Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.jeanneharvey.com, Twitter: @JeanneWHarvey and Pinterest: @JeanneWalkerHarvey
Loveis Wise is a nonbinary illustrator and designer from Washington, DC, now based in Los Angeles. They have collaborated and imagined with clients such as the New Yorker, the New York Times, HarperCollins, Google, Disney Hyperion, and Adobe, to name a few. Their work often speaks to themes of joy, mindfulness, and liberation. For more information visit: loveiswise.com or Instagram: @loveiswiseillu
Check out the many resources here at Jeanne Walker Harvey’s website!
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