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Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
“You bring to a painting your own experience.” Artist Jacob Lawrence wrote these words. It’s true. Art, whether visual, literary, theatrical, or musical, evolves from who we are, where we’ve been, and how we define ourselves. In Celia Vernal’s An Artist Like Me, readers will learn about the first popular Black American artist, Jacob Lawrence. This artist had a difficult young life, growing up in foster homes as well as with a single parent, his mother, in the sometimes tough neighborhood of Harlem, New York. Everyone in his family had to work hard. Jacob, being the oldest, was expected to help contribute to the family’s finances. But Jacob desperately wanted to study art; he was good at art. He worked several jobs and was able to pay for some art lessons. Finally, his dream came true and he was a real artist, someone whose works hung in big galleries and who was sought after to be an art teacher as well.
Celia Vernal’s children’s book, An Artist Like Me: Jacob Lawrence, is a fascinating look at the life of one of America’s great painters. It’s written for young readers and will hopefully inspire them to explore their artistic talents. The story is told with illustrations; photographs of the artist and some of his paintings. The language is simple to keep young readers enthralled and hopefully improve their developing reading skills. Each painting that is featured has a story to tell and the author eloquently shares some of the story, just enough to pique young readers’ interests. A great way to learn more about the history of American art.
