Overview
A unique introduction to an important American Artist.
When Grandma Moses looks out her window,
she sees a world of spotted cows,
a world of thunderstorms, rain-drenched fields,
and hand-washed laundry flapping in the wind.
This stunning picture book introduces children of all ages to the work of legendary artist Grandma Moses. Beginning in the spring — full of thunderstorms and scenes of laundry flapping in the wind — Nikola-Lisa's lyrical text captures the seasons on a farm and highlights the simple yet wonderful moments depicted in Grandma Moses's folk art paintings. The experience is made all the more intimate by Grandma Moses's journal excerpts, which give readers a first-hand look at what inspired the artist.
With its paintings and descriptions of hay rides in the fall, ice-skating in winter, and flower-gathering in the spring and summer, The Year with Grandma Moses celebrates an important American artist and shares her special world with others.
When Grandma Moses (born Anna Mary Robertson) was in her seventies, her paintings were discovered by a New York art collector. By her 100th birthday, Grandma Moses had become one of the most well-known and beloved artists of her time. She died in 1961 at the age of 101.
A collection of paintings and memoirs by the American folk artist describing the seasons and their related activities in rural upstate New York.
Synopsis
A unique introduction to an important American Artist.
When Grandma Moses looks out her window,
she sees a world of spotted cows,
a world of thunderstorms, rain-drenched fields,
and hand-washed laundry flapping in the wind.
This stunning picture book introduces children of all ages to the work of legendary artist Grandma Moses. Beginning in the spring — full of thunderstorms and scenes of laundry flapping in the wind — Nikola-Lisa's lyrical text captures the seasons on a farm and highlights the simple yet wonderful moments depicted in Grandma Moses's folk art paintings. The experience is made all the more intimate by Grandma Moses's journal excerpts, which give readers a first-hand look at what inspired the artist.
With its paintings and descriptions of hay rides in the fall, ice-skating in winter, and flower-gathering in the spring and summer, The Year with Grandma Moses celebrates an important American artist and shares her special world with others.
When Grandma Moses (born Anna Mary Robertson) was in her seventies, her paintings were discovered by a New York art collector. By her 100th birthday, Grandma Moses had become one of the most well-known and beloved artists of her time. She died in 1961 at the age of 101.
Publishers Weekly
Grandma Moses's own words, excerpted from her memoirs, and reproductions of her evocative primitive paintings provide a solid foundation for this appealing volume. The excerpts appear on the left of each spread on an oval, darkened to appear like parchment, opposite a related painting on the right. Less strong is the book's third component, which appears on the right below each painting: Nikola-Lisa's (One Hole in the Road) simplistic and uneven interpretation of the artist's environment and lifestyle, which reads as a run-on commentary more or less thematically tied to each piece of art. He starts out describing Moses's world objectively ("When Grandma Moses looks out her window, she sees a world of spotted cows, and rolling hills, and white picket fences"), then abruptly gives the narrator a role in the goings-on ("With Christmas around the corner,/ we'll have lots of fun outdoors,/ and indoors, too--/ opening presents, playing games,/ and feasting on food/ we've helped prepare"). Yet his captionlike account succeeds in creating a through-line for the paintings, which youngsters may appreciate. Aimed at considerably more advanced readers, Moses's own writing effortlessly brings children back to the era of her childhood as she describes the diversions of each season. Ages 4-10. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.