I like Art is… by Bob Raczka for the one page that says, “Art is a tower that isn’t quite straight.” Maybe the question, “What is Art?” is one of those questions you avoid answering for your children. Each page of this book has a possible answer and collectively they give room for a much clearer explanation. This …
In the last year, Lines-Between has written over forty book reviews on children’s books about art that our whole family enjoys (that includes two old people and two preschoolers). It is difficult to find “art books” for children through Amazon. They are there, but the metadata and algorithms aren’t in our favor. And it is …
On a long holiday break, I break out a new activity book for everyone. Coloring books for adults have filled the market. Most of them are too feminine, romantic, or predictable for my taste. However, below is the short list of options that I am choosing for each person in our family. You can see a longer list of art …
Tomorrow is Isamu Noguchi’s birthday. He is one of the most important sculptors and designers of the 20th century. He is Japanese-American, raised by a single mom, and has an entire museum dedicated to his work in Long Island City, NY. In the children’s book “The East-West House,” Christy Hale tells a short story about his childhood. …
You can find Vincent Mahé’s (aka Mr. Bidon) illustrations all over The New Yorker, including the above illustration of the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C. We picked up one his picture books in Paris this summer. 750 Years In Paris is one of my favorite architectural history books. With 60 large scale illustrations, …
I would have bought this picture book when I was 2 years old because of the flaps, rhythm, and animals. I would have bought this book when I was 13 years old because it is poetic. I bought this book this summer because it captures a lifetime of conversations in a very short story. Each …
In June, we visited Christo’s most recent art installation on Lago Iseo in northern Italy. I posted pictures and thoughts about our expierence here. The catalogue, “Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Floating Piers,” was published in late August and arrived in our mailbox minutes later. Each page is full of crisp, stunning photographs and succinct captions. The book congruously pictures the logistics, …
Bruno Munari is described as a prolific artist, designer, and inventor. Pablo Picasso called him “the Leonardo of our time.” Pierre Restany described him as “the Leonardo and the Peter Pan of Italian design.” And these are two characters parents know little preschool boys can relate to. During Munari’s lifetime (1907-1998), he created a long list of children’s …
Jackson Pollock’s work is something to see in person! Encountering a reproduction is not the same experience. But still many people will say that a child could make this. It’s a common misunderstanding and that’s why the quiz, “Can You Tell The Difference Between Modern Art And Paintings By Toddlers?” is popular. Before we figure out if …
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond by Jan Greenberg is a non-fiction book written for children. It focuses on The Gates exhibition from 2005 in NYC, but also introduces a handful of the artists’ other major works. My favorite line in the book is when Jeanne-Claude is quoted asserting “It has no purpose. …