A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin

Written by Jen Bryant. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Unpaged. Picture Book

This delightful biography picture book tells the story of the mostly self-taught Horace Pippin and how he became a famous and well-respected folk artist. Through charming and easy-to-understand language, Bryant describes Pippin's childhood in the late 1800s and the many odd jobs he worked as a teen and young adult. She tells of his experiences as a soldier in World War I and how his war injury actually leads him back to his love of art. Pippin's spirit and determination are evident as he gradually makes his way from the charcoal drawings of his childhood to the exhibition of his paintings in the most well-known art museums around the world. Sweet's illustrations, created in Pippin's style, include inspirational quotes from Pippin and are the perfect complement to this enchanting story.

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