A Drawing in the Sand: A Story of African American Art [Hardcover]

Jerry Butler (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

This title is suitable for ages 9-12. How does someone become an artist? Jerry Butler found his path to art with a drawing he made in the sand outside his home in Magnolia, Mississippi, when he was five years old. His grandmother saw it and encouraged his talent. That encouragement was taken up by his family and the African American community in Magnolia. Soon, Butler was making drawings for his two-room school and murals for all the Baptist churches in the area. When the time came, he went to schools outside Magnolia and Mississippi to learn more about art. Butler also learned about and was inspired by the African American artists who came before him. This book is the richly illustrated tale of Jerry Butler's journey as an artist. The book also tells the parallel story of how African American artists struggled to achieve their visions, and it shows examples of some of their finest work.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

First-time author Butler (illustrator of Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature) brings together his memories of growing up a fledgling artist in Magnolia, Miss., with brief biographies of 15 African-American artists (an additional 17 are listed at the end) who overcame racial and economic barriers to pursue their art. Butler warmly tells of how, from a young age, he would draw "in the red, sandy dirt between the pecan and oak trees in our yard," and of the enormous influence of his Grand Mo Lu, who got him work as a church muralist and told him about other black artists. Butler also spotlights a conflict that he believes divides black artists to this day: whether to make art for their community or to be free to take on a variety of subjects for a multiracial audience. Photos, Butler's own artwork and well-chosen examples of works by Augusta Savage, Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden and others create interesting visual juxtapositions. However, the different threads of the text (biographies of the artists are set off from Butler's narrative in tinted boxes) are poorly laid out, making it difficult for readers to follow the various sections from one page to the next. Bold type on large bands of bright colors and intermittent blocky neon type compete with these other elements and have a jarring effect. Despite the complicated and confusing layout, however, readers of all ages will likely find inspiration in the lives Butler has chosen to highlight. In telling a story of African-American art, this book chronicles the universal, enduring quality of creative imagination. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Written, illustrated and designed by a gifted contemporary African American artist, this large-format, richly illustrated work tries to be both a biography of Jerry Butler and his still developing career as well as an appreciation of a number of other black artists from Colonial times to the present. We meet an accomplished 18th-century black portrait painter from Baltimore, Joshua Johnston; a lyrical 19th century landscape artist, Edward Bannister, one of those paintings took a major prize at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1976; and Henry O. Tanner, at the turn of the century, who chose to spend his life in France because he saw himself not as a black painter but "simply a man and artist living and working in a free society." This book is a valuable overview of 17 major black American artists, but it would have benefited from a less confusing layout and text design. Shortcomings notwithstanding, it is a serious and commendable work. -- From Parents' Choice®

In telling a story of African American art, this book chronicles the universal, enduring quality of creative imagination. -- Publishers Weekly

This colorful, lively, easy-to-read book is an important contribution to both black aesthetic history and the artistic spirit. -- The Tampa Tribune-Times

[Butler's] discovery of African American art becomes an eye-opening journey of discovery for readers as well. -- Booklist

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Zino Pr Childrens Books
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559332166
• ISBN-13: 978-1559332163
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,252,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Book worth having in school library, October 11, 2011

By 

John Scott "John Scott" (Newark, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Drawing in the Sand: A Story of African American Art (Hardcover)

Great mini-biographies of African American artists, good story and concept, some good art in this book, worth having in a school library or classroom, especially as inspiration for the many potential African American artists in city schools. Rather than buy a child a new video game, when not buy him something that will encourage his or her interest in art. This type of book, then, is of value for children. I echo the review above that the graphics of the book are too bold, don't care for the all-caps narrative, it is confusing rather than clarifying, but the ideas of the book themselves are valuable. Page 62 and 74 lists other notable African American artists.