Artist Booklist: Georgia O’Keeffe
Georgia O’Keeffe is one of the artists we feature in the Traveling Art Gallery program at our local elementary schools. Dedicated parent volunteers prepare a presentation about the artists and one of their prints. The students love it.
I love that there can be some interdisciplinary study in art classes, library projects, classroom discussions, and school field trips. And I enjoy the opportunity to create booklists about these artists so kids and parents can extend the learning at home.
First up is a booklist for Georgia O’Keeffe. I’ve included some picture books (don’t shy away from these just because your kids may be older), a novel that is good for upper elementary/middle school, and even a cookbook for families that want to try some recipes inspired by the artist.
Through Georgia’s Eyes is written by Rachel Rodriguez and illustrated by Julie Paschkis.
Book description: “Georgia O’Keeffe saw the world differently from most people. As a child she roamed the prairie with a sketch pad in her hand, struggling to capture on paper what she saw all around her. At art school she learned to speak in paint on canvas. But Georgia felt confined by city life. She longed for vast expanses of space, and she found it in the red hills and silent deserts of New Mexico. Lyrical and vivid, this is a portrait of an exceptional artist, a woman whose eyes were open to the wideness and wonder of the world.”
Georgia in Hawaii is written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.
Book description: “Georgia O’Keeffe was famous for painting exactly what she wanted, whether flowers or skulls. Who would ever dare to tell her what to paint? The Hawaiian Pineapple Company tried. Luckily for them, Georgia fell in love with Hawaii. There she painted the beloved green islands, vibrant flowers, feathered fishhooks, and the blue, blue sea. But did she paint what the pineapple company wanted most of all? Amy Novesky’s lyrical telling of this little-known story and Yuyi Morales’s gorgeous paintings perfectly capture Georgia’s strong artistic spirit. The book includes an author’s note, illustrator’s note, bibliography, map of the islands, and endpapers that identify Georgia’s favorite Hawaiian flowers.”
My Name is Georgia is written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter.
Book description: “From the time she was just a young girl, Georgia O’Keeffe viewed the world in her own way. While other girls played with toys and braided their hair, Georgia practiced her drawing and let her hair fly free. As an adult, Georgia followed her love of art from the steel canyons of New York City to the vast plains of New Mexico. There she painted all day, and slept beneath the stars at night. Throughout her life Georgia O’Keeffe followed her dreams–and so found her way to become a great American artist.“
Girl with Brush and Canvas by Carolyn Meyer.
Book description: “At the age of 12, Georgia O’Keeffe announced that she wanted to be an artist. With the support of her family, O’Keeffe attended boarding schools with strong art programs, and after graduating, went to live with an aunt and uncle in Chicago to attend the city’s highly regarded Art Institute. Illness forced O’Keeffe to leave Chicago, but once she’d recovered, her family scraped together funds to send her to New York to study at the Art Students League. When her family fell on hard times, she left without the degree she needed. Discouraged, but unwilling to give up her dream, O’Keeffe found a different path. She became an art teacher in schools in Texas and South Carolina, honing her own craft as she taught her students. O’Keeffe never gave up her dream, no matter what obstacles she encountered–she knew she was meant to be an artist.“
Wideness and Wonder by Susan Goldman Rubin.
Book description: “Continuing Chronicle’s acclaimed series of artist books for kids, Wideness and Wonder is the fascinating story of the mysterious and beloved artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Well-known children’s biography writer Susan Goldman Rubin traces the events that shaped O’Keeffe’s art and how art influenced OKeeffe’s life in return. Wideness and Wonder is colorful, accessible, and packed with the art that made O’Keeffe so renowned.“
Georgia O’Keeffe: The Artist in the Desert by Britta Benke.
Book description: “This book for young readers offers an illustrated introduction to the life and art of Georgia O’Keeffe. Georgia O’Keeffe’s bold and colorful depictions of flowers, New York skylines, and desert landscapes are easily recognizable to most adults and endlessly intriguing to young readers. This introduction to the life and work of the world renowned painter is filled with details of her unique life: her choice to live alone in the desert, her fascination with the treasures she found there, and her dedication to her work. O’Keeffe’s signature paintings are intertwined with photographs of the artist at work creating a seamless narrative that links the painter’s captivating personal history to her iconic art.“
Dinner with Georgia O’Keeffe by Robyn Lea.
Book description: “Georgia O’Keeffe chose New Mexico as the vibrant backdrop for the second half of her boundlessly creative life, refinishing her homes in Ghost Ranch and Abiqui with special emphasis on the kitchen and garden spaces that were fundamental to her artistic process. Featuring fifty recipes collected from Georgia’s favorite cookbooks with her handwritten notes or prepared for her by cooks and caretakers, Dinner with Georgia O’Keeffe is a perfect balance between the fresh local and traditional ingredients O’Keeffe sought and the New Mexican landscape and culture that constantly influenced both her art and her sense of self.“
Thanks for reading!
