These scenes offered to us are both lessons in artistic design and the use of materials. Two nonfiction publications this year focus on the technique of collage and both rely on what is offered in the natural world. The first release, Birds Of A Feather: Bowerbirds And Me (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House, May 14, 2019) written and illustrated by Susan L. Roth compares two artists, one avian and one human who fashion masterpieces from found objects.The differences between a bowerbird and me are fewer than you might expect.
Susan L. Roth, as narrator, begins to state the similarities. As collectors of anything, often items completely unrelated, they take their gathered treasures and work these into very specific, small areas. They are both aiming toward their objective of unsurpassed beauty but their reasons for doing this are not the same. Susan L. Roth is telling a story. A bowerbird is seeking a mate.
Believe it or not, both never make the same arrangement. In a stunning observation their tools, though different, work in an identical manner. A bowerbird's beak is like a human's pair of tweezers.
Both Susan L. Roth and the bowerbird look to their surroundings to gain ideas for their compositions as well as attaining inspiration from the space in which they are placing their work or the materials they are using. Both of these creators combine the unlikeliest of found objects to fashion colorful splashes of originality. They do not hesitate to use whatever they can find; natural or made by humans.
Like the true artists they both are, their light shines even brighter when others notice their work and comment. If a story is told and a mate is found, they know each small piece contributed to a successful whole. Piece by careful piece, perfection is achieved.
In exactly twelve sentences Susan L. Roth writes a convincing portrait of the parallels between her and bowerbirds. Her choices of descriptive adjectives are done with the utmost care. The most striking aspect of this narrative is the pacing derived from splitting the sentences from page to page. The rhythm mimics how these two artists, human and bird, work. Here is a passage.
We are both
collectors
of unusual,
often unrelated
stuff
(page turn)
that we use
in unusual ways
to create different and unexpected compositions
in rather small, defined spaces.
The kaleidoscope of bits of color on the front of the dust jacket wholeheartedly asks you to pick up this book and read it. The layout of the text, cut out and pieced together like collage, is highly reader friendly. The bowerbird positioned near his name looks as though he's ready for flight, carrying his latest artistic treasure.
To the left, on the back, on a canvas of white, stands Susan L. Roth, created entirely with collage. Bits and pieces of gathered colored paper cascade from her right hand. In her left hand she is carrying more paper and a pair of scissors. She stands in a layer of colored, cut paper.
On the book case covered in white, textured paper are eight loosely formed panels, framed by bits of grasses and twigs, which span from left to right. In seven of them we see the bowerbird hard at work, carrying and placing other elements exactly where he wants them to be. He has an air of energetic determination about him.
The opening and closing endpapers are the same color as the feather in the bowerbird's beak on the front of the dust jacket. On the initial title page, Susan L. Roth defines bowerbird and Susan L. Roth, as if they are part of a dictionary. On the two-page picture for the formal title page, amid collected items, we see one of Susan's hands and the bowerbird picking up another piece of paper. On the verso and dedication pages Susan L. Roth begins her visual story.
Each subsequent page turn features the bowerbird and Susan L. Roth on a variety of backgrounds, white, green, yellow or multi-colored from collected items. Most of the illustrations are single-page pictures, intricately created. At times we are very close to the bowerbird and Susan L. Roth as they work. Careful readers will notice that sometimes what Susan L. Roth is making mirrors what we see the bowerbird doing next.
One of my many favorite images is a single-page picture. The background is muted green textured paper. Along the bottom are pieces of grass and twigs. Other grass and twigs rise on the left and right and bleed off the top of the page. Between these two bunches, the head of the bowerbird is bowed to pick up a piece of purple paper. His eye is looking directly at the reader. Most of his body is off the page to the right. His feathers are exquisite.
Birds Of A Feather: Bowerbirds And Me written and illustrated by Susan L. Roth is an imaginative masterpiece. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all could find our counterparts in nature? At the close of the book are:
Facts About Bowerbirds
How They Work
How I Work
How We Are The Same and a
Bibliography.
A photograph of a Male Satin Bowerbird is included.
I highly recommend this book for your personal and professional collections.
To learn more about Susan L. Roth and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website. At a publisher's website you can view the initial title page. At author, reviewer and blogger Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast this title is featured. You can see more interior illustrations.
The second release is written and illustrated by another renowned collage artist. Her work has received recognition, nominations and awards in the United States and internationally. Playing with collage (Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, October 22, 2019) written and illustrated by Jeannie Baker is a journey in creativity for readers.Introduction
Ever since I made my first picture book, I've always worked in collage. My original collages can look quite different from the photographs of them---though sometimes children will stroke the reproductions of the textures in my books or try to pick bits from the page, thinking they are real.
Jeannie Baker continues by stating, pieces for collage are literally everywhere waiting to be collected. She uses them as they are or changes them until they fit into her working design. Her ultimate goal in this book is as the title suggests; she waits people to believe in themselves and have fun.
The next several pages focus on tools with a reminder that adult supervision is required after carefully reading instructions. Tips are offered for pressing flora, adding texture (like sand) to a surface, and collecting the finest types of materials that can either be straight or form a multitude of shapes. Once you have an item don't be afraid to alter it by crumpling it or tearing an edge. Look for unusual borders.
In the first section working with paper is highlighted. It's amazing the variety of paper available of different thicknesses, colors, and with artwork already printed on them. How many can you list at this moment? What can you see around you now?
Next, we move outside. What can nature offer to us? There is bark, leaves, grasses, flowers, nuts, seeds, moss and types of dirt or sand. You can group like pieces together or mix them up.
Walking along the seashore offers a whole new type of item to find. Wind and water change this landscape daily. There is driftwood, seaweed, tiny pebbles or shells. If you're fortunate perhaps a piece of sea glass will be revealed. (A suggestion is offered on the correct process for pressing seaweed.) Remember you can work with these elements as they are naturally, or you might paint one of them for contrast.
Jeannie Baker takes us in her fourth section to the kitchen in our homes. The spice cupboard is like a treasure chest for this collage artist. There is an assortment of dried foods, pasta, rice, seeds and beans which are ideal for collages. Advice is offered on how to color rice and pasta.
The title closes with using translucent materials for fashioning a unique effect. Jeannie Baker then displays two egg cartons with each little nest filled with a different material. She challenges readers to guess what the items are. Her final sentence reads:
General Safety Advice: Always close scissors after use and put lids on pens and paints. Ask an adult before using superglue or a scalpel and before using the stove or oven.
Every portion of this title is written as if you, the reader, are having a one-on-one conversation with Jeannie Baker. There is a wonderful balance between giving you exactly what you need to know to excite you to pursue collage rather than overloading you with too much information. The introduction is like a pep talk and the following pages are laying a foundation before you begin.
By dividing the types of materials into four sections, readers are able to see they have access to at least one or maybe more sources. Each section contains the means for gathering items and then playing with them. Here is a passage.
Finding nature materials
When I go for a walk in a forest or park, or even in my own garden, I collect interesting natural textures and treasures. If you do this too, you'll find that preserving a little bit of the natural world is a great way to celebrate its beauty. Gather more bits and pieces than you need so you have plenty to choose from!
In addition to the narrative captions give more information such as:
If you want to use a photo, it might be better to scan or photocopy it. That way you can enlarge or reduce the image---and keep the original.
When you open the book case the stunning swirl of materials gathered from the kitchen continues to the left, on the back. You can almost feel yourself stop breathing so you don't cause a single seed to move. The hours of work this image represents is astonishing. Even now, looking at the word collage in the title, I find myself trying to figure out what elements were used. The natural browns, yellows, greens, oranges and a bit of purple supply us with a feeling of warmth or of being caught up in cozy comfort.
A light rusty color covers the opening and closing endpapers. With every page turn in the four sections readers are furnished with examples of collected items to utilize in the design of a collage. The examples of what can be made from these collected items are set forth in two steps; a collage of materials and the finished collage. It's fabulous how Jeannie Baker teaches about collage with collages.
One of my many favorite illustrations is the artwork spanning nearly one and a half pages right to left for the introductory page for
On the
Beach.
Above the title words is a small collections of found items but the larger array is a mix of bronze, gold, blue, purple, gray, pastels and white. Jeannie Baker has used
rusty tin, driftwood, sand, shells, broken shells, coralline seaweed, and sponge.
The items are pleasingly arranged together, like pieces in a natural puzzle.
The possibilities afforded readers of Playing with collage written and illustrated by Jeannie Baker are only limited by their imaginations. The suggestions and examples provided within these pages are truly inspiring. This is a beautiful volume to add to your personal and professional bookshelves. You can't read this without wanting to start collecting and making collages.
To learn more about Jeannie Baker and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website. At the publisher's website you can view an interior image. At Penguin Random House you can see the first six pages. Jeannie Baker has made a video speaking about this book.
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy hosted by educator Alyson Beecher to see the titles selected this week by participants in the 2019 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.
