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

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

By Jen Bryant

Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Bryant, Jen, and Melissa Sweet. A Splash of Red: the Life and Art of Horace Pippin. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. 9780375867125

Plot Summary

Horace Pippin loved to draw. He delighted those around him with his pictures, using charcoal at first and then a real set of artist's paints after winning a contest in a magazine.  When Horace was in the eighth grade, he had to go to work. Horace's "big hands were always busy" working at a feed store, a rail yard, a farm, a hotel, and an iron factory. Yet, he always found time to draw. Everyone pleaded "Make a picture for us, Horace!" And he did. When the Great War began, Horace wanted to help. Despite the troubles of war, Horace still found time to makes pictures. One day, Horace was badly injured in his right arm. He was glad to be alive, but he was afraid he would never make pictures again. After coming home from the war, marrying Jennie Wade, and settling down in West Chester, Horace took odd jobs here and there. Every day he saw the beautiful colors and textures of West Chester and his fingers itched to draw again. Determined to push past his disability, Horace picked up an iron poker, thrust it into the flames until it was red-hot, and began to draw on wood, using his left hand to control his right arm. Horace could make pictures again! After working on a special painting for three years, Horace began to paint the scenes that played in his head. He hung some paintings up for sale in a shoe-store window. One day, the famous painter N. C. Wyeth saw Horace's paintings and helped him set up his very own art show, a one-man exhibition. Horace became famous and everyone loved his paintings. Once again, his big hands were always busy.

Analysis

Written in a narrative style, Jen Bryant shares the story of Horace Pippin along with Melissa Sweet and her eye-catching illustrations. Together, these two have carefully chosen pivotal moments in Horace's life to weave a tale that will delight readers of all ages. Bryant's accuracy within this picture book biography stems from extensive research into Horace's life and includes many quotes directly from himself and others including N. C. Wyeth. At the end of the book, Bryant includes a historical note that goes into greater detail about some aspects of his life, including how he received honors after the war, how many paintings he produced, and where readers can find his paintings across America. There is also an author and illustrator's note, which explain Bryant and Sweet's processes for research and development with this book. Bryant includes a section for further reading, film, and websites that readers can visit to learn even more about Horace, as well as the sources for the quotations that she used. This book is organized in chronological order, and unlike other informational books, should be read from front to back. After finishing, readers should flip back through the pages to study the detail of Sweet's illustrations.

Melissa Sweet used watercolor, gouache, and collage to create the illustrations for this book. She recreated Horace's art supplies and took great care to emulate his style for the title page, on which she illustrated an example of one of Horace's small oval paintings on muslin of a Bible scene. The illustrations in this book rely heavily on color, always with a splash of red. When the book talks about the war and how if affected Horace, the illustrations reflect his feelings by being darker and less vibrant. When he recovers and begins to paint again, the illustrations change back into being very happy and full of life, which must be how Horace felt. Because Bryant and Sweet worked closely on this book together, the illustrations are paired well with the story. According to Sweet, after Bryant finished writing the story, they traveled together to drive through the back roads of eastern Pennsylvania to talk with curators who knew his work and visit his home in West Chester.

One reviewer from Kirkus Reviews said, "Sweet's sophisticated mixed media (watercolor, gouache and collage), compositional framing, and both subdued and glowing colors pay homage to Pippin's artistic style and sometimes re-create his pieces. Bryant's text is understated, letting Pippin's frequent quotations glimmer along with the art."

“A SPLASH OF RED The Life and Art of Horace Pippin.” 2013. Kirkus Reviews, November, 46–48. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.twu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=92575725&site=ehost-live.

Awards

A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award

An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book

Winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

Connections

In the back of her book, Bryant includes many websites and a film that readers might explore to learn more about Horace Pippin. The film, titled "Horace Pippin: There Will Be Peace" would be a great film to watch after reading this book.

Other biographies about American artists include:

Hartfield, Clare: Me and Uncle Romie. 9780803725201

Warhola, James: Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol. 9780142403471

Winter, Jonah: Frida (Spanish Edition). 9780439331180