An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Cameron Kids
(Abrams)
(pub.10.19.2021) 40 pages
Author: Jackie Azua Kramer
Illustrator: Julia Breckenreid
Characters: Dorothy Vogel
and Herbert Vogel
Overview: "In the heart of Manhattan lived a librarian and a postal clerk who loved art so much that they collected it. Over the years, Dorothy and Herbert brought home hundreds of works of art—from little-known SoHo artists to luminaries such as Sol LeWitt, Chuck Close and Christo and Jeanne-Claude—to their small, empty-walled apartment, much to the curiosity and delight of their eight cats and tank of fish. Their passion for art and support of artists was so impressive, Dorothy and Herbert became famous themselves. And when they gifted their extraordinary collection to the National Gallery of Art, their art became ours, inspiring new generations of artists."
Tantalizing taste:
"If Dorothy and Herbert liked the art,
could carry it in a cab or subway ...
move it up the elevator,
and fit it into
their tiny Upper East Side apartment,
they bought it.
They even traded cat-sitting for a collage
from an artist couple."
And something more: Jackie Azua Kramer explains in the Author's Note : Herbert and Dorothy "felt enjoying art is about discovering things that you find fun to look at. Their favorite was minimalist and conceptional art...Beginning in the 1960s, they bought and collected thousands of sculptures, paintings, mobiles, and drawings... The art was placed everywhere in their one-bedroom Manhattan apartment, including the kitchen, bathroom, inside closets, under the bed, and even on the ceiling!"
Julie Breckenreid shares in the Illustrator's Note: "These extraordinary people were passionate about supporting artists, so curious and joyful in their pursuit of understanding new ideas. This, coupled with their generosity, is so important for kids (big and small) to know about. Fostering curiosity about the world and being open to different people's perspectives is imperative... Showing you how I think through the images I create is important to me - I like to thin of it as a puzzle for you to solve - and it's my way of telling a story! My hope is that when you read this book, you'll see something new each time. If you're wondering about who some of the artist are in the illustrations, please have a look at my website for their names and where you can find their works." I highly recommend checking it out! I loved learning that the "The bathroom walls swayed and shimmied in red dots and yellow squiggles" referred to Sol LeWitt's art.
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