TIME TO MAKE ART

Mack explores fundamental questions about human visual expression.

As a brown-skinned young protagonist, sporting cornrows and a lavender beret, ponders the nature of creativity, palette and brush in hand, artists from around the world and throughout history respond. Pointing to God’s finger on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the child wonders if art must be perfect. Michelangelo assures the child, “You can make your art any way you want.” The youngster discusses the use of color with Piet Mondrian, contemplates whether to privilege realism over other styles with René Magritte and Vincent van Gogh, and mulls the emotional content of art with Chris Ofili and Frida Kahlo. The diversity of talent and array of topics included are truly impressive. Vibrant handmade and digital illustrations portray a stone sculptor from 200 CE Teotihuacán, a cave artist, and Esther Mahlangu, a South African artist who applies traditional Ndebele house patterns on everything from jewelry to sneakers. The questions addressed are ones that will occur to most people of any age: What about mistakes? How do you know if your art is good? Leonardo da Vinci fields that last one: “Good art will be fun and mysterious…no matter how many times you see it.” Humor and wonder shine through in Mack’s intelligent, playful scenes. The book can be enjoyed without recognizing the artists (who go unnamed in the story itself), but backmatter identifies them and offers salient snippets for each.

An inspiring and empowering manifesto for young creators.