A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin (review)

Though artistically inclined since childhood, African-American artist Horace Pippin had to limit his drawing and painting to a hobby, and then even that pleasure was denied him when he suffered an injury to his right arm in World War I. Back home and struggling with the limited opportunities for a man with a physical impairment, Pippin turned again to art, steadying his damaged right arm with his left. When his paintings were discovered by a local group of artists (including N. C. Wyeth), they gained recognition and acclaim in the art world and cemented Pippin's reputation. Both Pippin's life and art are compelling, and Bryant's matter-of-fact, unassuming style is well suited to her subject. Sweet's art, largely watercolor and gouache with layered collage effects, employs vibrant contrasts of reds and pinks against greens, with softly sketchy pencilwork adding both texture and precision. Pippin himself was very much a vernacular artist, and the narrative paintings effectively reflect his approach (though it would have been pleasing to have more examples of Pippin's own work); quotes from Pippin are graphically incorporated into several scenes. The book concludes with an historical note about Pippin, a note from the author and the illustrator on their joint exploration of the subject, an extensive list of print, video, and internet opportunities for further information about the artist, and citations; closing endpapers offer a U.S. map identifying the location of museums housing Pippin's works and some sample paintings. This would be a great creative partner to Lyons' Starting Home: The Story of Horace Pippin, Painter or an entry in a discussion of American modern art.