Wideness and wonder: the life and art of Georgia O'Keeffe

Rubin, whose previous books include biographies of artists Hopper, Lichtenstein, Thiebaud, and Warhol, here looks at the life and work of Georgia O'Keeffe. Nicely illustrated with family photos, portrait photos by Stieglitz, and many reproductions of the artist's drawings and paintings, the book builds a convincing portrayal of O'Keeffe from her student days to her ultimate recognition as an important American artist. The book's design is striking. Many combinations of ink and background color (navy on plum, blue on goldenrod, white on orange, dark pink on pale pink, navy on green) are used. The effect is striking, and the text is always quite legible, though some pages are easier on the eyes than others. The many illustrations appear only on white pages, and the quality of reproduction is very fine. Back matter includes a bibliography and detailed image notes but, surprisingly, no source notes for the many quotes. A fine introduction.--Phelan, Caroly. Copyright 2010 Booklist

For those who best know O'Keeffe as a painter of animal skulls and Southwestern landscapes, Rubin's volume will be an eye-opener; she was already an established painter in her forties when she began her skull series. Rubin's text starts with O'Keeffe's childhood in Wisconsin, her home until age fifteen when her family moved to Virginia. At a school for "Southern ladies," the teen rebelled, attracting attention for her nonconformist attire and unconventional behavior, boldly proclaiming: "I am going to live a different life from the rest of you girls. I am going to give up everything for my art." Rubin goes on to describe O'Keeffe's formal arts education (stints at the Art Institute of Chicago, New York's Art Students League, and Teacher's College, Columbia University) before discussing her big break: a show at pioneering photographer -- and future husband -- Arthur Stieglitz's New York City gallery. The volume gives thoughtful consideration to the complications of their partnership, both personal and professional, with photographs of O'Keeffe (most taken by Stieglitz) providing an intimate glimpse into their lives. Central to the book are magnificent reproductions of O'Keeffe's artworks, from student sketches to commercial work to lush-hued abstracts; especially instructive are comparisons to be made between her early still lifes and later iconic representations of magnified and extravagant flora. An easy-to-follow book design (though the colored pages are a little matchy-matchy with the art) rounds out the well-executed presentation. elissa gershowitz (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Rubin, whose previous books include biographies of artists Hopper, Lichtenstein, Thiebaud, and Warhol, here looks at the life and work of Georgia O'Keeffe. Nicely illustrated with family photos, portrait photos by Stieglitz, and many reproductions of the artist's drawings and paintings, the book builds a convincing portrayal of O'Keeffe from her student days to her ultimate recognition as an important American artist. The book's design is striking. Many combinations of ink and background color (navy on plum, blue on goldenrod, white on orange, dark pink on pale pink, navy on green) are used. The effect is striking, and the text is always quite legible, though some pages are easier on the eyes than others. The many illustrations appear only on white pages, and the quality of reproduction is very fine. Back matter includes a bibliography and detailed image notes but, surprisingly, no source notes for the many quotes. A fine introduction. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.