Chuck Close

In this Q&A–style narrative, Close answers questions supposedly asked by children. His voice is clear and direct with not a hint of famous-artist self-aggrandizement or angst. A central section shows fourteen of his self-portraits in a variety of media on heavy card stock cut into thirds so readers can mix and match. A welcome primary source about being an artist. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Chuck Close’s art and life story are the ideal way to introduce art and artists to children. His work is easy to describe and understand because he creates only portraits, but since he does them in almost every possible medium and they have an intriguing trompe l’oeil effect, they are especially attractive to children. But the kicker is the way his life story and so-called disabilities relate directly to his style. As a child, severe dyslexia made school difficult, but art class was easy. Likewise, his prosopagnosia (face blindness) made him especially interested in what made a face recognizable. His early canvases in hyper-realistic style showed large faces in a somewhat disturbing warts-and-all close-up, created from photos divided into small squares. Later, after what he calls The Event -- a collapsed blood vessel that left him paralyzed from the chest down -- his style changed, once again working within his new set of abilities. In this Q&A-style narrative, Close himself answers questions supposedly asked by children (shown on scraps of colored paper in a child’s handwriting). His voice is clear and direct with not a hint of famous-artist self-aggrandizement or angst. Instead, he comes across as humble and content with his life. A central section answering a question about his penchant for self-portraits shows fourteen of them in a variety of media on heavy card stock cut into thirds so readers can mix and match eyes, noses, and mouths. The cut pages feel like a bit of a gimmick, though they will probably appeal to younger children. Including the same paintings as a wordless sequence of full pages might have shown the artist’s variety more clearly, but overall this is a welcome primary source about being an artist. An illustrated timeline, a glossary, a list of illustrations, and extensive resources are provided at the end of the book. lolly robinson