Perske: Pencil Portraits 1971-1990

by Robert Perske, Robert Perske (Introduction)

This hardcover book features pencil drawings by renowned artist Martha Perske. Martha's pencil drawings of persons with disabilities have appeared in books, on postage stamps, in magazines, and in reports commissioned by the United States government and the Queen of England. Her illustrations stand out because she presents a rare, refreshing view of both a person's disability and beauty.

119 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains some of the most detailed artwork you will ever see, and all of it done with pencil only. Most of the subjects are people with various forms of disabilities and there are times when you must look closely to realize that the image is a drawing and not a black-and-white photo.
Two of the most memorable images are on pages 102 and 103. The image on page 102 is of two young people and both are smiling. The teeth of the person on the right are so detailed that you can discern the uneven length and different structures of them. On page 103 you can see the realistic folds, ruffles and wrinkles of the clothing of the three girls along with the sheen of their hair.
The people are depicted doing simple and ordinary tasks, most of the time in a normal manner. Sometimes they require either mechanical or human assistance.