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Art Is Life: The Life of Artist Keith Haring
Writer Tami Lewis Brown and illustrator Keith Negley present a joyful picture book biography of modern art icon Keith Haring, celebrating the ways his life embodied the message: art is for everyone.
Art is life...
and life is art.
Keith Haring believed that art should be enjoyed by everyone.
When Keith first moved to New York City, he rode the subway and noticed how the crowds were bored and brusque, and that the subways were decayed and dreary. He thought the people of New York needed liberating, illuminating, and radiating art. So he bought a stick of white chalk and started drawing…
Art is life...
and life is art.
Keith Haring believed that art should be enjoyed by everyone.
When Keith first moved to New York City, he rode the subway and noticed how the crowds were bored and brusque, and that the subways were decayed and dreary. He thought the people of New York needed liberating, illuminating, and radiating art. So he bought a stick of white chalk and started drawing…
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
77 people want to read
About the author
Tami Lewis Brown
7 books2 followersTami Lewis Brown is the author of the novel The Map of Me and the picture book Soar, Elinor!, illustrated by François Roca. She holds an M.F.A. in writing for children from Vermont College and lives in Washington, D.C.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 12, 2022
A wonderful example of how following your heart will lead you to where you should be - Keith Haring always followed his love of art - even when it was hard for him because of all the negativity that was thrown his way. If you have a small child who is artistic this book could help them see that their gifts are only as good as their passion to follow where that gift will take them - highest recommendation.
February 23, 2021
Introduces the life and work of artist Keith Haring. The main story does not address Haring's sexuality, the AIDS crisis, or his use of art to advocate for safe sex, but these elements are touched upon in the author and illustrator's note appending the text.
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February 23, 2021Note: This book is well done for the attended audience.
Writer Tami Lewis Brown and illustrator Keith Negley present a joyful picture book biography of modern art icon Keith Haring, celebrating the ways his life embodied the message: art is for everyone.
Art is life...
and life is art.
Keith Haring believed that art should be enjoyed by everyone.
When Keith first moved to New York City, he rode the subway and noticed how the crowds were bored and brusque, and that the subways were decayed and dreary. He thought the people of New York needed liberating, illuminating, and radiating art. So he bought a stick of white chalk and started drawing...
Tami Lewis Brown is a former lawyer and elementary school librarian. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts where she has served on the board of trustees for over ten years. Her previous picture book biography,Soar, Elinor!, was a 2011 Top Ten Amelia Bloomer Project selection and Junior Library Guild Selection. She lives with her family in Washington, DC.
Keith Negley's work has appeared on book covers, children's books, T-shirts, album covers, posters, skateboard decks, and even a watch. He is s a frequent contributor to the New York Times and the New Yorker, in addition to many other national publications. He is the author and illustrator of the picture books Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too),My Dad Used to be So Cool, and Mary Wears What She Wants. Keith resides in the mountains of Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and two boys.
Writer Tami Lewis Brown and illustrator Keith Negley present a joyful picture book biography of modern art icon Keith Haring, celebrating the ways his life embodied the message: art is for everyone.
Art is life...
and life is art.
Keith Haring believed that art should be enjoyed by everyone.
When Keith first moved to New York City, he rode the subway and noticed how the crowds were bored and brusque, and that the subways were decayed and dreary. He thought the people of New York needed liberating, illuminating, and radiating art. So he bought a stick of white chalk and started drawing...
Tami Lewis Brown is a former lawyer and elementary school librarian. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts where she has served on the board of trustees for over ten years. Her previous picture book biography,Soar, Elinor!, was a 2011 Top Ten Amelia Bloomer Project selection and Junior Library Guild Selection. She lives with her family in Washington, DC.
Keith Negley's work has appeared on book covers, children's books, T-shirts, album covers, posters, skateboard decks, and even a watch. He is s a frequent contributor to the New York Times and the New Yorker, in addition to many other national publications. He is the author and illustrator of the picture books Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too),My Dad Used to be So Cool, and Mary Wears What She Wants. Keith resides in the mountains of Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and two boys.
March 22, 2021
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
I thought this was a carefully written book for children, a great introduction in the life of a man who lived to do art.
Life is art and art is life was a mantra repeated throughout and fit well into the text.
Bright colours flooded each page, even in the darkness of a subway tunnel. YET, the gloom was clear.
Good lessons included within the text:
----share art with others.
----Get permission to do art or face the consequences.
----do your own art and style boldly.
a good sized font makes it great to read with a single child or with a group.
It would be so funt to read and then practice doing art Keith Harding style. :)
I appreciated the fuller biography at the close of the book as well as the illustrators note.
I thought this was a carefully written book for children, a great introduction in the life of a man who lived to do art.
Life is art and art is life was a mantra repeated throughout and fit well into the text.
Bright colours flooded each page, even in the darkness of a subway tunnel. YET, the gloom was clear.
Good lessons included within the text:
----share art with others.
----Get permission to do art or face the consequences.
----do your own art and style boldly.
a good sized font makes it great to read with a single child or with a group.
It would be so funt to read and then practice doing art Keith Harding style. :)
I appreciated the fuller biography at the close of the book as well as the illustrators note.
October 19, 2022
Beautiful, colorful tribute to Haring. Very well written and I liked the author's note and resources in the back for parents.
February 3, 2021
Another wonderful biography about Haring, also written for a younger audience.
A solid overview of the life of pop artist Keith Waring. Brown does an admirable job of covering the broad life of this controversial artist. The refrain "Art is Life. Life is Art" is oft-repeated in the text to good effect. Backmatter includes author's and illustrator's notes and a few resources for more information for both children and adults. There is no timeline or list of titles or places to view Haring's artwork.
Negley, who also attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, has captured the feel of Haring's art, without copying his works - with a few exceptions found within the art on the page.
Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing by his sister Kay Haring and illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Dial, c2017) has more in the way of anecdotes when Haring was younger. I found the artwork by Neubecker to be closer to Waring' artwork, with fewer random squiggles which are found on every page of Brown's book.
Recommended for grades PreS-grade 3.
A solid overview of the life of pop artist Keith Waring. Brown does an admirable job of covering the broad life of this controversial artist. The refrain "Art is Life. Life is Art" is oft-repeated in the text to good effect. Backmatter includes author's and illustrator's notes and a few resources for more information for both children and adults. There is no timeline or list of titles or places to view Haring's artwork.
Negley, who also attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, has captured the feel of Haring's art, without copying his works - with a few exceptions found within the art on the page.
Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing by his sister Kay Haring and illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Dial, c2017) has more in the way of anecdotes when Haring was younger. I found the artwork by Neubecker to be closer to Waring' artwork, with fewer random squiggles which are found on every page of Brown's book.
Recommended for grades PreS-grade 3.
February 12, 2021
Art, biography, Haring, great illustrations
March 19, 2022
As an introduction to Haring's work for young children I guess this is fine although I found the text highly repetitive without progressing the action. For that you had to turn to the clever & colorful illustrations by Keith Negley who gave you the feel of Haring's art without using actual pieces. The real bio information is in the Author's Note & is informative without being overwhelming for children
January 29, 2021
Loved the illustrations, but Keith’s sexuality was completely erased from the text. It left me feeling as though only half of his story was being told.
April 15, 2023
A joyful and age-appropriate introduction to the vibrant art of Keith Haring. Young readers will relate to the bright and bold graphic nature of his art, which probably resembles a very do-able and accessible model of neo-expressionist art that all can love, and even try for themselves with a couple of sharpie pens. The semantics behind his graphics are obviously not covered in this children’s book, but works are cited in the afterword should readers want to learn more.
June 23, 2021
Keith Haring wanting art to be for everyone is inspirational. Love the 'kid' in him.
September 27, 2021
4.5 stars.
December 24, 2021
truly my favorite children's book about haring!! my students love it as well!!
June 28, 2023
It was pleasant, uplifting, and colorful. Nothing profound.
December 30, 2024
Pretty basic overview of Harings life that relies on repeating the phrase "art is life" over and over. Glosses over some of his more important activism and also completely erases his sexuality, even in the much more detailed bio in the back. Would not recommend this as an intro to keith Haring for kids, although the art is nice.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews