The life of visionary folk artist and labor organizer Ralph Fasanella stunningly illustrated for picture book readers.
An Oregon Book Award Finalist
Winner of the Silver Medal at the Society of Illustrators' Original Art Show
Focusing on themes of social justice, immigrant rights, labor rights, and everyday people, I'm Gonna Paint is a beautiful tribute to a singular artist.
Born in 1914 New York City to Italian immigrants, Ralph's youth was one of dress factories, union meetings, and Momma's stories of the Bread & Roses Strike around the dinner table. By teaching himself how to paint, Ralph discovered a new way to reach working people: he would depict their lives, their work, and American history with electric color at a grand scale.
Anne Broyles taps into Ralph's indomitable spirit to show his evolution as an artist, while Victoria Tentler-Krylov's energetic art leaps off the page with wonder and homages to Ralph's style. Meticulously researched with quotes from Ralph to underline his philosophy and approach to artmaking, the robust back matter includes reproductions of his paintings, historical photos, a timeline, a bibliography, a source notes, and much more.
A Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustration Winner
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year