By: Laurel Gaylord,
on 7/4/2008
By: Kelly Herold,
on 2/13/2008
I dislike beginning my reviews with the word "I." So forgive me for introducing this review with one. It would be unfair if I didn't get my biases as a reviewer out in the open before discussing Maria Van Lieshout's Bloom: A Little Book About Finding Love. Here's the deal: I am not a romantic. Valentine's Day, and hearts, and flowers, and pink simply do not appeal to me. Needless to say, when Bloom: A Little Book About Finding Love found its way into my mailbox, I was reluctant to crack open the cover. All that pink! And the flowers! Fortified by a triple espresso and the fact that I'm wearing black today, I began to read...
and...
was pleasantly surprised.
The hero of Bloom, a charming young pig, does indeed fall in love. With flowers. And a flying, dancing flower, "the most beautiful thing [she's] ever seen!" Bloom wants to dance and fly and enjoy the beauty in life. But then the mean old flying flower leaves her and she's bereft. It's a sad tale of love found and love lost until we realize Bloom has the attention span of your average three year old. Another pig comes along, sees through the drama with the cheekiest expression on his/her face, and attracts Bloom away from her misery and into a field of flowers.
Visually, Bloom: A Little Book About Finding Love is a treat. Maria Van Lieshout's line drawings are expressive and funny, and the book's design (by Molly Leach) reminds me of Annette Simon's work in its play with type and layout. I especially appreciate Van Lieshout's rendering of Pig #2. This pig--the white one--could be a parent or a friend who sees through Bloom's diva moments and has the patience and love to distract her from the pathos. Bloom is ideally suited for children ages three to six, be they the drama king (or queen) or the friend who brings each dramatic moment down a notch or two.
Happy Valentine's Day!
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Don't miss these two reviews:
A Fuse #8
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
You can find a trailer for Bloom at the Bloom website.
Nice work! Love blue and yellow together! Thanks for stopping by too.
Have you seen whales?
Knowing your inspirational trend towards the positive, how about finishing your line, "When life gives you lemons, turn them into lemonade"? About working fast: that's the challenge I set each week; part of the fun. Today from Tarland! :)
Very nice. I also like yellow and blue together. My kitchen used to be that color scheme.
Vickie
Yes, I would like to have a lemon tree on an orange pot. I like, I like.
Dear, dear Laurel,
you bring tears to my eyes.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments "When I am Big" on Amazon.
And what a beautiful surprise to hear that up-beat tune with this lovely lemon tree illustration! Tremendous potential for the licensing market..
big hug,
Suana
nice greeting card, i like your lemontrees! BTW thank you so much for your beautiful comment, i conjured up that to my drawing.
lovely lemon trees....they are so fresh and bright.
Love the lemons! What wonderfully productive trees... and I adore your pink flamingoes for hoard... I was working on a pirate's treasure map but didn't finish it...
Such happy looking lemons. How about some happy lemon pie now :)
Such happy looking lemons. How about some happy lemon pie now :)
happy july 4th to you too. thanks for the e mail, will be sending the 'giggles' soon. hugs xxx
you gave some inspiration to paint again. i'll try soon again and hey. i am singing lemon tree, very pretty....
have a nice weekend.
Mmmmmmm, lemons.... :-)
I've been drinking lemonade a lot over the past month or so. I suppose I need a few trees like these. :)
I have been missing painting too; shall we get together and work on some? have you ever done plein air?
You are right! Who doesn't get a few lemons!!
But that lemonade sure is sweet! Love the song!
These are some mighty sweet little sour lemons. I hope you get a chance to create some new stuff too, but it sure is nice to see your older work. There is such a wealth of wonderful Lolo creations out there!
Have a wonderful, wonderful 4th of July weekend!
Hey Laurel- love the colors and composition and textures!!! Life-lemonade- I had same thought- though a dif. twist- and much rather look at your painting as usual- especially this post!!!
Peace to you and yours.
oh i ADORE your fruity pieces! and this terra-cotta color, with the blue, and the perky lemons...just wonderful, vallie! :)
Your colors always pop off the screen! I also would love to have lemon trees and lovely sunshine everyday! Beautiful colors!
www.indigeneartforms.blogspot.com
Aaaah, this makes me think of Italy for some reason. Not that I've ever been there. Such beautiful colors. You certainly did make something sweet out of lemons!
All's well- sorry to worry- thanks friend.
Hi Lo lo a go go! Great illo. Nice textures. Thanks for the comment on my blog. I opened up to that page with my parrot on my shoulder, and it gave her a bit of a jolt too. Tweet tweet.
I absolutely love this illustration!
old or not, it's very nice! Now i want lemonade!
Like 'Isay' says, the Trini Lopez song came to mind immediately. Very nice lemons, trees and pots!
great painting! i can just imagine it as a card!
great brushwork and colors in this, very cheery for such a sour topic.
Love this, my favourite colours.
yikes, everyone's a critic. my sleeping puppy didn't like your music, ouch, now he's awake and chewing my arm off.
oh, wonderful painting by the way. makes me miss our lemon tree which is back east with friends, it always smelled so good, thanks for the memories.