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A sort of underwater shot, but illustrated, of three people in a swimming pool - two men and a woman. Type treatment of title and author in the usual skinny handwriting style of Backman's books.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

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A sort of underwater shot, but illustrated, of three people in a swimming pool - three men in standard bathing trunks. Type treatment of title and author in the usual skinny handwriting style of Backman's books.

Our next chapter starts soon when the blog moves to the newly redesigned hclibrary.org. All the same great reviews and news, plus more library information!

by Kim J.

Once I read my first Fredrik Backman book, I couldn’t stop. I devoured each of his titles in quick succession and recommended them to anyone who would listen. Each of Backman’s books is a snapshot of humanity: character-driven stories that weave together timelines and perspectives with honesty and emotional depth. While reading his novels, I laugh, I cry, and sometimes I laugh until I cry. His characters feel so real that I become genuinely invested in their lives, making it bittersweet when their stories end. One of my favorite parts of reading Backman is his gift for language. His turns of phrase are fresh, ringing true and making me marvel at the mind that created them. 

Some favorites: 

  • “A lack of self-confidence is a devastating virus. There’s no cure.” – My Friends
  • “Boats that stay in the harbor are safe, sweetheart, but that’s not what boats were built for.”   – Anxious People
  • “Having a grandmother is like having an army. This is a grandchild’s ultimate privilege: knowing that someone is on your side, always, whatever the details.” – My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry

When I heard Backman had a new book out this year, I immediately added myself to the holds list. My Friends is the newest addition to Backman’s repertoire, and it did not disappoint. One of the main characters, Luisa, is a 17-year-old who has run away from her latest foster home. She loves art, and her favorite painting is about to go up for auction. She’s determined to see it in person at least once in her life. While she’s excellent at making plans, life has a way of surprising her. Her story is interlaced with the backstory of how her favorite painting came to be. What follows is an adventure filled with creativity, love, grief, friendship, found family, inside jokes, and storytelling. I highly recommend My Friends if you like humor, heartfelt depth, and a warm, bittersweet ending. However, it does need some content warnings: the story touches on several heavy topics including domestic violence, sexual assault, physical abuse, and bullying. In the end, it’s a story that stays with you long after you turn the last page. 

While you may have to wait for My Friends (available in print, large print, e-book, e-audiobook), you can explore other equally wonderful titles by Fredrik Backman: 

Anxious People 

Beartown Trilogy: Beartown, Us Against You, The Winners 

A Man Called Ove 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry 

Britt-Marie Was Here 

Kimberly J is an Instructor and Research Specialist at the HCLS Glenwood Branch. She enjoys reading, photography, creating, crafting, and baking.

Art Contest Winners

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Congratulations to the winners of our two art contests, for library cards and bookmarks. We receive thousands of entries every year, and we always enjoy seeing the talent in our community!

The library card contest ran from April through May, followed by the bookmark contest that ran June through July. Judging happened according to a rubric that, among other criteria, rated the submissions on originality, reproducibility, and overall excellence.

All the new cards and bookmarks are available in HCLS branches now.

LIBRARY CARD WINNERS

Rainbow stripes feature a circle divided into rainbow segments and a blue Hi.
This card gives you a high five for the library's 85th - with two hands and lots of colorful balloons.
A character in a book leans out of the page to dream of 85 years, with a cute little bluebird sitting on edge of the page.
A party is ready to go with a cake with chocolate frosting and candles shaped like 8 and 5. There are banners, daisies, books, and a blue balloon with the Hi.
A bright pink card features decorative tear drop shapes, a large light green 85, and the library's owl mascot reading a book.
The striking black ink drawing shows a coffee cup, a stack of books, and an open book on a table with a big 85 centered.

BOOKMARK WINNERS

A gallery of all five winning bookmarks, an extra large frog, a cat playing with a ball of yarn, a colorful sunrise, a group of diverse people, and a disco 85 - all celebrating the Library's 85th birthday.
The cover is divided into three stripes: yellow at the top has the title, white in the middle contains the illustration of a violin, and the light blue bottom has the author's name.

Adult Battle of the Book Author Events

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The cover is divided into three stripes: yellow at the top has the title, white in the middle contains the illustration of a cello, and the light blue bottom has the author's name.

Author Works: The Dark Maestro
by Brendan Slocumb
For adults.
Register at bit.ly/Author-Slocumb
Tue            Sep 16       
5:30 – 6:30 pm  Book Signing          
6:30 – 7:30 pm  Author Event   
East Columbia 50+ Center
6610 Cradlerock Way, Columbia
(adjacent to library)

His cello made him famous. His father made him a target.

Curtis Wilson is a cello prodigy, growing up in the Southeast DC projects with a drug dealer for a father. But through determination and talent, and the loving support of his father’s girlfriend, Larissa, Curtis claws his way out of his challenging circumstances and rises to unimagined heights in the classical music world — even soloing with the New York Philharmonic.

And then, suddenly, his life disintegrates. His father, Zippy, turns state evidence, implicating his old bosses to the FBI. Now the family, Curtis included, must enter the witness protection program if they want to survive. This means Curtis must give up the very thing he loves most: sharing his extraordinary musical talents with the world. When Zippy’s bosses prove too elusive for law enforcement to convict them, Curtis, Zippy, and Larissa realize that their only chance of survival is to take on the cartel themselves. They must create new identities and draw on their unique talents, including Curtis’s musical ability, to go after the people who want them dead. But will it be enough to keep Curtis and his family alive?

A propulsive and moving story about sacrifice, loyalty, and the indomitable human spirit, The Dark Maestro is Slocumb at the height of his powers.

Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was raised in Fayetteville, NC, and holds a degree in music education (with concentrations in violin and viola) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. For more than twenty years he has been a public and private school music educator and has performed with orchestras throughout northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. He is currently based in DC.

The image behind the title, subtitle, and author is a close up of a classical oil painting showing a child asleep in a field, holding a flute.

Author Works: The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel
For adults.
Register at bit.ly/Author-Finkel
Wed  Sep 17    
7 – 8 pm     
online: register to receive a link

Stéphane Bréitwieser is the most prolific art thief of all time. He pulled off more than 200 heists, often in crowded museums in broad daylight. His girlfriend served as his accomplice, and his collection was worth an estimated $2 billion… but he never sold a piece, and instead displayed his stolen art in his attic bedroom.

He felt like a king. Until everything came to a shocking end.

The Art Thief, a spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, Michael Finkel gives us one of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of our times, a riveting story of art, theft, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.

Author and journalist Michael Finkel always knew he wanted to be a writer. He wrote and traveled widely for the National Geographic Adventure, and other publications. He is the bestselling author of The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit and True Story:
Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa. He lives with his family in northern Utah.

Bauder Adult Battle of the Books is a new Friends & Foundation of HCLS fundraiser event launching as part of the Library’s 85th birthday celebration. It’s an adults-only reading competition where teams of 3–5 people read six preselected books and compete in a trivia challenge held at local restaurants. Proceeds will support some of your favorite Friends’ sponsored initiatives, such as author events, summer reading, Project Literacy graduation, and the youth Battle of the Books.


Classic Americana tattoo style of a red heart with a banner acroos it and a black-eyed susan in the bottom left. The white banner reads: People are the heart of the library.

Summer Reading for Adults

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Classic Americana tattoo style of a red heart with a banner acroos it and a black-eyed susan in the bottom left. The white banner reads: People are the heart of the library.

This summer kicks off the third annual reading challenge for adults, while also celebrating 85 years of the library. People are the heart of our library – and we want to see you achieve your goals, explore the world, and find joy in the pages of a good book. Pick up a booklet at any branch to inspire you through a year of reading, filled with suggested titles and prompts for reflection.

While there are 14 reading challenges listed, you need to complete only three of them to participate in summer reading. Once you have read three books (print, e-book, and audio all count), come back to the Library to receive a prize and be entered into a grand prize drawing.

Here’s a sneak peek – and a Chapter Chats review or two:

Read a book published in or before 1940
Celebrate our birthday with us by reading a book that would have been on the shelves when we first opened our doors. Suggestions include:
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Native Son by Richard Wright

Revisit Your Library Memories
What is the first book you remember checking out of the library? Or, what book have you borrowed from the library that impacted you the most? We invite you to read it again! Suggestions include:
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Language of Art
In addition to books, libraries are places for artists and the arts. At HCLS, you can borrow artworks by and books about famous artists from around the world and from local artists. Suggestions include:
All the Beauty in the Word: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley: read review
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi: read review
The Work of Art: How Something Comes From Nothing by Adam Moss

85 Years of Connection: Bridging Generations Through the Library
Explore stories of multi-generational relationships, families, and communities. Suggestions include:
Real Americans by Rachel Khong: read review
A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle Porter
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

These are a taste of what a year of reading could have in store for you. Visit our branches often to check displays for more titles or to ask a staff member for a recommendation.

Six different library card images against a pale blue background. Script says: We need your creativity!

Library Card Design Contest

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Six different library card images against a pale blue background. Script says: We need your creativity!

THEME: CELEBRATING 85 YEARS!  
Deadline: May 31, 2025  

We need your creativity! Help HCLS celebrate 85 years by designing a library card. Winners will be available in September, for National Library Card Sign-up Month.

Entries judged on originality, design, theme expression, and reproducibility.

  • All entries must be clear and reproducible.
  • Consider what medium works best for you. Sparkle crayons, gel pens, and neon colors do not reproduce well.
  • Do not use trademarked or copyrighted images from TV shows, movies, or books or include computer or AI generated art.
  • If you include words, check for correct spelling and legibility. Keep text away from edge. In fact, keep all important design details away from the edges.
  • Dear adults: Please don’t “help” the young artists in your life with anything other than completing their information legibly on the entry form.

Return your design to any Howard County Library System (HCLS) branch by Saturday, May 31, 2025. One entry per person. Forms available at HCLS branches and at hclibrary.org.

One winner for each category (six total) will be chosen.  

Kindergarten & Grade 1  

Grades 2 & 3  

Grades 4 & 5  

Grades 6 – 8  

Grades 9 – 12  

Adults (18+ years) 

The photograph depicts a Ukranian jug with a stopper, decorated in flowers and vines in shades of white, brown, green, and blue.

Ukrainian Pottery

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The photograph depicts a Ukranian pottery plate on a white plate stand. The plate depicts plants growing from the earth, with blossoms and seeds, and two birds perched on the flowers of the plant.

By Nancy T.

Preserving Culture Through Clay: Tradition, Resilience, and Artistry

Through the month of May, HCLS Miller Branch presents a beautifully curated exhibit that blends tradition, resilience, and artistry: Finding Identity and Honoring Tradition Through Ukrainian Pottery. The display highlights the intersection of heritage and contemporary creation, featuring works by Maryland-based studio potter Natalia Kormeluk, alongside pieces by resident artists from the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery in Opishne, Ukraine.

The photograph depicts an assortment of Ukranian bowls, pitchers, candlesticks and other pottery on a round white tabletop.

Opishne, a town in central Ukraine, is widely regarded as the heart of Ukrainian ceramics. Since its founding in 1986, the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery has built one of the world’s largest collections of traditional Ukrainian pottery and hosts the most extensive open-air modern clay sculpture installations anywhere on the globe. Despite the devastation brought by Russia’s 2022 invasion, the museum has remained steadfast in its mission—reopening to the public in 2023 and continuing to host artist residencies, international symposiums, and scholarly research opportunities.

The Maryland-based ceramic artist Natalia Kormeluk.

Among those who returned to support the museum’s work is Natalia Kormeluk, an experienced studio potter and educator. Natalia is the Coordinator of the Graduate Ceramics Program at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, and also teaches at the Columbia Art Center. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is part of both private and institutional collections, including the University of Pittsburgh and the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery.

Artist Talk: Finding Identity and Honoring Tradition Through Ukrainian Pottery

«Пізнання ідентичності і вшанування традицій через українське гончарство»

The photograph depicts a Ukranian jug with a stopper, decorated in flowers and vines in shades of white, brown, green, and blue.

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Time: 2 – 3:30 PM
Location: HCLS Miller Branch
Free | Registration encouraged
Register here.

Join Maryland ceramic artist Natalia Kormeluk as she shares her experiences living and working at the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery during wartime. Through stories, images, and firsthand accounts, Natalia offers insight into how artists continue to live, create, and teach amid conflict. She highlights the museum’s unwavering commitment to cultural continuity and explore how ceramics serve as a vessel for identity, connection, and hope.

The photograph depicts a display case at the Miller Branch of Howard County Library System with Ukranian pottery, including animal figurines, a plate, a teapot, and several pitchers, most of them in shades of brown and gold with colorful highlights in blue or red.

This exhibit and accompanying talk offer a rare and deeply human glimpse into the world of Ukrainian pottery—an art form rooted in history and shaped by resilience. It stands as a testament to cultural survival, creative defiance, and the enduring power of art to connect, heal, and carry traditions forward.

Includes Q&A. In partnership with the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee.

Nancy T. is an instructor and research specialist and the display coordinator at Miller Branch. When she’s not in the branch, you’ll find her in the swimming pool, sitting with her cat, or out walking in the fresh air.

The picture depicts a group of children on stage in front of an audience. Two are in wheelchairs and one uses a crutch; they are all holding hands and surrounding a microphone, with the words "Every Voice Matters!" in a thought bubble above their heads. The viewer is seeing them from the perspective of the audience; we can also see the backs of the heads of a row of audience members.

Together We’re Better: Every Voice Matters

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The illustration depicts two young people with their arms extended to make a circle; this circle is a picture window into an outdoor scene that encompasses several children holding hands and a school building, with green grass and white clouds against a blue sky. The children are of a variety of genders and ethnicities and several of them have physical disabilities (crutches, a wheelchair).
The black and white illustration depicts a student using a wheelchair on a skateboard ramp, with the words "Every Voice Matters" on a billboard on the sidelines, and a large audience behind the barrier on the sidelines. A boom box is in the foreground and the words "Be Loud!" are in the sky above the young person's head.
The picture depicts a group of children on stage in front of an audience. Two are in wheelchairs and one uses a crutch; they are all holding hands and surrounding a microphone, with the words "Every Voice Matters!" in a thought bubble above their heads. The viewer is seeing them from the perspective of the audience; we can also see the backs of the heads of a row of audience members.

By Nancy T.

On view through April 30, 2025

Howard County Library System is thrilled to showcase a selection of student artwork at HCLS Miller Branch as part of the “Every Voice Matters” traveling exhibit—the first stop on a statewide tour running through August.

This powerful display celebrates inclusion, creativity, and the unique voices of students from across Maryland. This year’s theme, “Every Voice Matters,” echoes the fundamental belief that every individual has a unique perspective and contributes meaningfully to their school communities. More than 125 students from across the state submitted entries. Artwork was selected for recognition based on inclusive messaging, use of medium, and alignment with the contest theme. Special congratulations to this year’s first place winners in the elementary and high school categories—both from Howard County: Ananya K (Veterans Elementary School) and Annabel M (Glenelg High School).

The photograph depicts a selection of the student artwork from the "Every Voice Matters" student exhibit in the Miller Branch display cases.

The “Together We’re Better” program has been promoting meaningful inclusion in Maryland schools for more than 20 years. In addition to the diversity celebration toolkit and school assemblies, the Artwork and Drawing Contests allow elementary, middle, and high school students in Maryland to show their creative sides through artwork promoting acceptance and appreciation of the diverse abilities and talents of all classmates. The pen and ink drawings created by high school students are being transformed into pages of a Children’s Coloring Book, to be published later this spring and made available at public venues, including libraries.

The artwork on display at HCLS Miller Branch represents a sampling of this year’s entries, as part of the 2024-2025 “Together We’re Better” Inclusive Education Campaign Artwork and Drawing Contests, a long-running annual program from The Arc Maryland in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education, the Maryland Department of Disabilities, and the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council.

The photograph depicts a selection of the student artwork from the "Every Voice Matters" student exhibit in the Miller Branch display cases.

In Partnership with The Arc of Howard County

The Arc Maryland is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the rights and quality of life of persons with I/DD and their families. They do this through public policy, advocacy, public awareness, and training and membership support. The Arc Maryland is a membership-based organization of 8,000 members. Their local network of chapters provides a wide range of human services and other supports to people with I/DD and their family members, including individual and public policy advocacy, residential, educational, and vocational services, employment, family supports and early intervention that promote people with I/DD to participate and be included in their communities.

We invite you to visit the display at HCLS Miller Branch to experience these extraordinary student artworks and reflect on how we can all help build inclusive communities—where every voice truly matters. HCLS is grateful to Natalie (Dohner) Brooks, Director of Education Initiatives and Partnerships at The Arc Maryland, for organizing and installing this insightful exhibit celebrating inclusion, creativity, and the unique voices of students from across Maryland.

To learn more about the “Together We’re Better” inclusive education campaign , visit The Arc Maryland’s website: https://thearcmd.org/programs/twb/.

Nancy T. is an instructor and research specialist and the display coordinator at Miller Branch. When she’s not in the branch, you’ll find her in the swimming pool, sitting with her cat, or out walking in the fresh air.

A colorful illustrated cover shows many children framed by sprays of flowers, with the title above them.

Reading List for Trans Visibility

ashbakerhcls
A colorful illustrated cover shows many children framed by sprays of flowers, with the title above them.

By Ash B.

Since 2009, March 31 has been recognized internationally as Transgender Day of Visibility. Created by trans community member Rachel Crandall-Crocker, the day is meant to spark hope and spread awareness of trans lives, especially through trans joy. 

General awareness of trans-ness has increased in the past 15 years; however, visibility does not always mean progress. Over the past three years, Americans (across all political parties) have grown less supportive of policies that support trans people (ex. protection against job and housing discrimination) and more supportive of policies that cause harm and restrict trans rights, particularly relating to athletics, restrooms, and healthcare (Pew Research).

The majority of Americans, particularly those aged 50+, report they do not personally know a transgender person. Perhaps that’s why the trans community has become such an easy target for disinformation and scapegoating. If a sizeable majority of the population personally knew trans and nonbinary people – truly knew us, as peers and coworkers and friends, as humans trying to live our lives as best we can – then perhaps we would be guaranteed more safety and bodily autonomy.

In the spirit of trans joy, all are invited to celebrate the trans community at the following events: 

This Friday (Mar 28), join HCLS for a free Trans Day of Visibility celebration hosted by the Howard County LGBTQIA+ Commission, in partnership with the Office of Human Rights and Equity. The event takes place at the Elkridge 50+ Center from 4 – 7:30 pm with read-alouds, arts and crafts, games, and a dance party. More info here. 

On Monday, March 31, 10 am – 12 pm & 3 – 5 pm, join us at Central Branch to make buttons, zines, collages, and vision boards. From 4 – 5 pm, a representative from Community Allies of Rainbow Youth (CARY) shares resources and answers questions.

Below is a robust roundup of titles from our collection, most of them authored by trans people. Regardless of your gender identity and personal background, there’s something here for everyone; I hope you check one out and learn something new! 

Trans 101 Information

Anthologies to Better Understand Transgender Experiences

Trans History

If You’re a Parent (whether or not you currently have a trans child) 

Inclusive Picture Books

Middle Grade Fiction

Young adult novels & graphic novels

Adult Fiction

Need more book recommendations? Feel free to contact us, and if we don’t own a title you’re looking for, you can Suggest an Addition to the Collection.

For more resources and organizations to connect with, here are the resource lists from Community Allies of Rainbow Youth and PFLAG Howard County.

Ash is an Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch with a passion for information literacy and community engagement. They love music, gardening, hiking, and cuddling with their golden retriever.

A woman in green sits reading a book with a a green toned street-scape behind her. Otherwise, the cover is orange with Harlem Rhapsody in deep red.

Victoria Christopher Murray & Harlem Rhapsody

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A woman in green sits reading a book with a a green toned street-scape behind her. Otherwise, the cover is orange with Harlem Rhapsody in deep red.

For adults.
Tue, Feb 18 | 7 – 8 pm
HCLS Elkridge Branch
Register at bit.ly/Author_Murray
Victoria Christopher Murray discusses her historical fiction novel Harlem Rhapsody, which transports readers into glittering 1920’s Harlem. Readers follow Jessie Redmon Fauset, the heartbeat of its literary revolution, as she discovers and nurtures icons like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Nella Larsen, and Zora Neale Hurston.

In the 1920s, Harlem flourished as a place of Black pride. As the novel follows Fauset’s career, the reader is privy to both the brilliant creativity happening at this time while simultaneously understanding the experience of a Black woman who had to combat incredible sexism and racism to succeed.
With almost three million books in print, NAACP Image Award-winning author Victoria Christopher Murray is one of the country’s top Black contemporary writers. As the co-author with Marie Benedict of the breakout hits and New York Times bestsellers The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies, she traced the lives of Belle de Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, and the Black civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune.

MORE ABOUT THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE
by Emily B.
Every February we celebrate Black History Month, but did you know that January is International Creativity Month? This intersection of Black history and creativity makes this time of year perfect to celebrate Black artists. One of the most important Black artists of the 20th century is Jacob Lawrence, best known for chronicling contemporary and historical African American life in the United States.
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1917, Lawrence was a self-proclaimed, “child of the great migration.” His parents were two of six million Black Americans who fled the racist, Jim Crow south in search of freedom and opportunities in Northern cities.

Lawrence’s family relocated to Harlem when he was 13. Though young, he was able to experience firsthand the Harlem Renaissance, a period of great cultural revival for African Americans that lasted from the 1910s through the mid-1930s. Lawrence described his art style as “dynamic cubism.” His work stood out from more traditional cubist works through his use of angular forms and bold colors, which represented the strong and resilient spirit of the African American community. His use of vibrant colors continued in his later works, like 1977’s The Swearing In.*

His most notable work, The Migration Series, encompasses sixty panel paintings depicting The Great Migration. Influenced by his parents’ plight and the art scene in Harlem, Lawrence began the ambitious
project at only 23 years old. He worked simultaneously on each panel to ensure the colors and style remained harmonious throughout the entire project. Thanks to funding from the Works Project Administration, a New Deal government agency, Lawrence was able to fully realize his artistic vision.
Soon after completing the Migration Series panels, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and The Phillips Gallery in Washington, DC purchased the panels, making Lawrence the first Black artist to have his work purchased by MoMA. Today, the two museums continue their shared custody of The Migration Series.

To view each panel from The Migration Series and learn more about Jacob Lawrence’s life and his works, visit: lawrencemigration.phillipscollection.org or borrow Jacob Lawrence: The Migration Series by Leah Dickerman. Young readers may enjoy Jake Makes a World: Jacob Lawrence, a Young Artist in Harlem by Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts.

*A framed art print of The Swearing In is available to borrow from the Art Education Collection at Central and Glenwood Branches.

National Gallery of Art: Black Art & Artists in the Collection
For adults.
Wed, Feb 12 | 3 – 4 pm
Online
Find more information at bit.ly/NGA-BlackArt
Witness the enduring mark Black artists have made on American art — from 19th century painters Joshua Johnson and Robert Seldon Duncanson to modern and contemporary artists Faith Ringgold, Alma Thomas, and more. Presented by The National Gallery of Art. This class is a part of the Museum@TheLibrary series.

Girl from Tehuacan, Lucha Maria by Frida Kahlo, shows a woman sitting on a rock wrapped in a patterned shawl with the moon and the sun above her.

Exploring Hispanic Artists and Their Work

Rohini G. Leave a comment
Girl from Tehuacan, Lucha Maria by Frida Kahlo, shows a woman sitting on a rock wrapped in a patterned shawl with the moon and the sun above her.

by Rohini G.

Let’s explore the riveting stories and enduring legacy of some Hispanic artists, many of which are available to borrow from the Art Education Collection.

Pablo Picasso, one of the most iconic artists and innovators of the 20th century, is responsible for co-founding the entire Cubist movement. The 1936 Spanish Civil War profoundly affected Picasso, the expression of which culminated in his painting Guernica after German bombers carried out a devastating aerial attack on the Basque town of Guernica.

Next, we look at the powerful and captivating Frida Kahlo. She is celebrated in Mexico for her attention to Mexican and indigenous culture and by feminists for her depiction of the female experience and form. Born in 1907, Kahlo experienced several tragic events: polio at age 6, and an accident at age 18.
Her famous painting, Girl From Tehuacán, Lucha Maria, depicts an innocent pretty girl who seems to get lost in the desert. The background of this portrait is divided into night and day. This is a common background Frida liked to use in some of her other paintings.

In 1929, she married artist and activist Diego Rivera, a relationship that would prove tumultuous.
Diego Rivera is most famous for his murals, which pay tribute to Mayan and Aztec imagery. The calla lily was celebrated by Rivera many times (one example is the 1943 oil on canvas Calla Lily Vendor). He often included calla lilies in frescoes that depicted peasants with indigenous features carrying bundles or offerings of them.

Joan Miró Ferra, painter, sculptor and ceramist, was born in 1893 in Barcelona. The son of a goldsmith, Miró grew up in a commerce-oriented family. When he was fourteen, his parents sent him to business school. Miró simultaneously enrolled himself at the local art academy. It was only after Miró became seriously ill that his father allowed him to resume his art studies. Between 1907 and 1918 he experimented with various styles and used the landscapes of the Catalan villages as inspiration for his work. His Passage of the Divine Bird is the final painting in a larger Constellations series and seems to communicate a sense of harmony and balance.

Hispanic artists have left an indelible mark on the art world. Today, their contributions stand as a testament to the richness and complexity of Hispanic culture, ensuring that their artistic voices continue to echo across generations.

Rohini is the Adult Curriculum Specialist with HCLS. She loves literature and rainy days.