Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony: La Grande Vallee Suite

Summary

Celebrate the creative process of pioneering American abstract painter Joan Mitchell in this beautifullyillustrated STEAM picture book, perfect for all kinds of young creators.It’s 1983, and American artist JoanMitchell is in her studio outside Paris, transforming her emotions and memories into a symphony of colorsand shapes. Inspired by her friend’s description of an idyllic hidden valley in France, Mitchell creates 21massive paintings—her Grande Vallée series —bursting with vibrant, energizing hues. But she doesn’t paintthe valley’s flowers and meadows. She paints a feeling about them—abundance, freedom, liveliness—creatinga harmonious blend of drips, splashes, and brushstrokes in rainbow colors. When the paint dries, it's timeto share her valley with the world.This inspiring, poetic picture book about an influential yet lesser-knownAmerican artist provides a snapshot of a creator who deserves as much acclaim as better-known AbstractExpressionists like Jackson Pollock or Willem de Kooning. Author Lisa Rogers shares both the despair anddelight Mitchell experienced throughout her career, while acclaimed illustrator Stacy Innerst’s bright artworkcaptures the movement and energy of Mitchell’s work, as her paintings develop from page to page.