Drawing on Walls

The Story of Keith Haring

Enchanted Lion Books

(pub. 5.19.2020)  

64 pages

A True Tale with

A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Matthew Burgess
       and illustrator: 

           Josh Cochran
 

C haracter:  Keith Haring

O verview:

       

"'I would love to be a teacher because I love children and I think that not enough people respect children or understand how important they are. I have done many projects with children of all ages.' --Keith Haring

 

Truly devoted to the idea of public art, Haring created murals wherever he went... Often seen drawing in white chalk on the matte black paper of unused advertising space in the subway, Haring's iconic pop art and graffiti-like style transformed the New York City underground in the 1980s. 

 

A member of the LGBTQ community, Haring died tragically at the age of thirty-one from AIDS-related complications...this honest, celebratory book honors Haring's life and art, along with his very special connection with kids."

 

T antalizing taste: 

     "On a trip home for Christmas, Keith stumbled upon The Art Spirit by Robert Henri.

    After a few sentences, he felt as if the book was speaking directly to him, like a friend.

    'Do whatever you do intensely. The artist ... leaves the crowd and goes pioneering.'

    ... But no matter how busy he became or where in the world he went, he always made time for children.

    Keith understood kids and they  understood him. There was an unspoken bond between them.

    And since children often asked him to draw on their t-shirts, skateboards, and jeans, he always kept a black marker handy."

And something more:  In the Illustrator's Note, Josh Cochran writes: "My favorite way to draw is to start in the upper left-hand corner of the page and slowly work my way out. Sometimes I will draw an arm or a cheeseburger too big or too small, and this will affect how I draw the next things. I'll have to compensate by squeezing something in a tiny space or rendering a bright purple cloud to balance the composition. Drawing as stream-of-consciousness poetry is something that I absorbed in large part from Keith. The way he would approach a wall or a canvas with no hesitation is a constant source of inspiration."