Georgia in Hawaii: When Georgia O'Keeffe Painted What She Pleased

"Georgia in Hawaii: When Georgia O'Keeffe Painted What She

Pleased" is a biography of american painter Georgia O' Keeffe,

written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. This

biography, which would be more appropriate for intermediate readers, does not span Georgia O' Keefe's entire life, but focuses on a specific, important period. In 1939, the painter  was invited to Hawaii by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, in order to promote the delights of pineapple juice. Once there, O' Keeffe was enchanted by the diverse and colorful landscape of the island. Although she wanted to live near the pineapple fields, the company did not permit it; instead, they gave her a single pineapple to use as a model. O' Keefe, instead of painting the pineapple, started painting the green pleated mountains, the sea, and the flowers which surrounded her. Eventually, O'Keeffe painted the pineapple, but she drew from her own memories and impressions, not the company's instructions.



Apart from offering bare facts, this book  is a depiction of Georgia O' Keeffe's free spirit and her dedication to her artistic convictions. Yet, it does not glorify her actions.The book can also spark a discussion on whether O' Keefe was right in violating her agreement with the company and pursuing her artistic ideals.

 





 

The illustrations of Yuyi Morales are one of the strongest points of the work. They are acrylic, and their vivid colors and not so rigid shapes seem to be a reminder of the painter's own work. I believe that young readers would be inspired by the depiction of O'Keeffe's independent character combined with the great illustrations, to find out more about this innovative painter and her works. The book itself contains some general information on O'Keeffe's life in the end pages. It also contains a map of the Hawaiian islands and endpapers, which depict O'Keefe's favorite Hawaiian flowers.

 

 

Before reading this book, I would ask my students whether they know anything about Georgia O' Keeffe. After reading it, I would pose the following questions.

1)What does the term artistic freedom mean to you?

2)Do you think that artists also have obligations towards society?

3)Do you feel Georgia O' Keefe was justified in defying the Hawaiian Pineapple Company?

4)If you were a painter, where do you think you might draw inspiration from?Why?



 

A motivational activity, associated with this book, would

be to have my students pick their favorite flower and draw it. Another activity could be to ask them to collect information about O'Keeffe's life, and write a theater play based on this information.

 

This book is another informative and engaging read, which I would incorporate in my classroom teaching.

The author Amy Novesky is a former editor of Chronicle Books,

Other works include:

Me, Frida (2010)

Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesh (2004)

 

 

Yuyi Morales is an award-winning illustrator, who lives in northern California. Other works include:

Little Night(2007)

Ladder to the Moon (2011)

References:

 

Novesky, Amy (2012). Georgia in Hawaii: When Georgia O'Keeffe Painted What She Pleased. HMH Books for Young Readers.

Galda, C. &. (2011). Literature and the Child Seventh Edition . Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing .