Painting is an activity that comes naturally to the girl.

Book One

Pictures

In this picture the braid is like a rope or ladder we are visually climbing. The angle of the braid and Marianthe's body both move the eye from the lower-left  to the upper-right quadrant - the focus is thus on the brush in her hand. At this point, the dialogue is between Marianthe and the easel. Having fulfilled its purpose, the paintbrush in this picture is no longer the focus of the picture. Mari is now communicating with another student. The viewer's eye follows an imaginary line that connects the eyes of the two girls, and intersects the family grouping.

Text
  • "She went straight to an easel and began to paint."
  • "Mari is an artist," said Rachel.
  • "That day, she was hurt enough to cry, but she didn't. She painted instead."

 

Notice the way Aliki uses Mari's love of art as a bridge between the two stories, the same way Mari uses her paintings as a bridge to communication.


 

Book Two

Pictures

This trio of pictures shows how Mari's talent for art was noticed and nurtured by her family. In the verso to Book One, it states that colored pencils and crayons were used to create the full color art. Notice how the third picture shows Mari resting on a box of crayons and her drawing pad. Crayons are used as a link between Mari and Aliki.

Text
  • "Later, when they noticed I was always drawing, Theo brought me paper from the city where he worked."
  • "When Papa left, it hurt. It hurt so much, I drew pictures about it."
  • "Theo was like a papa. His visits cheered us more than the magic he pulled out of his bag. 'Pencils and paper for my artist,' he said."
  • "It made time go faster, to write and draw what we were doing in the village."

 
 

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Created March 27,1999 Reviewed and Last Updated April 2, 1999