The Forest Pool
Written and Illustrated by Laura Adams Armer
Bio from: http://www.everything2.com/title/Laura+Adams+Armer
Laura Adams Armer was born in 1874, in Sacramento. As a child, Laura was considered "puny" and "dreamy" and a total mama's girl. By age sixteen, Laura had shown a talent for sketching and painting, and her uncle paid her way to the San Francisco School of Art.
Laura married her former art school classmate Sidney Armer, who later achieved fame as the highest paid commercial illustrator in California, whoop. They had one son and one daughter, but the daughter died as an infant. Austin, the boy, became the nude child pictured in many of her art photographs until, at age sixteen, he finally rebelled.
Laura returned to the southwest and spent a great deal of time with the Navajo and Hopi people, teaching an art class at a government school on a reservation. She set up a tiny private studio in two tents in the Blue Canyon. She weaseled her way into lots of secret native rituals and meetings. When the Navajo objected to her photographing their sand paintings, she asked what exactly about it was sacred. Learning that the "sprinkling of pollen" was the forbidden part, she convinced the elders that perhaps it would be ok to photograph the sand paintings before the pollen was put on. She eventually photographed more than one hundred sand paintings, which had never before been done.
My impression: Not a lady I think I would want in my circle of friends. Who makes their son pose nude until the age of 16!!!! SICK SICK SICK Ms. Armer was a sleezy type of lady who worked her way into other peoples cultures to use it for her own benefit. (like I have said before, just my opion)
Book Summary
Two boys (Diego and Popo) and a parrot(Polly) try to capture an iguana. In the end they solicit Diego’s Fathers help to capture the wise iguana.
Ummmmm, not sure what to say. I was eager to get to the end. The story line did not capture my interest and at times I felt it would never end. I had great difficulty finding the message or point behind this story. Anyway the reason I am looking at this book is for it’s illustrations. So let’s talk about them.
Illustrations:
Art Medium: Paint
Sample of one of the pages, do you want to see more, check out the link at the end.
This book had bright, bold colored pages every so often. They colors were plentiful and vivid! The story was set in Forest of Mexico and the colors reflect this. Between the full color pages there were small, detailed pencil drawings. This reminded me of Seven Simeons. The small pictures on the edge were like sneak peeks into the story. They would be odd events or animals that were mentioned in the story. Over all I don’t understand the implication that the illustratiosn have on the story. They seem to me to be just slapped thru the story at times when Ms. Armer felt the need. I am not impressed with this book.
If you would like to see the book yourself I got it thru Pierce County Library who had to borrow it from Pacific Lutheran University. Just as your local librarian to help.
Final Thoughts:1. Would this be a book I would pick up again? no
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at? no
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book? no
Want more information? Here you go!
http://www.humboldtarts.org/Collection/artists/LauraAdamsArmer.html
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