Miss Forrest's Art Class

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way... things I had no words for."

-Georgia O'Keefe

  Artist of the Month

for 

June:

Mordicai Gerstein

Mordicai Gerstein is a very talented author and artist. He won the Caldecott Award for Illustration in 2004. He likes to create paintings and sculptures when he is not creating artworks for books. He also has designed and directed animated films. He illustrated the book below and translated the author's text from French into English. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and daughter. 

How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird

by Jacques Prevert

First paint a cage with an open door. 

Then, in the cage, paint something for the bird, 

something useful and beautiful, but simple.

Then take the picture to a garden...or a park

...or a forest.

Put the picture under a tree. Hide behind the tree.

Don't speak. Don't move.

Sometimes the bird comes quickly. But it can just as well take years before deciding.

If the bird doesn't come right away, don't be discouraged. Wait.

Wait years if necessary. 

It doesn't mean that your picture won't be good.

When the bird comes, if it comes, remain absolutely silent.

Wait till the bird enters the cage. 

Then gently close the door with your brush.

Then, erase the cage, one bar at a time, being very careful of the bird's feathers.

Now paint the portrait of the tree

with the prettiest branch for the bird.

Paint the green leaves and the summer breeze.

Paint the smell of the sunshine and the flowers, and the songs of the bees and butterflies.

Then wait for the bird to sing.

If it doesn't sing, don't be sad. You did your best.

But if it sings, it's a very good sign.

It's a sign that you can sign. 

So then, very gently, take a feather from the bird and write your name in the corner of the picture.

(Tomorrow you can paint another one.)