03/01/2022
PreS—Fresh takes on the color concept book are few and far between, and while this work has visual triumphs, its awkward poetic structure will confound rather than captivate little readers. The text, from a 19th-century poem by Rossetti, explores nature's colors via philosophic poetic narrative. Opening with, "What is pink? A rose is pink. By a fountain's brink," this work's antiquated phrasing is too lofty to resonate with the age group new to colors. Readers will be further confused by rhyming pairs that don't flow for a modern ear: "blue" and "thro'"? "Violet" and "twilight"? What this title lacks in concept, it recoups in bold woodblock prints of flora and fauna overlaid with well-placed text. Devernay chooses unlikely color pairings and cleverly utilizes negative space. The geometry and repetition of nature come to the forefront in each vignette balancing structure and Matisse-like abstraction. VERDICT As an exploration of color, the visuals excel but the premise doesn't deliver. An additional purchase for most collections.—Sarah Simpson
