Love Is Hard Work: The Art and Heart of Corita Kent

The story of how a Catholic nun became one of the twentieth century's most significant artists and activists is brought to life in a colorful picture book biography.

"To be fully alive is to work for the common good." --Corita Kent

Frances Kent always loved making things. When she joined the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, she took the name Corita--meaning little heart--and devoted her life to what mattered most to her: art and religion. As an art teacher, Sister Corita emphasized practice and process over the final product and taught her students to experiment and break the rules. As a religious person, she turned her faith into concrete action and spoke out about the injustices she saw in the world. In the height of post-war consumerist culture, Corita, a contemporary of Andy Warhol, turned advertising on its head and wrote a new kind of scripture. Complimented by Victoria Tentler-Krylov's vibrant illustrations that--like Corita's work--incorporate typography and ads, author Dan Paley paints a portrait of the little-known but immensely influential pop-art nun whose messages are just as relevant today as they were in years past.

Author: Dan Paley
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 11/05/2024
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
ISBN: 9781536220322
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 09/02/2024

About the Author
Dan Paley is the author of They Hold the Line: Wildfires, Wildlands, and the Firefighters Who Brave Them, illustrated by Molly Mendoza; Luigi and the Barefoot Races, illustrated by Aaron Boyd; and Rubio and Julienne, illustrated by Lauren Gallegos. He is also a copywriter and has written for the Wall Street Journal, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He says he wanted to share Corita Kent's story after learning how "her work had a profound influence on the visual identity of the 1960s and influenced the fields of graphic design, advertising, and pop art, and yet she remains largely unknown even in those fields." Dan Paley lives in Southern California.

Victoria Tentler-Krylov is a trained architect turned children's book author and illustrator, as well as an editorial illustrator. She grew up in Russia and studied architecture and urban design in New York City. She has illustrated several children's books, including Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie's Place, the Nation's First Shelter for Women by Christine McDonnell and I'm Gonna Paint! Ralph Fasanella, Artist of the People by Anne Broyles. Her author-illustrator projects include Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid and The High Line: A Park to Look Up To. She has created three covers for the New Yorker. Victoria Tentler-Krylov lives just outside New York City with her family.