"Mr. Armagan is an important figure in the history of picture-making, and in the history of knowledge. His work is remarkable. I was struck by the drawings he has made as much as by his work with paint. He has demonstrated for the first time that a blind person can develop on his or her own pictorial skills the equal of most depiction by the sighted. This has not happened before in the history of picture-making." —John M. Kennedy, Professor, Perception/Cognition Psychology, University of Toronto at Scarborough
" . . . a valuable addition to any elementary school curriculum. The author is to be commended for sharing the story of this largely unknown painter in this well-written, entertaining, and inspiring book." —Stephanie Kieszak-Holloway, President of the Georgia Organization of Parents of Blind Children (GOPBC), Board Member of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC)
". . . a story of talent, perseverance, and refusal to accept limitations. Esref's triumph will inspire young readers to stretch toward goals they may not have believed were within their reach. This is a thoroughly researched manuscript is a story of talent, perseverance, and refusal to accept limitations. Esref's triumph will inspire young readers to stretch toward goals they may not have believed were within their reach. This is a thoroughly researched manuscript that introduces young readers to a remarkable artist they will long remember." —Deborah Stein Kent, National Federation of the Blind
"I feel connected to Esref through Ms. Burk’s book. May Painting in the Dark break down our misconceptions and encourage us all to find our internal vision, to follow our heart’s desires, and never pre-judge our neighbor’s abilities." —Barbara Oswald, blind artist, photographer, gallery owner, Program Coordinator for the Disability Resource Center at Bellevue College in Seattle.
"Fills a niche that is much needed – biographies of people with disabilities which are both educational and enjoyable, and which do not focus on the disability itself. . . . The book is uplifting and inspiring. . . . Its educational and scientific details give it depth." —Laura Weber Secretary, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children President, Texas Parents of Blind Children
" An inspiring story about an inspiring individual . . ." —Dr. Penny Hartin, Chief Executive Officer, World Blind Union
"An illuminating portrait of a self-taught Turkish artist who, despite being blind from birth, has become an internationally known painter. Adding a light wash of biographical detail to her account, Burk traces Esref Armagan's long efforts to develop his skills, to earn recognition and a living, and to fend off skeptics claiming that he must be cheating, somehow . . . . the author's particular focus on the artist's development—his discoveries of shadows and of perspective, for instance—and specific techniques for preparing canvases with modeling clay or glued-down string offer real insight into how obstacles raised by physical disabilities can be overcome with motivation and ingenuity . . . . informative as well as inspiring." —Kirkus Reviews
08/01/2016
Gr 2–5—Blind since birth, Esref Armagan is a well-known painter of landscapes and portraits. With the support of his father, Armagan mastered many techniques to assist his painting process, including carving into cardboard to reproduce shapes he felt with his hands, placing his colored pencils in a specific order, using stencils, and making relief paintings with raised surfaces so he could paint by touch. The narrative begins with Armagan's childhood and discusses the challenges he faced pursuing a career in art as a blind man. Letters of encouragement from other blind people, television fame, and the support of doctors kept him working. Gadotti portrays elements of Armagan's story alongside a peppering of reproductions of the artist's paintings. The color palette of Gadotti's illustrations mirrors Armagan's own work. VERDICT A thoughtful biography that celebrates diversity and perseverance. Recommended to expand and deepen elementary school art collections.—Jessica Cline, New York Public Library
2016-05-18
An illuminating portrait of a self-taught Turkish artist who, despite being blind from birth, has become an internationally known painter.Adding a light wash of biographical detail to her account, Burk traces Esref Armagan's long efforts to develop his skills, to earn recognition and a living, and to fend off skeptics claiming that he must be cheating, somehow. Though the prose is occasionally trite ("I will learn to use color so that people can relate to my art, Esref decided when he was fifteen"), the author's particular focus on the artist's development—his discoveries of shadows and of perspective, for instance—and specific techniques for preparing canvases with modeling clay or glued-down string offers real insight into how obstacles raised by physical disabilities can be overcome with motivation and ingenuity. Gadotti inserts small but representative reproductions of Armagan's accomplished landscapes, still lifes, and sketches into staid views of the artist at work from childhood onward. The relatively lengthy text is set in a blocky, sans serif typeface that is occasionally difficult to read against the backgrounds, due to poor contrast or conflicting underlying details.Despite bumps, informative as well as inspiring. (afterword) (Picture book/biography. 7-10)
