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Vasily (Vasya) Kandinsky, a famous Russian abstract painter, “painted the sound of the colors” ever since he was given his first set of paints. Because he had synesthesia, the color navy sounded like the lowest cello strings. Violet made a tinkling noise, and green burbled. When he painted, he heard music. His paintings reflected this; the patterns included circles and swirls and splotches.
His family was not impressed; especially his aunt who thought he needed proper art lessons. As he grew older, he put aside his paintings and studied law. He thought about the colors often, but it wasn’t until he attended an opera that he was inspired to pick up his paint brush again. After he quit his job, he studied art and became a well-known artist, but only after he stopped listening to his critics and painted what made him happy.
A two-page author note at the end of the book (which includes color photographs of the artist’s paintings) gives additional biographical details of Kandinsky’s (1866-1944) life. Back material contains a bibliography, websites, and a quote from the artist. GrandPré’s (Harry Potter series illustrator) acrylic paint and paper collage illustrations are detailed and realistic in style. Vasily looks unhappy at home as a youngster with his family, but when he’s painting, he’s happy and surrounded by an array of dancing colors. Knowing Vasily heard sounds as he painted makes his work all the more interesting to study.
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The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art