Blood Water Paint, by Joy McCulloughRead about another entry on the list.
McCullough’s debut tells the true story of painter Artemisia Gentileschi in verse. When her mother dies suddenly, Artemisia is left with two choices: join a convent, or help her artist father by grinding pigment for paint. Artemisia chooses paint, which sets her on a path to become one of Rome’s greatest painters by the age of 17, studying under the likes of Caravaggio. But her talent comes at a terrible price, particularly in a patriarchal society where men take whatever they want from women. After she is raped, Artemisia chooses again: this time to speak out in a world where women are often forced to choose silence. Through her paintings, she confronts her own memory of the rape. This is a raw, powerful verse novel about a historical figure many haven’t heard of.
--Marshal Zeringue
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