[Reviewed by J’Rie Elliott]

As a society we set a concrete definition for every word we use; the word art is defined as the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.  The book, Portrait Of A Girl And Her Art, by Elena Caravela took this definition the breaking point.

This breathtaking book is a combination of beautiful art and the beautiful girls who bring this art to life.  On first inspection of an art book, generally the reading of the words are surpassed by the overwhelming impulse to view the creative works held within the cover—this collection is no different.  The first eye catching piece I saw was not the actual art being displayed, but its creator; an astonishing young woman with eyes of a brilliant shade of aquamarine.  Her quote on her art was “When I finish a piece it feels like I have just given birth to a baby!”  Now this statement is probably more figurative than literal, however it does prove to make a point; to bring something from nothing, to fill space that was once empty with a thing of intrigue and beauty is art.

Every time I turned to a new page, my eyes were infiltrated with one amazing young female after another; while their art is impressive the portraits of the girls tell parts of their stories before you ever get the chance to see the expressions they created.  Seeing these faces start the story and then seeing their art fills in the blanks.

One of the endearing parts of this book is the ages of the girls within vary from very young child to young lady. One of the younger girls is a gorgeous African-American gem named Ayanna; her smile shows the imagination and creativity that is just bubbling beneath the surface.  While her art is juvenile in nature, the art she inspired is by no means juvenile.

Discovery is the title of one section of this art story– it is featuring a young woman by the name of Katherine; a striking face with emerald eyes, eye brow piecing and care-free hair.  Her art is in tune with nature and the world that surrounds her.  When discussing her art she said, “Think of things in a different way and show the importance of the seemingly insignificant.” To this writer, this line spoke volumes; we walk through this world with our eyes only half open and our minds always half closed – if we would just slow down to enjoy the amazing world around us art would become than just a word—it will be a lifestyle.

I definitely suggest that time is taken to view, read and enjoy this amazing collection of artistic works—if not for the art itself, than for the amazing depictions of its creators and the story it tells.

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J’Rie Elliott is a poetess and ongoing contributor of Synchronized Chaos. To contact her, send an email to dixiepoet@gmail.com.