Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life by Joan Schoettler portrays a remarkable artist, teacher, and woman. Ruth Asawa believed in making the world a better place. She understood that exposing children to art was one path toward that goal. From the Japanese-American interment camps to the creation of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, Asawa’s life journey is one filled with family, art, injustice, inner strength, education and arts activism. She drew upon her transformative life experiences and worked with unconventional mediums, using lines, space and wire to create sculptures that move people today.

Asawa became known as the “Fountain Lady” for the many public fountains she designed. One she created was the San Francisco Fountain outside the Grand Hyatt. Asawa worked with children from different parts of the city to create whimsical bas-relief panels that she incorporated into the design. Public support has kept this magnificent piece in place, a monument to a courageous and inspirational artist.

Author Joan Schoettler grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area where she became acquainted with Ruth Asawa’s wire sculptures and fountains. At Asawa’s celebration of life, a seed was planted to write Ruth Asawa’s story for children. Schoettler earned a MA in reading and language arts from Fresno Pacific University and taught in elementary schools before teaching children’s literature and storytelling at California State University, Fresno, nurturing her passion for children’s literature and her love of teaching. She has invited students of all ages into her world of children’s literature, immersing them in the nuances of writing and the art of storytelling. Joan is the author of two other picture books, A Home for George and Good Fortune in a Wrapping Cloth for which she was awarded the 2012 APALA Award for Best Picture Book. She lives in Fresno with her husband where they raised three sons.