Editorial Review

Whether measured in minutes or eons, time is a good friend of British artist Andy Goldsworthy's. He spends long, solitary days outdoors in all kinds of weather, doing things like piecing together many, many yellow leaves to create a brilliant band of color at a river's edge in upstate New York or stacking small pieces of ice on the Nova Scotia coast to build a sculpture in the compact shape of an ancient stone monument. Threatened by a strong gust of wind, the incoming tide, or a sudden rise in temperature, these are fugitive works comfortably in synch with the natural rhythms of growth and decay.Read more

Reviews (6)

Nature inspiration
Andy Goldsworthy's work inspires me to look at nature in a very deep way.
What a work of creative and artistic genius!
What a work of creative and artistic genius! Another superb look at Andy Goldsworthy's ephemeral art
Andy Goldsworthy's artwork is utterly ephemeral and fleeting, and perhaps because of this, utterly transfixing.There is something of the ancients in the way Goldsworthy puts together stone, or wood, or leaves--or even in the way he lays himself down on a dry patch of ground in the rain so that when he gets up, we see a sort of reverse shadow of his body.There is an astonishing intellect at work here, and a soul which sees the value in what some art snobs might term "mere beauty."Read more

Subjects:  1. 1956-    2. Art    3. Catalogs    4. Conceptual    5. Contemporary Art    6. Diaries    7. Goldsworthy, Andy,    8. Individual Photographer    9. Outdoor sculpture    10. Photoessays & Documentaries    11. Photography    12. Sculpture    13. Art / General    14. Art styles: c 1960 -    15. Goldsworthy, Andy    16. Individual artists   

Reviews (3)

Amazing book
Anselm's artwork is amazing. This book tells all about the artist, his artwork, and the storys behind them. It has amazing photos and details.

Truly Heaven
This is a fantastic book. Anselm Keifer is one of my favorite artists of today. His work is so powerful that it is difficult to imagine it translated into a printed form, but this book does a great job of an almost impossible task. Keifer's work must be seen in person to be fully felt, but short of that, this book still manages to impress.

restrospective of this notable artist's career and art
The German artist Kiefer's first project titled "The Heavens" ("Die Himmel") sounded the note for the major theme of his work through the following decades. This first was a book-like project with several leaves completed in 1969. Coming after this were sculpture-like, installation-like works (before this form was widely practiced) using the earthy materials of lead, brick, metal, wood, cloth, and often cast-off materials, as used in "found" art, though with not nearly the effect. Born in 1945, Kiefer could never free himself from the oppressiveness of the German psychoses and atrocities of the Nazi years, especially being a Jew. "[Kiefer] does not assume the existence of a paradise, only the ancient need to imagine one." One sees in the artist's dense, bewitching works usually made of assorted materials this primitive longing for paradise impacted by the carnage and horrors of 20th century's crazed politics and warfare on a huge scale. The touches of brightness in many of Kiefer's works are sometimes overwhelmed by bricks and other materials the color of cinders, ashes, an unmistakable reference to the Holocaust and the "scorched earth" warfare waged by the German war machine. It is the natural materials of the art works such as leaves, ground, and cotton spun into clothing, not religious visions of Heaven, which offer any hope of transformative redemption and immortality there may be. As noted in the "Introduction," Kiefer regarded the earth as a "kind of alchemical fragment" still being forged. "In Kiefer's cosmology, the universe is an immense athanor, or alchemical oven, where spirit and matter are in continued process of creation and destruction." The book succeeds estimably as a retrospective on the span of Kiefer's career. Varying perspectives from distant to close-up on the art works enable one to grasp the complex historical, cultural, and mythical thoughts reflected in the composite, multilayered works and also the undying struggle between hope and memory embodied in them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Cosmology in art    4. Exhibitions    5. General    6. Individual Artist    7. Religion In Art    8. Subjects & Themes - Religious    9. Techniques - General    10. Techniques - Painting    11. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    12. Individual artists    13. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Individual Artist    4. Individual Painters - 19th Century    5. Individual Painters - 20th Century    6. Art / Individual Artist    7. Impressionism    8. Individual artists    9. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (1)

Puff from the Dragon
The usual puff by Smith for one of her coterie, as though she were the only one that could see and write. Gawd but she is pretentious. At least in book-form Smith is not scathing, destroying some artist that did not bow and scrape to her most powerful stature. How many Bartlett works do you figure her family and friends own? Great reproductions of a much over-rated work, though it is a very fine serial effort. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1941-    2. 20th century    3. Bartlett, Jennifer,    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Enamel Arts And Crafts    6. Enamel and enameling    7. History    8. Music    9. Pottery & Ceramics    10. Rhapsody    11. United States    12. Bartlett, Jennifer   

Reviews (60)

Faeries Forever
If I could give this book 10 stars I would! Brian Frouds'"Faeries" is the most amazing book I have ever read. I found this book when I was young and fell in love with faeries instantly. The illustrations are astonishing for a lack of better word. Alan Lee and Brian Froud not only draw the most realistic and imaginitive faeries, but the stories included in the pagess really makes you believe that faeries are real. Brian Froud is the original faerie author and has influenced an whole new genre with his artwork.

Fair Faeries
This was a gift for a dear friend who is quite Faery-like herself.I've given several of Mr. Froud's faery books to people, and they are inevitably very pleased.Mr. Froud is a sensitive artist and captures the "Shining Folk" or "Lords and Ladies" very impressively, almost as though he were in touch with the Elemental Kingdoms himself, consciously or unconciously.These are splendid gifts for the imaginative, whether child or adult, and I recommend them very highly.

A World In A Book
Faeries is the absolute greatest art book when it comes to fantasy, and that is because of the content, and the artists involved, as well as the quality in which it was printed and published in this, the 25th Anniversary Edition.
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Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fairies    4. Folklore & Mythology - Folklore    5. Individual Artist    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Legends, Myths, & Fables - General    8. Subjects & Themes - General    9. Fiction / Fantasy / General    10. Monsters & legendary beings    11. Myths & mythology   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. European    5. Exhibitions    6. Fashion    7. Fashion design    8. France    9. General    10. History    11. Individual Artist    12. Spain    13. Art / General    14. Needlework & fabric crafts   

Reviews (5)

excellent on picasso's early years
of course some elements are lost forever, but it's worth contemplating these early years of picasso and to realize how much he had accomplished by say, 1905. my own image of him has tended to dwell on him as an old man doing a certain style of work...but he was (to put it crudely) young a long time.

Brings to life the great artist's first 25 years
I respond as a general reader and can attest that reading this work was very much like engaging in a talk with an erudite and witty and sympathic art loving friend.I say engaging as Mr Richardsom anticipates questions and provides explanations. He is also revealing, at least to my mind, about many of the important figures of the early 20th century, such as Gertrude Stein, but as well, the social and artistic revolutions that were occuring. Picasso himself, however, is determinedly apolitical.The illustrations are useful, plentiful and conveniently located adjacent to the text. Chapters may stand on their own - for example Chapter 28 "Summer at Gosol" has many interesting features that show the artist's creative energy and source of inspiration at the time, the relationship with Ferdinande contrasted with his admiration for a ninety year old patriarch of the tiny mountain village, there perilous journey by mule in and out of Gosol, the atmosphere and the creative joy that Picasso experiences, not to mention the breakthough in his work that occurs at this time. The paperback is sturdily bound and overall, as a read, I found the "story", if you will, a most engaging read.

Classic Biography
There should be no doubt that the first two volumes of Richardson'sPicasso can be ranked alongside Ellman on both Wilde and Joyce or withMichael Holroyd's bio of Lytton Strachey. If a biographer loves his subjectthen that is no bad thing. Richard Ellman wrote his bios quite clearly inthe style of his subjects and by so doing brought us closer to them.Ellmanwas obviously completely mesmerised by Oscar Wilde thus the greater thetragedy.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1881-1973    2. Artists    3. Artists, French    4. Biography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. France    7. Individual Painters - 20th Century    8. Picasso, Pablo,    9. Biography & Autobiography / General    10. Picasso, Pablo   

Subjects:  1. 1932-    2. Architecture    3. Art    4. Criticism and interpretation    5. Estes, Richard,    6. General    7. History - General    8. Individual Painters - 20th Century    9. Painting, American    10. Photo-realism    11. United States    12. Estes, Richard    13. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    14. Individual artists    15. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. History - Contemporary (1945- )    5. History - Realism    6. Individual Artist    7. Individual Painters - Contemporary    8. Art / Individual Artist    9. Art styles: c 1960 -    10. Individual artists    11. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing By Individual Artists    4. Individual Artist    5. Popular Culture    6. Popular Culture - General    7. Art / Popular Culture    8. Individual artists   

Subjects:  1. Individual Photographer    2. Individual Photographers And Their Work    3. Photo Techniques    4. Photography    5. France    6. Individual photographers    7. Photographs: collections    8. Photography / Individual Photographer    9. Places & peoples: general interest   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    4. Individual Artist    5. Sculpture    6. Catalogues raisonnes    7. Catalogues raisonns    8. Criticism and interpretation    9. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    10. Picasso, Pablo    11. Sculpture & other three-dimensional art forms    12. Spain   

Reviews (2)

Inside the Mind of an Artist
While primarily a portfolio of Ryan McGinness' various screenprint creations of symbol and floral heavy artwork pieces of the past few years, Installationview also treats itself as a guide into the inner workings of McGinness' art style, from inspiration through sketches and onto the walls of galleries and households. Although there are only a few pages of random interviews with the artist, this focuses the importance on the details and process of reinterpretting and displacing symbols and ideas that we are accustomed to.

Absolutely fantastic!
This book is an amazing showcase of Ryan's newest works, but is also is a fairly good retrospective on some of his older pieces as well. The reproductions are exquesite (think Communication Arts), with plenty of close ups so that you can really see what's going on in these multi-layered works. Scattered throughout the book are dozens of preliminary sketches along with the completed illustrations-an excellent insight into his visual process.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Catalogs    4. Contemporary Art    5. Graphic Design    6. Individual Artist    7. Installation    8. McGinness, Ryan    9. Art / Individual Artist   

Reviews (13)

Better Off As Girls?
Sally Mann succeeds in showing girls on the cusp of womanhood, some of them appearing androgynous, others decidedly feminine.There are a few adults in these pictures, including friends and strangers.There is no nudity other than one of an infant lying reclined between a woman's legs, and neither person can be identified.
Amazing, thought-provoking book
This is one of my favorite portrait photography books.It's often profoundly disturbing, with such poignant images capturing girls on the verge of womanhood, offering us glimpses not only into the children that they were but into the lives they're going to lead as women, and it isn't all pretty.
just awful
just awful
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Subjects:  1. 1951-    2. Collections Of Photographs    3. Girls    4. Mann, Sally,    5. Photo Techniques    6. Photoessays & Documentaries    7. Photography    8. Portraits    9. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    10. Photographs: portraits   

Reviews (5)

Yesterday's tomorrows

Great images, terrible text and editing.
You can tell this book is self-published as there is an obvious lack of editorial oversight. Mead is a glorious industrial designer, but as a wordsmith he is woefully lacking. It is like listening to a teenager try to explain his art projects.
Great concepts from the father of modern scifi
This is a great book showcasing just a snippet of Syd Mead's life works - concept art and sketches cover a range of areas like town planning, architecture, industrial design and movie and game artifacts. A fair balance of industry applicable industrial design and science fiction design in a big 175 page large format book with at least one sketch or artwork on every page, with always an interesting and insightful caption by Mead. Be warned: this book doesn't showcase any of Mead's more notable works like Aliens and Bladerunner - most of the movies covered were either not released or not blockbusters (e.g Johnny Mnemonic, Mission to Mars), but nonetheless they all present unique and intriguing concepts. If you're a designer and futurist, this is a must have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Commercial - Illustration    4. Design - Book    5. Graphic Arts - General    6. Individual Artist    7. Comic book & cartoon art    8. Comics & Graphic Novels / General    9. Graphic novels    10. Illustrations    11. Science fiction   

Reviews (2)

And research turns to wonder...
I'm a rower in high school on the west coast, and you don't really hear much about rowing over here, since it's mostly an east coast sport. So when my history teacher started going over Thomas Eakins and showed a clip about him from a documentary with some examples of his rowing paintings, my attention was immediately captures. I decided to do my term paper on him, but I expected it to be a long and tedious process, judging from the book I got from the library (which looked plain, boring, and old), so I put it off 'till the last minute. I just picked up the book an hour ago for the first time and just got online to see if they had any copies of it ..., since it proved to be well-written and interesting (so you don't space out so much in the middle of paragraphs like I tend to), and because it led me to think about things that are important parts of learning and art and life, but nobody ever talks about. This book proved to be insightful and fascinating, and after only one chapter, I'm hooked on the subject! And to think I was dreading reading it!

A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO EAKINS THE ARTIST
Anecdotes abound in reference to Thomas Eakins American painter, watercolorist, draftsman, photographer, and sculptor.He is remembered for relaxing after painting by working calculus problems, and shocking friends with stories of his nude models.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1844-1916    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Artists    4. Biography    5. Eakins, Thomas,    6. General    7. Individual Painters And Their Work    8. United States    9. Art / Commercial / General    10. Eakins, Thomas    11. Individual artists   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Gifts    3. Individual Artist    4. Novelty    5. Papercrafts - Paper Dolls    6. Theater - General   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Artists    4. Assemblage (Art)    5. Biography    6. General    7. Individual Artist    8. Technique    9. United States    10. Art / Individual Artist    11. BG-COOKBKS - BG - COOKBOOKS    12. The Arts   

Reviews (2)

one of the best...
Modiliagni might be undervalued in the world of artists and painters. He should be honored as well as Picasso, and friends...
Best book out there on Modigliani
For those who love the sensuous work of this early 20th century master, this text is the best on the market. The pictures span the entire short career (he died at age 36) of this artistic genius. There are stunning images throughout. The colour reproduction is superb, and the paper used is of the highest quality. Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Museum    5. European    6. Exhibition Catalogs    7. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    8. Art / Individual Artist    9. Art styles: c 1900 to First World War    10. Exhibition catalogues and specific collections    11. Individual artists    12. Italy    13. Painting & paintings    14. Individual Artist   

Reviews (3)

Big and Beautiful
This book is the companion to a multi-year exhibition of (mostly) paintings at Davis Museum at Wellesley College. Most of the works are from the Renaissance, with a smattering of Medieval images and some recent. There are a series of essays included, most of which will not be electrifying to any beginning bible studies student. In fact, the lack of biblical scholarship in the discussion of Mary is quite startling.
Clear, assessible, and rich
I truly enjoyed this tour through Wellesley's collection of Marian art.
An excellent overview
For me the real beauty of this book was not the illustrated catalogue of images in the Wellesley College collection, it was the excellent essay by Melissa Katz.Robert Orsi's essay was superb as usual, but rather short, and the other essays are so short (2 pages each) as to be almost unmentionable.Katz on the other hand takes her readers on a historical tour of Marian imagery that is also thematically related to the hours of her devotion.In this way, her essay is not only an overview of Marian imagery, but it is also an overview of the history of the Roman Catholic church, an overview of Marian devotional practices, and the social forces in Europe which shaped these two phenomena.My only criticism of her essay, which might be more accurately a criticism of the Wellesley College collection, is that there is very little information on Marian imagery and devotion outside of Europe. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Blessed Virgin, Saint    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Museum    5. Davis Museum and Cultural Center    6. Exhibitions    7. Individual Artist    8. Mary,    9. Massachusetts    10. Subjects & Themes - Religious    11. Wellesley    12. Art & Architecture | History    13. Art / Religious    14. Exhibition catalogues and specific collections    15. Religious subjects depicted in art    16. Saints & hagiography