2 comments about The Essential: Grandma Moses (Essential Series).

1. This book is a beautiful rendering of the seemingly simplistic and enchanting paintings by Grandma Moses. But something seems amiss when one finds that this artist lacked something on the spiritual side; for Kallir mentions something Moses once said: '"Someone has asked me to paint Biblical pictures," she once noted, "and I say no, I'll not paint something that we know nothing about; might just as well paint something that will happen a thousand years hence."' (Kallir 52).

   Moses' enchanting pictures of everyday life, which become infused with something more than mundanity through such pleasant renderings, somehow seem starker with the knowledge that the artist lacked a faith in seeing something beyond such life scenes by only concentrating on what she considered "the factual and true."

   Nonetheless, this is one of the best collections of her work, and it is embellished by many quotations by the artist. Moses' late start in the art world is also a testament that it is never too late to attempt lasting convocations of value. It is a pity that the elderly Moses did not believe that such things would last beyond her impending death.




2. This is a wonderful and beautifully illustrated book filled with Grandma Moses' life and her art work. I ordered it as a classroom aid for a presentation on her life, and I was amazed at how much was compiled in this selection. The biography is very thorough and her colorful landscapes are quite breathtaking. The captions along side her masterpieces give the reader an insight into this great folk artist, as well as critiques the art mediums she used to perfect them. This is a wonderful addition to any art teacher's library, as well as the classroom teacher, who is looking for an artist to help him or her teach the Disciplined Based Art with their students. I also recommend this book if you are having a hard day at the office, and you just want to slip into another more peaceful era. The nostalgia you will feel just looking at this woman's pictures is beyond words. It is also a very challenging book to help you reach for your dreams, no matter what your age is. If she could touch peoples' lives in her 80's, there is hope for everyone!

2 comments about Spectacular Bodies: The Art and Science of the Human Body from Leonardo to Now.

1. In this extraordinarily interesting book, a catalogue that accompanied an exhibition in England in 1999 - 2000, the authors and curators present figurative painting and sculpting in a fresh and original fashion. Dipping into the engravings of Vesalius and the amazingly detailed wax recreations of anatomic dissections which populated Medical Schools for centuries, we are introduced to an art form that preceeded drawing from the model in the studio. Never meant to be "art", these dissection models were high science at the same time serving to "glorify the magnificence of God's creation of man". Whatever the initial inspiration, when placed side by side with the Renaissance paintings of the various anatomy lessons (such as the fmous Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp) from Rembrandt through the 19th century to the present day explorations by the likes of Bill Viola and Tony Oursler they serve to enhance our understanding and appreciation for our own bodies as corporal science and as vessels of art. What a fine exhibition this must have been! Fortunately the thought vested in this significant collaboration has been captured in time in the form of this beautifully illustrated and documented book. Only one complaint: Why was this luxurious volume printed only in paperback form? This is an art book worthy of any artist committed to the figure and to all of us who admire figurative painting, sculpture and the wonder of the human form.



2. This is one of the most fascinating art books to cross my path in some time. The subject is the artistic representation of human anatomy.
   
   This is the occasion for a fascinating tour of curiosa. Of course, you have a sequence of Dutch and American anatomy theatre group portraits. More interesting is the sculptures in wax of dissection, surgical, and anatomical models, handmade by what were apparently a group of mostly Italian scupltors. A fellow named Clemente Susini was apparently the Michaelangelo of this field. What makes these interesting is that they are not, as in the -Gray's Anatomy- images, merely displayed. Many are dramatically posed, in the overdone, theatrical poses of baroque painting. The image of them gesticulating as they spill their guts is mildly disconcerting.
   
   There is an extensive discussion of écorché figures, flayed figures that display skinless human musculature. Collections of skeletons and bones, often arranged dramatically rather than clinically, are also featured. There is a large selection of ethnological portraits, and photographs of the insane.
   
   The text is largely sympathetic to these forgotten creators who sought to combine art and science. Identity politics and post-structuralist hoodoo intrudes only slightly on the text, much less than you'd fear given these subjects. A fascinating book for those who are not easily disturbed.

2 comments about The Creative Arts: A Process Approach for Teachers and Children (3rd Edition).

1. I found this book to be excellent for the classroom. The author supports teaching art to children by grounding her methods in current learning theories. I have had students tell me that they enjoyed the many stories of real classroom experiences that the author shares throughout the book. It is a good resource and inspiration for those who want to teach art to children.



2. I had this book for a curriculum and instruction class and I could not stay awake for more than two pages. The chapters are extremely long and often repeat the same information.

1 comments about Majorelle: A Moroccan Oasis (Small Books of Great Gardens).

1. The quality of the photography is unsurpassed. The color is magnificent! Anyone who enjoys books, gardens, Morocco, or the color blue (Majorelle Blue) will love this book.

   MAJORELLE tells the history of the gardens in Marrakesh, first laid out by Louis Majorelle in the 1920's. The beautiful shade of blue that is used throughout the gardens, in the tile work, the paint, the walkways, the ponds and the plants and flowers themselves, was the start of the term "Majorelle Blue". The grounds are now owned by Yves Saint Laurent and are open for tours.

   The back of the book shows the layout of the gardens, old photos of Marrakesh, the interior of the salon in Majorelle's villa and a photo of Majorelle, himself.

   The small size of this book gives it an added preciousness that makes it a great choice for gift giving.

No comments about Without Boundary.

1 comments about Rock Posters of Jim Phillips.

1. ROCK POSTERS OF JIM PHILLIPS provides a 30-year retrospective of rock posters by Phillips, surveying the artist's life and times and following his career from early posters through present times. His computer painted posters as well as his classic rock art signature style is displayed in gorgeous full-page color reproductions paired with biographical and historical perspectives.

No comments about Index of Early Chinese Painters & Paintings: T'ang, Sung, Yuan.

4 comments about Design Secrets: Products (Design Secrets).

1. If you are interested in Product Design, then this book is quite interesting. It gives you a summary of the design process for famous products.
   
   However the fact that it is a summary is a downside, as I would have loved to read more information from the designers mind.
   
   In this book you have good examples of "What the customer wanted", "What the designer suggested" and "What was the outcome".
   
   I would suggest making volume 3 with 10-20 Products and giving each product 10 pages, rather then the 4 pages on this one.



2. Well I was looking for a book with some hints for design, and this book is the perfect one with a lot of that goodis.I recommend it strongly for everyone who is looking for a good book in art and design.



3. I recieved my book in fine condition and within the designated shippment time frame.



4. THis is an interesting book about how some very good product designs were done. However, I was not satisfied with the level of detail of each story: not only did each case study make it appear that an optimal design was acheived, but it undercovered the human and organizational dramas that underlie such design processes. In many instances, there is a whiff of the true complexity and it made my mouth water, but then didn't go deep enough. As a result, the whole process comes off too logical and rational, too panglossian if you wish.

   From my own experience, I know that the design process is far more difficult than the reader would glean from the book. Designers, like artists, are high strung people who live for and in their work - if you criticise their work, you are criticising them personally and they react. Their egos are as big as their talents. Bitter fights result with engineers and the holders of the corporate largesse, the purse strings that make or break an experiment. THere are difficult compromises, often political, and plenty of ongoing acrimony. How should they be handled and nurtured? Does a separate group need to be insulated? Should they just grow up or would that kill part of the creative process? None of this is sufficiently covered in this book and they all represent key management issues. Moreover, there is not enough about the companies in the book - who they are, what they believe in terms of philosophy, how they calculate and market themselves.

   Nonetheless, the stories are exciting and the photography is excellent. Certain common techniques also emerge, such as the importance of rapid prototyping and marketing shortcuts that don't ignore cumstomer needs but rather find way to tap into new ones. These too are fascinating issues that require deeper treatment.

   Recommended, but only as a start.

No comments about African Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection.

No comments about Fragile Diplomacy: Meissen Porcelain for European Courts (Bard Graduate Centre for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture).