4 comments about Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557).

1. There is a great need for such books on Byzantine Art. These three expo. and books by the Met on Byzantium are magnificent! I wish others will follow on Post-Byzantine Art.



2. The first exhibition, "The Age of Spirituality", shown in 1977, was organized by the eminent scholar, Kurt Weitzmann, Professor Emeritus of Princeton University (1904 -1993).

   It is also important to note the essay written by Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, Pharan, and Riatho, Abbot of the Holy Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine, Sinai, Egypt who on page 335 writes,"...holy icons are more than artful and historical objects. They are a vital entity and a vibrant presence in the liturgical life of the Church, which is the very context that sanctioned and fostered their creation, existence, and use from early Christian times." He goes on to say, "Indeed, by their captivating formal purity, transparency, and clarity, icons create what we may call a resonance or an uplifting in the spiritual sense. They are statements of faith ..."

   Lastly, mention must be made of the conclusion of the catalogue and exhibition, which focuses on the influence of Late Byzantine icons on Northern Renaissance art. Many masterpieces are exhibited including Memling, van der Weyden, Jan Van Eyck and Gerard David. They are breathtaking, but perhaps too much icing. A preview of Ms. Evans's next exhibition?




3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has put together its third monumental exhibition reflecting early Christian and Byzantine art. The first exhibition, "The Age of Spirituality", organized by Helen C. Evans was shown in 1977 and explored Christian art between the third and eighth centuries. Twenty years later, the persevering Ms. Evans was responsible for the wonderful "The Glory of Byzantium, A.D. 843-1261". This exhibit, "Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261 - 1557) is the last of this historic trilogy and is a testimony to Ms. Evans and her team, including Mahrukh Tarapor, who visited 35 countries and in a feat of international diplomacy convinced 129 museums, churches, monasteries, collectors and libraries to part with their treasures. Approximately 350 examples of Byzantine art have been contributed with only the monasteries of Mount Athos holding out. The exhibit runs through July 4, 2004.
   The eminent and long respected icon dealer, Dick Temple, writes:
   "The exhibition 'Byzantium, Faith and Power (1261-1557)' currently at the Metropolitan Museum in New York is, in my view, the greatest icon exhibition I have ever seen or ever will see. There are loans from 27 countries around the world. Monasteries and museums in Greece, Egypt, Russia and the Balkans as well as the great collections of Europe and the USA have given up their most fabulous treasures for this incredible event. If, 20 or 30 years ago, someone had said to me that one day I would see under the same roof the Annunciation from Ohrid, the Twelve Apostles from the Pushkin Museum, two monumental icons by Andrei Rublyov from the Tretyakov Gallery, 40 icons from Saint Catherine's Monastery at Sinai, the British Museum's icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy and other similar wonders, I would not have believed them. Well, it is happening now."

   There are many other important examples that Mr. Temple could have used. This sumptuous and amazing exhibition should not be missed. The one in 1997 drew nearly 500,000 visitors and this one should top that.

   The catalogue, which accompanies this exhibition, is massive. It spans 680 pages and contains more than 800 color plates. The illustrations are beautifully reproduced. It contains important essays and descriptions of the objects by a renowned group of over 100 scholars. Please, please please - do yourself a favor and see this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition and purchase the accompanying catalogue, which will give you much pleasure. Ms. Evans is owed every civilized person's gratitude for her awe-inspiring effort.




4. This book details late Byzantine art (mostly icons, medallions, and manuscript illuminations) during the reign of Constantinople's last ruling dynasty, the Palaiologoi. Illustrations are small and the art historical writing reads like a random collection of graduate-level symposium papers (on such topics as church vestments and late tomb sculpture) and largely failing to engage the reader. The lack of narrative focus and quality works of art also lends an overall impression that this exhibition represents a culling of whatever happened to be at hand to produce yet another "blockbuster" that lacks much of either faith or power.

3 comments about Apparel Making in Fashion Design.

1. This is the book i learned patternmaking from... its a wonderful guide and teaches you how to really learn the basics of flat patternmaking but gives you the information to take your pattern skills much further! I have looked at other books for flat pattern making and this one is the best, and has detailed illustrations that are helpful as well.



2. I went back and forth on this one. Bought it to learn how to make a Flat Pattern. Half of this book is on construction of each basic pattern (blouse, skirt, pants etc) with minimal variations. Lots of large drawings, very little text. Not for the person who already knows construction techniques. If I were a beginner in sewing I would need more information on construction than this gives. But good instruction on Flat Pattern making if you want to not use half of the book....



3. If you read only one book about pattern-making, make this the one!

1 comments about Havana Style (Icon (Taschen)).

1. I have always been a fan of Cuban culture and this book gives you the Cuban color palate to enjoy!

No comments about Petite Pattern Book - Pop & Modern (Bnn Pattern Book Series).

No comments about Computer Aided Design Using Gerber Technolgy.

3 comments about The Art of Rockefeller Center.

1. Rockefeller Center is one of the great Art Deco set pieces. It was conceived and built at the depths of the Great Depression, at the height of Art Deco and it's importance to the nation at the time is impossible to quantify. The art of the complex is arguably the most important assemblage of Art Deco artwork in the world. This book is a fantastic tribute to Rockefeller Center and all the artists and craftsman that built it. The text is highly informative, without feeling like an academic dissertation and the images are very well presented, though frankly there could have been more. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in Rockefeller Center or Art Deco.



2. The publishers, in a neat marketing move, issued this book in two editions. The 320 page version and a much smaller pocket-sized paperback that was invaluable when I visited the Center in 2006. Without it I don't think it would have been possible to find all the exterior treasures on the twenty-two acre site or read Roussel's text about them.
   
   This Art book is a vastly expanded comprehensive look at all the exterior and interior public art contained in the fourteen buildings and spaces. It originated with Christine Roussel when her company was commissioned by the Rockefeller Center to restore all the artwork and the excellent contemporary color photos (after any restoration) are by Christine or her designer daughter Dianne. What I particularly like about the book are the historic photos of artists creating the works that you can see today. There are so many of these that I assume the Rockefeller's saw the PR potential of Fine Art in progress and arranged for as much of this as possible to be photographed.
   
   There are more than a hundred pieces of art from forty artists presented in color and the very comprehensive text puts their work in context and in case you are wondering there is a full explanation about the destruction of Diego Rivera's fresco: Man at the Crossroads, which was to be in a prominent place on the main lobby wall of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Lee Lawrie contributed most to the Center with fourteen pieces and his Wisdom (Rockefeller Plaza) and Atlas (International Building) are now world famous. There are seven interesting historical photos about the making and positioning of Atlas in the book. Missing, I thought (and maybe as an Appendix) were a few photos showing the various stages of construction of the Center, it take nine years after all and a page or two, with photos, of the various roof gardens.
   
   Rousell's book celebrates the public art of these remarkable New York buildings which are now registered as a National Historic Landmark. The book's production is first class (though unfortunately not sumptuous) with the photos in 175dpi on reasonable art paper. There is a slight editorial annoyance with a back page listing of the artists and technical details of their work, these really should have been presented on the relevant pages so the reader could avoid having to keep flipping back and forth to find out a bit of information.
   
   The perfect complement to this book is Daniel Okrent's Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center telling in great detail how the Rockefeller Center was built.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



3. Built in the middle of the depression, Rockefeller Center became a part of and a symbol of America. The buildings of Rockefeller Center were not designed as the steel and glass monoliths of today. Art from some of the best artists of the day was incorporated into virtually all aspects of the building. The most famous is the statue of Prometheus delivering fire to the mortals of the earth amidst the waters of the Plaza. But there is much much more. There are the bas-relief stone carvings on the facade, there are murals, statues, even specially designed patterns for the carpets.
   
   This book is the first comprehensive study of the art in the center. It is a large format, beautifully printed edition of the art as it is now, and in many cases historical photographs of the artists as it was being produced in the 1930's.
   
   Ms. Roussel is the Archivist of Rockefeller center. To produce the book she had unprecedented access to the records and files of the center.

1 comments about Brian Chippendale: Maggots.

1. A neat little comic. Unique in it's presentation and how the artist/author directs you to read the story. Cool graphics. Very difficult to understand what's going on with the story, however, for me. I've had to put it down and pick it up a few times due to this frustration. Otherwise I'd give this title a higher rating.

2 comments about Full-Color Fruit Crate Labels CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Series).

1. This is a great book of vintage label clip art. Very clean images and lots of diversity in subject. I would recommend for any craft, or graphic project.



2. I bought this book and Old-Time Fruit Crate Labels in Full Color because I was interested in using some of the labels for decoupage. Imagine my surprise when I received them and found out the books have exactly the same labels inside--Full-Color Fruit Crate Labels just has the CD-ROM and a different cover.
   The labels are beautiful and I will be using them, but I am disappointed that it is not possible to determine from the book descriptions that they have the same labels. Oh well, I'm giving my extra copy to our local library.

1 comments about Street Art: The Spray Files.

1. While this book may seem to say that Street Art is a viable artistic movement, it does so with little conviction. The book has little to say, it is too general in it's scope and his little understanding of it's own milieu. The text that accompanies the art work is sparse and does little to describe how the art is used and what informs the art work.
   
   While there are instances of spectacular art work, they are certainly the minority. I was almost never impressed with the artwork on display and felt that the work represented did not show the strengths of the artists. I have seen some amazing graff artists in my day and was underwhelmed by the representative works on display here.
   
   If you are looking for books on Street Art there are much better ones out there.

4 comments about The Art of Pastel Painting.

1. As a student of pastel who practices in spare time, I found this book to be both educational and inspirational. Flattman provides specifics on his "tools", his process for developing a picture and inspires with his beautiful drawings. I recommend this book for someone who has spent some time working in this medium as well as someone comfortable with drawing. I am inspired and excited by his ideas! That alone makes this book worth buying.



2. The art and technique of modern pastel is taught in a text which revises an original 1987 version to include the latest details on new technical advancements, plus new demonstrations and new paintings from the artist author, who was indicted into the Pastel society of America hall of Fame in 2006. From surface texture and lighting to basic painting and preservation concepts, The Art of Pastel Painting thus expands expertise and options and remains a standard, highly commended pick for any art library catering to amateur painters who would learn professional techniques.



3. Alan is a master pastel artist and also a master teacher. No fluff here - just page after of page of real tips from a guy who really knows how to communicate at all levels. This book will teach even the pros a few things yet this book is really easy to understand. It will be THE pastel reference for years to come. The color reproductions could have been better on some pages, but it really doesn't hurt the overall message. Sometimes I like a book that I can pick up, flip through, and learn something without much investment of time -- this books can work like that. But it is also a great book to read cover to cover because of the author's ability to keep you interested in the creation of pastel art. This book should be read by anyone who plans to use pastels. Alan also includes some good "money-saving" tips -- so much so that the book will easily pay for itself if you take his advise.



4. Besides drawing with the things, Flattman shows how to prepare your own papers, and even roll your own pastels! Wonderful for the incurable do it-yourselfer who wants custom ranges of colors, but you'll need a garage or basement space you can devote to the messy business (and you'll need a respirator, too, not just a dust mask). There are lots of finished works, but the how-to step-by-step stuff uses too few steps usually. You need to have a good background in drawing already, and experience with composition. Flattmann comes to pastel from watercolor, and never thinks you might not already be accomplished in another form of painting. Pastels were my *first* media, when I began lessons when I was six, so they are not "inherently advanced." I would recommend you use this in conjunction with Bet Borgeson's _Color Drawing Workshop_.