2 comments about Julie Speed: Paintings, Constructions, and Works on Paper.

1. I have been a fan of Julie Speed since visiting Austin in 1999 and seeing the "Queen of My Room" exhibition. I have my own Julie Speed gallery, a bunch of her postcards that I bought at the Austin Museum of Art and taped to my bedroom door. So when I saw that she had a book out, I ordered it immediately.
   What a gorgeous book! It's so big it doesn't fit in my book shelf, but that's okay. There's a great Q&A section about her painting process, then many, many pages of full color photos of her work. For fans of her bizarre, intriguing style, this is a real treat.



2. For those not familiar with the work of iconoclastic artist Julie Speed let me quote Edmund Pillsbury, former Director of the Kimbell Art Museum and presently Director of the Meadows Museum. In the introduction to this beautifully illustrated volume we read, " In Julie Speed's paintings everything appears real, but on more careful inspection there is usually something unfamiliar, if not odd, present. Her paintings offer infinite possibilities. Whereas her collages and sculptures assembled from preexisting parts are exercises in surrealism, the paintings supercede realism; they are, in the artist's own vernacular pararealistic......"

   Intrigued? You should be. Fascinated? You will be upon examining "Julie Speed: Paintings, Constructions, and Works on Paper," a comprehensive and compelling volume presenting 100 color plates of her oil paintings, constructions, and works on paper.

   Pillsbury and Ferrer, both noted art historians, contribute a body of essays which focus on Speed's relationship to painters throughout the ages. The book closes with passages drawn from "Books of Conversation," which was an opportunity for museum visitors to jot down their thoughts and questions for the artist. Speed's responses to these jottings is particularly revelatory.

   An accessible artist, Speed lives in Austin Texas. Of her life she says, "I keep hours just like a real job, only longer, and in my spare time I read books, drink tequila, garden, and drive around West Texas." No doubt she's a boon companion!

   Julie Speed is an original, an artist who communicates ideas in her work, sometimes with humor, at other times with a sense of foreboding. I venture to say her paintings are unlike any most of us have seen. Thanks to Drs. Ferrer and Pillsbury for giving us the opportunity.

1 comments about How Did You Paint That?: 100 Ways to Paint Favorite Subjects (How Did You Paint That?).

1. This should be titled something like "Inspirations for Painters". It does not show technique, as the title implies. Each artist talks about their inspiration for the painting they create- but little else is discussed. I was greatly disappointed.

3 comments about O'Keeffe and Stieglitz: An American Romance.

1. I'm a realist when it comes to human beings, holding no illusions about how cruel we can be. But after reading this book I wish I had not read it. Either I buy into Eisler's portrait of O'Keefe and Stieglitz -- which consistently paints them as self-centered persons who nearly qualify as anti-social personalities -- or I assume that Eisler's presentation borders on slander. Most of the content of the book appears to be there to justify the author's "psychological" conclusions about their personalities. This leads me to question what is actually driving the presentation -- the sources or Eisler's harsh theory about their personalities. There were so few instances where you would find an instance where they were presented in a favorable light that it leaves me wondering, "Were they this unredeemable, or is this a simplistic reduction that has not sufficiently presented the complex nature of their personalities?" Since this is the only book I've read about them, I have nothing to compare it to. Eisler could be dead on and fair. Frankly, I hope not.



2. An amazing insight into the lives of two of America's great artists of this century. Thanks to the fine research of the author and the fact that so many important people in the lives of O'Keeffe and Stieglitz corresponded by letter and, more importantly, saved the letters, we are able to share many moments in their personal and professional lives in NYC, at Lake George and in New Mexico. Their psychological development over time and the effect of that on their work and their relationship is fairly mind boggling. One problem, the author never really explains what it is about Stieglitz that makes O'Keeffe love him and keeps her tied to him.



3. I got this book as a gift. It is a little intimidating in size but is a fascinating look at the extraordinary flawed lives of these two individuals. It sounds cliche but it is very hard to put down. In part I think it has such an "inside" nature to it due to the prolific letter writers involved. Everyone wrote, and luckily seemed to save all their correspondence. The look at the New York Art world in the 1920's is such a bonus.

   A great book!

1 comments about The Vincent Price treasury of American art.

1. Price's love of art, especially American art, shines in this lovely coffee-table volume. The pages are thick reproductions in sumptuous color. His assessments of Wyeth and Hopper are particularly astute, and there are interesting observations all along the way. A valuable addition, made all the more so for VP's usual wit and enthusiasm. A "treasure" indeed!

5 comments about Step-By-Step Guide to Painting Realistic Watercolors.

1. This author is not only an artist, but more importantly a WRITER and a TEACHER! She assumes no knowledge on the part of her reader, to make sure that her instructions cannot be misunderstood. It's possibly the most readable art instruction book I've ever owned. I sit and read it, like a novel, and can't put it down! The descriptions and illustrations are so thoroughly detailed, orderly and accurate, that I feel like I'm there doing it. I haven't even tried any of them yet, but I'm so impressed with the writing of the book, I must commend the author on THAT! Also, the subjects chosen as paintings to demontrate may very possibly be the most appealing examples of beautiful watercolors at their finest that I've ever seen in a book like this. They make me WANT to learn the medium! Unlike other books, where I may buy it, only for one or two pictures in it that I'd like to paint...this book is loaded with pictures that I want to paint ALL OF! I've gone through every page of the book, to check the paint color list of each painting, and have already ordered them, exactly as described and recommended. I can't wait to get my art studio properly lit, and my paper ordered to produce the paintings that are in this book! I can't even pick a favorite!



2. I have been circling around watercolour painting for some time now and had gone so far as to buy some paints, brushes and paper, but was at a complete loss as to how to actually start.
   I bought this book sight unseen on the basis of reviews, and I think it is the best possible book I could have bought. (I have several other 'beginners' watercolour books which have left me more, rather than less, inhibited about starting.)
   This book concentrates on teaching specific watercolour techniques in a step-by-step manner, with very precise and detailed instructions on how to load your brush, how to use it, how to mix each colour, and how to do specific techniques such as laying a wash (best description I've read, by a country mile, and it worked - a perfect wash second time), softening edges, lifting out colour, adjusting your work if it isn't right first time, and so on. She takes the guesswork out by providing a series of interesting drawings to copy and step by step instructions on how to paint each, and by specifying exact paints and (cheap but good) brushes, which I bought. The exercises are graded - before I started each one I was sure I would make a total mess, but each time the results were very good (would have been excellent if I'd had the patience to do a quick trial of each technique on a scrap piece of paper before going for it).
   This is not a fast-and-free approach, but an interesting and fun book which teaches you the basic techniques you will need even if the fast approach suits your personality better. I wholeheartedly recommend it.



3. Not for the beginner. Choices of projects weak.



4. --------------
   As a young chap, I visited my local Art Gallery here in Bolton (UK) and although I had virtually no interest in art, I found myself mesmerised by the watercolour paintings of Thomas and Paul Sandby (c1700's). Twenty five years later and I still haven't taken a brush to paper - well, not until recently.

   Browsing through a bookshop a short while ago, I thumbed through scores of watercolour books and made mental note of how simple the paintings seemed to be. Can't be that difficult can it?

   And then....I picked up Dawn's book and was simply amazed by the fine paintings contained therein. Wow! The "Strawberries & Lace" knocked me sideways! I figured that even if I couldn't follow the lessons, my money wouldn't be wasted, because I'd cut out these fine pictures and frame them! :-)

   Seriously though, I'd agree with one of the other reviewers and say that this book is perhaps not the ideal beginner's choice. Having said that, this book does serve to inspire you and that's worth more than any amount of "basics".

   Don't hesitate....buy it now!

   ...




5. This was one of the first watercolor books I ever bought when I first wanted to learn how to paint. First of all I'd like to list some of it's stronger points.

   1. The projects are beautiful with the subjects being mostly still-life (although there is one animal project of baby ducklings
   2. The author lists exactly the colors and brands she used in each project, the specific mixes of each colors and step-by-step directions for you to follow at each stage. Each project has stage-by-stage photos so you can see what your painting-in-progress should look like at the end of each stage.
   3. The "Critique Your Work" tip section. She lists some questions to ask yourself as you examine the finished painting to see what you did well and what can be improved.
   4. The "how moist is moist?" examination of loading a brush with color. This is one technique most other watercolor books either don't mention at all or if they do they don't explain it. The author gives photos and a detailed description of exactly what she means by a phrase such as "loaded brush", "moistened brush" etc.
   5. The section on values and painting a controlled wash. There is a page devoted to common problems that beginners can run into when trying to paint washes - complete with examples of some of these problems (streaky wash, backruns, etc.) and how to correct them or avoid them.

   It helps to buy the paints she recommends because it will eliminate one variarable that might make it harder to lead to a satisfying result. It is possible to use other brands (I did) but I recommend at least try to use the same pigment, if possible, as she lists in the book. For some people who are on a limited budget or don't want to invest in a lot of paint to be used only for this book's projects they might consider this a drawback. Also, this book doesn't cover painting portraits, wildlife, landscapes, seascapes, etc. It will be of most interest to fans of still-life subjects. Overall, I'm glad I own it as it is a big help to further development of techniques with watercolor.

No comments about A Home: Paintings from a Bygone Age.

No comments about Art School: A Complete Painter's Course.

1 comments about Atkinson Reproduced in Color.

1. A great resource for artists and designers or anyone whose work involves lettering and "period" styling.

3 comments about Unlikely Pairs (Bob Raczka's Art Adventures).

1. . . . OR, rigid ideas about ART. Bob Raczka's cover 'pair' is amusing and colorful: the thundering Niagara opposite Bingham's fur traders as they edge toward the brink (?) on a deceptively calm Missouri River. It may well be my favorite double spread but among the next pages are "soap bubbles" and the pairing of Kandinsky's "several circles" that come close.
   
   Van Gogh's "pair of boots" - is a little-known masterpiece and the pairing may be apt (what legs!) but how can we Not think of the boots displayed on our National Mall to memorialize the soldiers killed in the war against Iraq?
   
   Each of Raczka's "pairs" is compelling, and the titles of the books in his Art Adventures Series for children are well-chosen for catching the eyes of parents & educators. We ALL hope to stir the imaginations of cildren. and need to be encouraged by creative artists like Bob Raczka. Lerner Books deserves praise for publishing great art education titles through their recent acquisition Millbrook Press.
   
   And YES, Reviewer mcHaiku's imagination has begun pairing other works of ART. The Chagall windows at Chicago's Art Institute come to mind when viewing "the scream" and my mind leaps ahead to other favorites: Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894), Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), Gustave Baumann (1881-1971), N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), Tsugohau Foujita (1886-1968), Diego Rivera (1886-1957), Charles Burchfield (1893-1967), Wanda Gag (1893-1946).
   
   What exciting adventures Bob Raczka has started us on! Don't be 'fenced in' . . . miss none of his titles.



2. Bob Raczka has written several interesting books about art for children. "More Than Meets the Eye: Seeing Art With All Five Senses" encouraged children to experience art through their mouths, ears, noses and fingertips. This meant tasting Thiebaud's "Cakes," hearing Tanner's "The Banjo Lesson," smelling Wyeth's "Portrait of a Pig," feeling Rivera's "The Tortilla Maker," and seeing Close's "Self-Portrait." "No One Saw: Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist" celebrated the artistic vision of modern artists from Renoir to Kandinsky. Young readers were introduced to individual artists and the special way in which they see the world.
   
   In "Unlikely Pairs: Fun with Famous Works of Art," Raczka provides a way of looking at works of art that is quite different from what you would find in a museum. Their works are usually displayed by the artist, movement, or time period (although an exhibition might provide a more thematic approach). In this challenging book, Raczka puts together 26 famous works of art by dividing them into 13 "unlikely pairs." The pairings are "unlikely" because the artists come from completely different ears or at least represent completely different styles. The assumption is that when you see two very different pieces of art side-by-side that your mind will automatically start making connections between them. To be clear, Raczka does not tell his readers, whether they are young or old, what to think. He merely provides the opportunity for them to do so.
   
   For example, the cover shows Andy Warhol's "Do-It-Yourself-Landscape" on the left side page and Jean-Frederic Bazille's "Self-Portrait" on the right. The two paintings were done 97 years apart and the reason they are paired is that Bazille is shown hoping a paintbrush and palette while Warhol's painting is incomplete (numbers 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 16 remain to be done). The other pairings are equally humorous, from Jan Vermeer's "The Guitar Player" providing the music for Keith Haring's dancing figures in "Untitled," to Frans Hals' "Young Man Holding a Skull" freaking out Edvard Munch's "The Scream."
   
   Not all of the artworks are paintings. Emile-Antoine Bourdelle's "Herakles Archer" takes aim at Jasper Johns' "Target with Four Faces," while Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" contemplates Paul Klee's "Large Chess Board." Okay, I am going to stop now because there are only thirteen of these and since the humor comes from the visual juxtaposition describing them spoils the fun. One pair works vertically rather than horizontally. The back of the book tells readers a little bit about each author next to a thumbnail reproduction of their artwork that appears in the book.
   
   The only problem with this book is that there are only 13 such pairs because these only whet your appetite for more of the same. I want to share these with my Introduction to Humanities course, and think it would be fun (and instructive, but not necessarily in that order), to have students put together their own such combinations for the class. I am sure that art teachers or anybody dealing with students with regards to art could do the same thing. I bet that right now you are thinking up your own combinations, like Renoir's "Bathers" and da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." See how easy it is to come up with combinations that can readily produce a smile?



3. This book is so great! I love this book, I love this author. The author, Bob Raczka, juxtaposes two completely different art works to create hilarious scenes. For example, there is a paint-by-numbers type of painting next to a painting of an artist standing and looking in the direction of the page with the paint-by-numbers, holding his paint palette. In another combination, there is a painting of a waterfall. Next to that, you will see a painting of a few men in a small canoe paddling straight towards the falls. I shared this book with a group of complaining and disenchanted fourth graders and it made every single one of them smile and laugh. Success.

No comments about Leeteg of Tahiti: Paintings from the Villa Velour.