A HEAVENLY, ARTFUL APPROACH
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She's getting to be a habit with us, this Sister Wendy Beckett, renowned daughter of Christ, art historian and hostess of a widely-acclaimed small-screen series. Her heavenly philosophy - that there is something for everyone to love when it comes to art - is what has allowed her to become an icon for the great unwashed masses who don't know their beans about Goya. This thick tome, the companion volume to the upcoming PBS series of the same name, focuses on six American museums (including New York City's Metropolitan and Boston's MFA), from whose collections Sister Wendy has judiciously culled her own "American collection." Here, she shares her keen knowledge and indomitable enthusiasm and humor, demystifying art history while educating about style and technique. Quite the artful angel
2875773
I have read the previous reviews, and find that the people with criticism have missed the most important point.  For me, it is that by using Mr. Zhang's complementary palettes, a painter cannot create MUD!
There may be other books which describe some of the notions of opposites presented by the authors, but none which provide an artist with such a foolproof method for mixing harmonious paint.  After many years of using the classic paint hues of the great masters, I attempted a painting with one of Mr. Zhang's palettes, and found that with respect to color, it is the best and most satisfying work of my life.  Now I paint exclusively with them.
I believe that this book is meant for advanced artists, although beginners will find a world of important fundamentals, as well.
For all its valuable lessons, the pages of the book are also filled with absolutely stunning paintings.  HongNian Zhang creates sheer visual poetry.  His book, so clearly and intelligently written by portrait artist and teacher Lois Woolley, is replete with novel ideas, expert instruction, and edifying demonstrations.  But it would also be worth owning for the paintings alone.
I do wish persons who consider writing a review would actually read and study the book, and in the case of an instruction book for artists, that they actually attempt putting to practice the lessons taught -- otherwise they have no basis from which to judge, and no business doing so.  I can't recommend this book highly enough -- five stars are far too few!
1404041
The foreword to this book, by Deborah Needham, says its message is a sonnet to the seasons.  It rejoices in the beauties particular to each and to the immense joy to be had from paying witness to those changes, and of bringing its fruit into the home.  This lovely book is a collaboration between the celebrated lifestyle photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo (text and photos) and Nicolette Owen of Brooklyns famous Little Flower Shop (arrangements).

Its arrangements are typical of the back to nature esthetic movement, which showcases local and seasonal beauty harmoniously and ingeniously composed, without using either out-of-season flowers or rare floral and plant materials.  But these arrangements, though composed sometimes of very ordinary materials, are anything but ordinary themselves.  The inherent beauty of the simple is the guiding principle here, and Ngoc and Owen demonstrate how locally sourced materials, beautiful in themselves, achieve a holly new level of beauty through lush and artful combination.

The book is divided into the four seasons of the year and each season features favorite flowers, around which exquisite displays are constructed.  Owen effortlessly blends together the spare and sublimely economical esthetic of Japanese flower arranging with a taste for the lush ripeness of French floral bouquets.  Ngocs photography captures arrangements that are saturated with floral color, ripe fruits and mysterious greenery, all structured in artful poses and expressive gestures.

Here are the flowers that anchor the seasonal designs, in order: peony, fritillary, carnation, dahlia, chrysanthemum, hellebore, quince.  All are familiar, common and easy to grow in most gardens; interestingly, only the peony is what most gardeners would think of as an outstanding beauty, while the others are not what one would expect to attract the eye of the flower arranger.  A word about the choice of the fritillary: this is perhaps the least common of the principal flowers and it is a bit odd for this to make the list, but I confess a particular fondness for it.  It grows in water meadows, and they thrive in the meadows of the River Cherwell in England, as Ngoc notes in her comments, next to Magdalen College at Oxford where I studied for three years.

Sometimes an arrangement consists of a single bloom, sometimes a handful of blooms to the same flower, sometimes a large bouquet of many different flowers but all in a harmonious monotone of color, and sometimes a variety of flowers in a complex blend of colors and shapes.  But always the effect is the same: beauty achieved by conveying the essence of the flower or plant material to the mind of the observer in a way that is almost transcendental and that uses an economy of materials that is haiku-like in its densely poetic expression and its miraculously spare structure.

This is a book to delight the eye, and it broadens the mind to new worlds of flower combinations and new ways to use the beautiful materials that are around us in such abundance.  People have been arranging flowers for thousands of years.  This book, with is gorgeous visions and insights on every page, gives us a mature esthetic vision and a sense of joy in the nature that is all around us, waiting to be admired.
2244902
I have indulged by spending the whole of this day on the bed and on the couch communing with Stuckey's book. And I'm impressed by the skillful way in which she moves between the parts that are intellectual scholarship and those that are personal experience.
The weaving of the two modes is artful. I tried to imagine myself doing that dance, and I doubt that I could manage to integrate the two in the graceful and erudite way that she has done. (I am using "erudite" in the best sense of that word, meaning explaining phenomena clearly without overly emphasizing scholarship. )
Even her choosing the right quotations is artful, in that they are all clearly to the point in the place where they appear, and they say just enough to illuminate and forward the reader's own thought. It's an elegant and moving work of art.
1216068
I just picked up 101 Things to Learn in Art School, by Kit White. I found this square little book in the beautiful Getty Center in LA. The book is covered in black rubber and is really fun to hold and touch. Though it is essentially about making art, and some of it is devoted to perspective and composition, much of what White says can be applied to writing and creating in general. There are pages and pages of inspirational messages, coupled with black-and-white reproductions of famous artists' work as interpreted by White. The best thing about this book is it makes you want to create. The drawings are beautiful and make you think about paintings you haven't seen in a while. This is a gentle and brilliant book. Below are some of the more memorable quotes:

Art is the product of process. Whether conceptual, experimental, emotional, or formal, the process you develop yields the image you produce. The materials you choose, the methods of production, and the sources of the images should all reflect the interests that command your attention. The process does not stop with each work completed. It is ongoing. The cumulative result of that process is a body of work.

Art is a continuing dialogue that stretches back through thousands of years. What you make is your contribution to that dialogue. Therefore, be conscious of what has come before you and the conversation that surrounds you. Try not to repeat what has already been said. Study art history and stay alert to the dialogue of your moment.

Complexity derives from the presence of contradiction.  The world is not simple. It is rife with complexity.  the impulse to eliminate the contradictions that create complexity is natural. But to simplify may be to render a false condition and therefore an incomplete description. Embrace the irreconcilable elements, the contradictions. They are part of any portrait of a moment.

Making art is an act of discovery. If you are dealing only with what you know, you may not be doing your job. When you discovery something new, or surprise yourself, you are engaging in the process of discovery.
104862
This book gives resourceful, stimulating, and yet practical and attainable possibities to an often problematic issue. The artful solutions proposed are set in a nice paradigm to illustrate the seven steps in a condensed version, the reader can see the quantum result prior to the detailed interpreation of the process. A delightful read for anyone looking to stretch their creative legs.
1481187
The title of this book describes it beautifully. I typically race through a book from start to finish, but not with Dancing with the Divine. The energy has me pausing and integrating as I go. Infused with a sense of reverence and humility, I'm experiencing a sense of peace and awe with every section.

Sheevaun Moran has a way of synthesizing different and complex ideas - revealing how they are related and creating greater clarity and simplicity. In this book, Sheevaun brings texture and color to different aspects of the Divine - inviting me to be more focused in my goals and requests.

I've used different aspects to help me exercise again and better serve my clients. I have literally gone from having pain in my feet and ankles walking to jogging on the treadmill. One of my favorite aspects is helping guide me as I make daily choices and decisions.

Thank you for sharing this information Sheevaun. It's simply beautiful. Simply Divine
3200432
I rarely write a review for a book before reading it in its entirety, but for this book I shall make an exception. The artwork is beautiful, yes. But the book's contents are even more lovely. The introduction is revealing, and the prose is well-formulated, insightful, and inspiring. I intend to gift this to someone very special.
1118308
I love this book! I found that the introduction was helpful in placing each piece of art in context. The works themselves are gorgeous and enchanting. The book really shows the breadth of talent and subject matter Rackham mastered, as well as his superb use of composition and imagination. An excellent book for any collection, for children and adults alike.
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Dr. Ghezzi has created a spiritual mosaic with this title.  Piecing together great scholarship, approachable language and piercing advice this volume is a feast for those looking for spiritual food.

While not yielding to obnoxious myths and legends Dr. Ghezzi is able to draw out the richness of the historical saints.  Then with wit and wisdom, he is able to cast their timeless messages into accessible language for today's person without sacrificing his spirituality on the altar of fad and fashion.

Dr. Ghezzi opens new windows of insight into the saints and the nature of the church while calling all of us to apply that insight in the "real" world.
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Published 8 Aug. 2017 by artist author Lynn Whipple and Quarto Publishing, this 128 page book is lavishly photographed and vibrant and just plain exuberant.  The first introductory chapter is titled "permission to play".  I just love that.

The author's style isn't condescending at all.  Many art how-to books in my experience include instructions that start with 'draw a circle' and then, skipping about 42 years of practice, go directly to 'firm up your outline drawing and wind up with this' daVinci study:

*sigh*

I'm not daVinci.  Aaaaanyhow, to make another glaring contrast, this book is different from most all of the other art instruction books in my personal experience.

The author's style is playful and fun. She knows we can succeed once we quit trying to be daVinci and start being ourselves and letting our creativity lead us to our own creations (not someone else's).  That was quite profound for me.  Plus she quotes probably my favorite living author, Neil Gaiman:

  And now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make good art. Neil Gaiman

Beautiful sentiment beautifully expressed. If you have a chance, please go read/watch his moving and profound commencement address from whence came the quote above.

Back to the book. It spends a fair amount of effort preparing the aspiring artist to embrace their creativity and tapping into it and letting it out.  She also mentions how freeing and exciting and fun it is getting in touch with our creativity. There is an introduction and discussion of tools and supplies, studio solutions including lighting and ergonomic working spaces and the use of humor as an exercise in opening up our creativity.

There are creativity exercises including concrete advice listed in bullet points for starting and succeeding, choosing music that inspires you (and sometimes dancing is necessary)

The exercises progress from opening yourself up to expression through to finding your voice as an artist and finally learning sharing and finding a community.

I really enjoyed this brightly written book with lovely humorous photographs full of blazing color.  Exuberant really is the correct word from cover to cover.

Four stars - there is valuable content here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
3160447
What a BEAUTIFUL book! Ruth's gorgeous watercolors are amazing; I want to wallpaper my house with them. And her thoughtful, encouraging words that go along with her art are the perfect little morsel to start off the day. I've enjoyed savoring one "chapter" each morning and then leaving the book open on my ottoman to the artwork to see throughout the day. This book is a treat in every way. I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And I can't wait to share it with my friends and family.
367804
Others have exclaimed about the intensely beautiful art and fine presentation of the deck.  All I would add is a reply to some complaints in other reviews.

The book:  Marie White's approach to creating this deck draws from a very wide variety of sources, but is in no way clearly aligned with one particular method or practice.  It seems to me she is a mystic and that her writing and art are quite direct expressions of ecstatic experience.  The bhakti (Hindu mystic) poet Mirabai wrote:  "Some revile me,/ others applaud,/ I simply follow my incomprehensible road./ A razor-thin path/ but you meet some good people,/a terrible path but you hear a true word."  My own personal practice is more closely aligned with the worldview of the Wildwood Tarot.  Marie White's path isn't exactly mine and it isn't likely to be yours - it's hers.  Nonetheless, I'm finding that I learn a great deal from her deck and book every day that I work with it.  I appreciate the ways in which she presses me outside my comfort zone.

Printing and the deck itself:  My deck was properly aligned, no signs of printing or lamination issues that others experienced.  My only trouble is that my hands are too small to shuffle this deck in the way I'm used to (arching).  I wouldn't like the art to be smaller, but I will have to experiment with other methods of mixing the cards.
2534202
Mary's works are beautiful, and this is the book that sort of clinched it that I would have to study watercolor just to deepen my appreciation. I was so impressed with her subjects and her compositions... It amazes me to look at the works of good watercolorists to see how they compose so selectively and gracefully -- what you see clearly, what you don't, and the lovely negative spaces that tighten the composition.

I recently visited a doctor's office with a friend and was delighted to see the place was also a very fine art gallery. While I waited for her, I looked at all of the many paintings and felt I should apologize for the path of drool that surely must have followed me as I visited them all. The works of good artists are intensely personal and tell something about the artist's journey through life.

Mary's books work that way for me. I appreciate her homey paintings and her loving portraits and the snowy scenes... all. It is like walking with her on her journey and seeing the world through her eyes -- something of a pilgrimage and a mystically silent conversation.

And yes, to answer a question, perhaps -- the color reproductions are quite nice.
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The Artist's Way : A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron has developed a devoted following among people searching for ways to  develop, unblock, or discover their art.  The keys to the success of this  program are the Morning Pages, Artist's Dates, and the creative exercises  outlined in the original book.  This companion book provides a useful and  fun way to monitor your progress and to keep on track.
Elizabeth Cameron  Evans (whom I suspect is Julia's daughter) playfully illustrates each page  of the book with ideas for Artist Dates as well as a checkbox for the days  Morning Pages and room for notes.
As someone who has benefited greatly  from Ms. Cameron's work, but has more than once 'fallen off the wagon', I  find the Artist's Date Book to be an excellent, fun way to keep on track.
Dave
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Jennifer does it again!  She has curated some beautiful works of art, music, poetry and given us eyes to see them as they are: windows by which we may glimpse a peek at the sliver of Divine Light shining through each.  Stories as vast as human history and as small as wishes of the heart are shared and they help to awaken with gratitude an awareness of the One who was by our side all along.  Jennifer seeks to equip her readers with the tools and she embarks on a quest to fan their desires to personally engage in developing their hearts picture of God.
I believe that for anyone interested in the intersection - perhaps symbiosis or even coalescence of Art and Faith, this book (and her previous book "My Dancing Day") are worthy of your bookcase.
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There's a lot to love in this little volume, and particularly in the gorgeous illustrations by Ms. Gilbert. Drawn and painted with what looks like painstaking care, the illustrator has truly captured the beauty, simplicity, and sacredness of the Divine Liturgy. Even as an adult, I found myself deeply drawn into the rich images that accompany the prayerful text. The text itself is broken down into small, child-friendly snippets, featuring highlights from the Divine Liturgy and the prayers one prays before and after the service. I really liked the color-coded sections, which for the first time helped me make sense of the order of the Divine Liturgy. I also enjoyed the section identifying the priests' garments, the clergy, and the items on the altar. All in all, an indispensable, beautiful, and very readable guide for children of diverse ages. Highly recommend if you have kids or know someone with kids.