A sweet unassuming former art teacher who spends much of her ...
591809
Title: Advantage Miss Seeton - Miss Seeton Mystery Book 7
Author: Heron Carvic (Ghost Writer - Hampton Charles)
Published: 8-11-2016
Publisher: Farrago
Pages: 304
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Women Sleuths; Amateur Sleuths;
ISBN: 13-978-0786222421
ASIN: B01HQWW7H8
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley And Farrago in exchange for my honest review
My Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Miss Seeton and her trusty umbrella are drawn into the world of competitive tennis through the threats to Hanging Judge Justice William Thumper, renowned for dishing out maximum sentences with a side of a humiliating tongue lashing.  Someone is out for revenge and is not about using the Justice's daughter, Trish to get it.  There is also a string of robberies of local churches involved.

With a new author comes subtle changes, but the basics of the series is the same.  A sweet unassuming former art teacher who spends much of her time helping the police solve crimes.  Advantage Miss Seeton is a humorous read that leaves the reader smiling at the dialog and searching for the next Miss Seeton book to see what is going to happen next.  Strong, developed characters paired with with a quick well developed plot make this a must read for all who enjoy traditional British cozy.  The biggest difference in writers is the introduction of subtle romantic sub-stories without overblown sex scenes.  Charles keeps the language clean and the violence inferred, but not graphically described.

I continue to love Miss Seeton Mysteries and look forward to reading book 8 Miss Seeton at the Helm.  If you have not read the prior books in the series, don't worry, they can each be read as a stand alone.
923276
The artist's life is fraught with challenges of self doubt, fear of not having anything original to say, hesitancy at placing finished art before the critical public, all forms of shaky self acceptance. The artist's life is also one of passion and commitment and enriching insights into the secrets of the universe not always accessible to others.

In this very creative book, Clara Lieu addresses all of these issues, whether they originate from the student, the professional, or the teacher. Her credentials are impressive: she is a visual artist and adjunct professor at the Rhode Island School of Design with a past history of teaching at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, at Wellesley College, the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, and serving as Director of the Jewett Art Gallery at Wellesley College. In other words, she has been a participant in each of the three categories she addresses. `When I was an art student, I looked forward to being a professional artist and could not imagine being a teacher. As a professional artist, I was eager to teach and missed being a student. Now a teacher, I no longer take formal classes but I've tried to internalize the kind of thinking and questioning that was demanded of me as a student. At every point in one's creative arc, there is always something to learn, something to create, and something to teach. The three intertwined roles of `student,' `professional', and `teacher' are critical to living a creative life.'

The book offers sixty tips for all artists in all fields of development, tips such as `ask for help', `learn by teaching', `learn to let go', `use comparisons to grow', `ideas will always prevail over technique', `never apologize for your work', `be knowledgeable of work beyond you own', `be consistent and reliable', `find or create a network of artists', `never ever stop making your art' - and so many more seemingly brief thoughts made cogent by the accompanying remarks and by the (what must be the art of Lieu) line drawings that become symbols for Lieu's warmly offered advice.

A book's end, Clara Lieu concludes: 'To live as an artist is to feel ongoing yearning, doubt, worry, and passion.  I worry every day about my work and whether I can live up to my own creative standards. I doubt my abilities and question whether I will ever achieve my goals.  However, as grueling as the creative process can be, I know that I savor every minute, regardless of how things are going.  I love moments when I'm so thoroughly engaged in creating that time disappears, I stop hearing music, and I don't want to sleep.  This is what I live for.' Clara Lieu is a positive force for all artists. Read and absorb. Grady Harp, August 13
1167923
It was a sweet story about a Senior citizen who gets into crime solving because she is sharp as a tack and very kind.
2068621
A lovely book about an inspiring, pioneer woman. Not only that, the great grandmother of the author who inherited a treasure trove of photos and a first-hand narrative rarely available about a woman born in 1842 who settled in rural Indiana and lived well into the twentieth century without electricity and other modern conveniences. Almyra King Holsclaw's life was spent in service to her husband and large family. Despite living without modern medicine, she lived a full and independent 89 years. She had her priorities straight--simple needs and service to family and neighbors. The book contains lovely color illustrations by young artists and is an interesting read. I especially recommend this book to younger people who get a rare glimpse into daily life in nineteenth century Indiana.
3845246
the late Irish McCalla was one of the greatest Western artists I have ever known.  Her oils and charcoals were amazing and frankly I know more about her as an artist than as an actress.  I never really saw her Sheena series until a friend recently gave us Volume 1.  I bought the next two volumes as a tribute.  Another actress friend of ours, also deceased, Jane Greer told us how she met Irish on location and found she was being paid less than the average day laborer.  Irish was set straight on how she was taken advantage of.  I can't vouch for her acting as how much can you do in material like Sheena, though it is enjoyable.  She does seem to get tied up a lot.  However, she is a very warm human being and I enjoyed meeting her at an autograph show several years ago.  She and my wife hit it off big time as we already had the art in our home and it is my wife's favorite.  Not enough is known about this woman and it is a shame.  Buy this DVD, but if you can find her art, there's the real investment.
18937
A good read written with the humor of a fine teacher engaged in appreciating her profession and her students.  There are some great teachers in this world, and it occurs to me that she is one of them.
1910003
I feel like a kindergarten girl for how much I love this little piece of art. For such an inexpensive item, it looks really lovely. I'm not a knickknack lover, but this is both useful and pretty. And her long tail catches all the incense debris beautifully.
3017571
This sweet digital e-Book shows the growth of the author's artistic talents. You download the pages/book as a .pdf, *the link is inside the book*, and print off whichever page(s) you want.
The hippy-stylized pictures of varied animals are fun and cheerful. I think it's great that the animal becomes either exposed, or remains hidden, depending on how you want to emphasize the subject of the page.
The con of a few of pictures are the black sections that will require more ink.
I was happy to receive this book for free in exchange for my opinion on my personal use.
1241005
Who ever thought that, as an adult, you could self-administer art therapy through opting for coloring in pictures? If you haven't heard about it yet, doing so might seem too close to retreating into ones second childhood for comfort. However, one of the most sophisticated nations, if not the most sophisticated nation, on earth, France, has come up with just such a form of seeking stress relief. With over 350,000 sales in the bag, the publishers of 100 Coloriages Anti-Stress are coining the market in creating therapeutic manuals featuring the most involved pictures of artworks from the Middle Ages, patterns that are enough to turn Austin Powers think-alikes into spasms of ecstasy, and the most apparently intricate landscaped gardens that have ever been framed.

Now, from the pen of the lifelong artist, Wendy Piersall, comes a collection of thirty wildlife designs that will have you reaching for your crayons, paints, and felt-tip pens in the blink of an eye. Not only will coloring these wonderfully seductive and intriguing pictures in provide you with relief from the hurry and scurry of everyday life and its seemingly ever-present demands, but you will also be able to reach a little closer to your own personal Nirvana. Each of the pictures is, in fact, a mandala (Sanskrit for circle), which is a means of retreating from the world that has been used for eons as an aid to meditation and healing. So both old and new impulses are catered for in this diverse mix of lions, dragons, peacocks and unicorns, among other creatures of both real and fantasy worlds.

If you are a parent, why not join your kids in their coloring-in activitiesafter all, you can legitimately give yourself time off, while participating in an enjoyable pastime with them as well. If you are a harassed employee, who desperately needs to put your feet up at the end of a hard days work, yet who cannot abide to face another evening of same old, same old TV, why not relax by focusing on a quiet and soothing way of spending some hard-won me time, helping to create an artwork that will look beautiful with minimal effort, and experience, on your side? Coloring Animal Mandalas might just also set you free from stereotypical thinking regarding age-appropriate activities, and open you up to a whole new world of self-exploration and delight. Just give Piersall a chance to take you there, and you won't be looking back, but only forwards to your next colorful creation!
1683081
I received this book as a gift from a pen pal in Japan about fifteen years ago, and recently found it on Amazon - so I had to buy copies of it for all of my friends. This is a very sweet, simple book and it is also a true story of the author, who is a famous television personality in Japan. The story is written very simply, and it would not be inappropriate for a child, yet not too simplified for an adult. The story begins when Totto-chan, the heroine of the story, is on her way to a new school after being expelled from her old school (she does not find out about the expulsion until years later). The new school is a progressive school which does things in a different way, and treats children differently, teaching them to see the world in a new way. The book is filled with side splitting funny stories, and a few touching ones as well. When you finish reading it, (it won't take long) it will bring a tear to your eye, but make you smile, and make you feel better for having read it. Check it out - I promise you won't be disappointed.
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Children's dreams about their future careers often begin when they are young students. The teacher featured in this gentle tribute dreamed of becoming a teacher when she was a student in that very same classroom. Over the years she taught children who in turn became doctors, politicians, parents, and grandparents.  Why did she stay in the same urban classroom when she could have taught in a different school or even retired? It was her love of teaching young people the joy of reading, writing, dancing, appreciating music, giving to others, and making a difference.

This warmly illustrated book by noted author and illustrator James Ransome makes a valuable addition to any collection and will help stimulate useful discussions about education and careers.
1189821
She is an amazing talent and a beatific artist
569773
A sweet story with a good lesson. The artwork is amazing.
653767
I was given this book as a holiday gift, by a fellow artist, and it is delightful. The author's obvious love of her subject shines through, as the reader is allowed to peer over her shoulder and view a grouping of unique, distinctive and heartfelt personal archives.  Each scrapbook is a private view of a life that was made more meaningful by the practice of collecting and saving small bits of paper, souveniers, photos and ephemera. Most of the books have the un-self-conscious intimacy of private visual journals.  The hand-written inscriptions and at-times inexplicable clippings and carefully-saved what-nots create a mood of unmistakeable pathos. As one who keeps visual art journals, and has written books on this topic ("Artists Journals & Sketchbooks"), I felt this book added significantly to my thoughts about why people need the emotional outlet of hand-made archives to express their innermost thoughts.
140871
In a recent art class, this book was mentioned.  I decided to check it out and found the reading was interesting and the exercises intriguing enough that I was totally immersed and time just slipped away. Ms Edwards is a wonderful teacher.  Highly recommend for anyone wishing to improve their perception and observation in honing art skills.
3187788
How would you react if you owned an expensive painting and found it missing?  Nine-and-a-half-year-old Cody Greene lives in Aurora, NM, which is an artists' community, with his parents, Bryan and Annette Greene, who run seven art galleries there and in six other places, and is homeschooled.  His mom is pregnant.  His best friend Violet Anguri, who lives with her father Arun, an artist, and mother Neola, a police detective, is also nine and homeschooled.  Violet's grandparents had emigrated to the United States from northern India.  Cody's favorite thing to do in the whole wide world is to draw, while Violet loves sports, but they are still good friends and like to play video games together.
  Just before the Aurora Annual Art Festival and Fair, seven works of art, each one a different color of the rainbow, are stolen from the gallery, and every time a basket filled with produce the same color as the artwork is left in its place.  The first one of them is an acrylic painting, entitled Crimson Lights and appraised for a million dollars, by famous artist Jose Vasquez.  The painting was done in different shades of red, and the basket had cherries, apples, and strawberries.  As an artist, Cody sketches the baskets hoping to find clues to the robberies.  There are several possible suspects, including the art residents who live and work in the gallery, but no one believes that any of them would do it.  And the police just don't have much to go on.  So will they ever find the culprit?
  This story has a very engaging plot.  While written on a level to attract the attention of pre-teens, it easily held my interest and kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.  Author Linda Fields came up with the idea for the character of Cody when she noticed that most other children's books didn't have people from a variety of ethnicities.  Like several other stories from Do Right Life, it presents a very positive picture of home education.  Through cooking with Violet and her family, visiting the midwife Willow Anne with his mom, hiking in the mountains with his dad, and assisting with the preparation for the upcoming arts and crafts festival, Cody's homeschooling takes many different turns as he helps to solve The Rainbow Mystery.
1786759
I love this book. The cover really grabbed me as I walked through my local bookstore. I read the first page and was sold:

Someday I am going to be a great artist. I will wear a blue smock. I will carry my paints to the beach to paint the sea. A very rich person will offer to buy my painting for two million dollars. But I will smile. And I will say: "I'm sorry, this painting is not for sale. It is a gift for my art teacher." Someday...

Okay, don't you love that?? Kids LOVE this book and it is uplifting and fun to read to them. If you want to encourage children to dream with unending imagination, find a spot for it on your bookshelf! Students had a lot of fun talking about their Somedays.