MBR: The Art Shelf
Midwest Book Review
Craig Elliott, editor
Aristata publishing
16429 Lost Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91387
978-0975491232, $34.99 www.aristatapublishing.com
"Aphrodisia 2: Art of The Female Form" is a collection of fabulous
artwork that was juried by vintage pin-up photographer Danielle Bedics,
fantasy artist Jullie Bell, Star Wars film designer Iain McCaig, and
Disney Art Director Robh Ruppel who combined their considerable
expertise to present more than 200 works created by professional
artists and illustrators that range from film designer Christohe
Vacher, to faerie artist Amy Brown, to fantasy artist and Star Wars
illustrator Dave Dorman. More than just a collection of reproductions,
"Aphrodisia 2" also provides insights into the working methods and
studio life of the panel of judges while showcasing the female form in
a myriad of attitudes, forums, and poses. "Aphrodisia 2: Art of The
Female Form" is a unique and strongly recommended addition to personal,
professional, and academic library Art Studies collections.
A Gallery Of Paintings By Clark Hulings
Clark Hulings
White Burro Publishing
PO Box 32565, Santa Fe, NM 87594
0961636810, $68.00 www.ClarkHulings.com
Now in a newly revised second edition, "A Gallery Of Paintings By Clark
Hulings" showcases the artist's western art along with his own in-depth
commentary on each of the images, sketches, and paintings represented.
This substantially updated edition features a comprehensive index and
fifteen new paintings, with all of the reproductions having been
're-mastered' using state-of-the-art digital technology. The result are
reproduced paintings that are as vibrantly colored as the originals.
Featuring 157 color plates and 45 drawings, this 192-page compendium
provides the reader with an informed and informative body of insights
into the working life of a major American artist whose world has proved
to be enduringly popular since it was first brought to the public's
attention with the first edition published in 1986. "A Gallery of
Painting By Clark Hulings" is a critically important and strongly
recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community
library American Art History reference collections and reading lists.
Adam Van Doren
Samuel G. White
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, 74-2 Union Street, Manchester, VT 05254
1555952720 $55.00 www.hudsonhills.com
Enhanced with informed and informative essays by Avis Berman (a former
director of the Pennsylvania Academy of fine Arts and Adjunct Associate
Professor of hart History at Temple University, Philadelphia) and art
historian Avis Berman, "Adam Van Doren" is a coffee table artbook and
monograph by Samuel G. White (Fellow of the American institute of
Architects and Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts at new York University)
showcasing the watercolor paintings of Adam Van Doren. Working in the
classical tradition, Van Doren's distinctive drawings are drawn from
twenty years of his career and document him as an accomplished colorist
with a particular affinity for architectural elements such as domes,
corbels, caryatids, bays, oriels, cornices, medallions, entablatures,
pediments, and other aspects of architectural distinction, shape and
texture. This particular edition includes plates of Van Doren's work in
Rome, Venice, Paris and New York. Enhanced with a detailed chronology
of his career, a list of selected exhibitions of his work, 'Selected
Collections' and 'Selected Bibliography', "Adam Van Doren" is a seminal
study and a strongly recommended addition to personal, professional,
and academic library Art & Architecture reference collections and
supplemental reading lists.
Charles Munch Dreaming In Color
Charles Munch
Trails Books
923 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703
1879483963 $19.95 www.trailsbooks.com 1-800-236-8088
Charles Munch is a Wisconsin artist whose paintings have as their
themes imaginary landscapes in which humans, animals, and the elements
combine in iconic and mysterious ways. "Charles Munch Dreaming In
Color: Paintings 1971-2006" draws from a retrospective exhibit at the
Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and
showcases the best of his work. Enhanced with an informed and
informative essays by Jody Clowes and Richard Ely, and featuring full
color reproductions of sixty of his best paintings, "Charles Munch
Dreaming In Color" is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to
personal, community, and academic library 20th Century American Art
History collections.
Visual Shock
Michael Kammen
Alfred A. Knopf
1400041295 $35.00 www.aaknopf.com
Art and architectural aspirations have long aroused disputes among
artists, scholars and the common citizen over the appropriateness of
paintings, memorials and monuments: for the first time these debates
are surveyed in VISUAL SHOCK: A HISTORY OF ART CONTROVERSIES IN
AMERICAN CULTURE. Here are the social and political disputes which have
taken place from the 1830s to modern times, with central themes and
relationships including questions on the types of art appropriate for a
democratic society, and how to assess and possibly regulate its
appearance. Changes in policies, opinions, and conflicts between
trustees of the arts and the general public are chronicled in chapters
surveying the wild world of art history. An outstanding survey.
Edgar Degas: The Last Landscapes
Ann Dumas, et.al.
Merrell
1858943434 $29.95 www.merrellpublishers.com
There have been so many books on the market covering the life and works
of Degas that we're almost hesitant to recommend yet another, but what
makes Edgar Degas: The Last Landscapes stand out from the crowd is its
in-depth focus on a surprisingly little-known aspect of his work: his
scenery of northern France and the small town of his childhood. Here he
experimented with painting and print-making techniques and used his
sketchbook drawings to integrate landscape painting into his more
notable works. A hundred works by Degas provides a new focus on this
aspect of his vision and influence.
The Imprint of Place
David P. Becker
Down East Books
P.O. Box 679, Camden, ME 04843-0679
0892727187 $35.00 www.downeastbooks.com
While THE IMPRINT OF PLACE: MAINE PRINTMAKING 1800-2005 would initially
seem to be of very narrow regional interest, in reality it deserves a
place in the holdings of any art library collection strong in
printmaking representations. It represents a catalog celebrating some
200 years of printmaking with a large collaborative fine-arts project
embracing a series of exhibitions and education programs, and as such
provides the first chronological survey of the subject, standing as
well alone as it does with the exhibit.
David C. Driskell
Julie L. McGree
Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
PO Box 808022, Petaluma, CA 94975-8022
978-0-7649-3747-7, $45,00 www.pomegranate.com 1-800-227-1428
Awarded the National Humanities Medal for his contributions to American
public life, "David C. Driskell: Artist And Scholar" surveys nearly
fifty years of Driskell's artistry, scholarship, humanitarianism,
creativity and vision, as well as his work as an artist, teacher,
curator, collector, and diplomat. Simply stated, there is no one who
has done more to establish the study of African American art within the
canon of American art scholarship that David Driskell. Now teacher,
researcher and art historian Julie L. McGree (specializing in modern
and contemporary visual culture of Africa and the African diaspora and
who has spent more than a decade teaching art history at Bowdoin
College, Bunswick, Maine) has created a showcase of more than 200
full-color and b/w images featuring Driskell's work and life -
including personal photographs of Driskell, his family, friends, and
associates. More than 50 years of Driskell's paintings, drawings,
prints, and collages are represented, along with an insightfully
informative text providing background and biography. "David C.
Driskell: Artist And Scholar" is an enthusiastically recommended and
substantive addition to academic library African American Studies and
American Art History reference collections.
Romare Bearden
Sally Price & Richard Price
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4112
0812239482, $49.95 www.upenn.edu/pennpress 1-800-537-5487
"Romare Bearden: The Caribbean Dimension", co-authored by Sally Price
and her husband Richard (both of whom are professor of American
Studies, Anthropology, and History at the College of William and Mary
in Virginia) showcases the life and work of the African American artist
Romare Bearden (1911-1988) and his Caribbean work during his last
twenty years with its themes of 'enchanted places and lush forest
settings for sensuous female nudes. Also included is his 'Carnival'
series revealing through an artist's eye the quintessential nature of
this annual Caribbean celebration. Best known for his paintings and
collages of jazz and the rural South, Bearden's work was postumously
recognized with an exhibition at the national Gallery of Art in 2003.
Enhanced with the inclusion of 130 paintings, as well as a profusion of
photographs of Bearden and his friends, "Romare Bearden" also
incorporates poet Derek Walcott and writer Albuert Murray's critical
assessments of Bearden's enduring legacy, along with the thoughts of
such luminaries as James Baldwin, Alvin Alley, and Ralph Ellison.
Simply stated, no serious academic library American Art History
collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the
inclusion of "Romare Bearden: The Caribbean Dimension".
Pop
Mark Francis, Editor; Hal Foster, Survey
Phaidon Press
180 Varick St., 14th Floor, New York NY 10014
0714843636 $75.00 www.phaidon.com
Mark Francis is a London curator and writer, Hal Foster a Townsend
Martin Professor of Art and Archaeology at Princeton: the two combine
forces in POP. Pop described art, film, photography and architectural
design from the 1950s through the 50s, which used mass media and mass
production as inspiration. Other histories have presented Pop art as an
isolated form: POP surveys all its various forms around the world,
providing a rich key to the art and influences of artists from Warhol
to Sigmar Polke. Full-page black and white and color examples appear
throughout, but it's the rich, in-depth art and cultural survey which
sets POP aside from any other.
The Education of A Graphic Designer, 2nd Edition
Steven Heller
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd St., New York NY 10010
1581154313 $24.95 www.allworth.com
Why purchase this newly published second edition of THE EDUCATION OF A
GRAPHIC DESIGNER when you already own the a first edition? Because it's
more than an just a minor update: forty new essays discussing a range
of the latest graphic design topics, from web construction and digital
media, have been added to this second edition, where top designers and
educators speak of both theory and applications. College-level
undergrad and grad students will find EDUCATION OF A GRAPHIC DESIGNER
an essential survey of major practices and ideas within the graphic
design industry: a survey that is simply not to be missed by any
dedicated and professional graphic designer.
Snow Painting
Rosemary Reed
Publishers Design Group
Box 37, Roseville, CA 95678
1929170157 $32.95 www.publishersdesign.com
SNOW PAINTING: CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING is a gorgeous presentation
providing artists with all the fundamentals needed to produce
Chinese-style brush paintings. From a survey of inks, stones, and
brushes to a treatise on basic color, paper, observing and
understanding how snow is depicted in art, and a step-by-step approach
to subject definition, materials, and effects, SNOW PAINTING is packed
with detail ranging from bird observation to stylistic guidelines.
Simply lovely and well detailed.
The Blaue Reiter Almanac
Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, Editors
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115-5597
0878467009 $22.50 www.mfa.org
The Blaue Reiter art movement began in 1911, founded by the same two
young painters who here edit THE BLAUE REITER ALMANAC: it blended
international culture with European avant-garde and THE BLAUE REITER
ALMANAC provides essays long unavailable in English. This documentary
edition is edited by Klaus Lankheit and blends art history and a survey
of moments with black and white illustrations and Blaue Reiter
philosophy. A 'must' for any who would understand the premises and
foundation history of the Blaue Reiter movement.
New Directions in Jewellery
Jivan Astflack, Caroline Broadhead & Paul Derrez
Black Dog Publishing
Unit 4.04 Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High St., London E1 6JJ UK
1904772196 $39.95 www.bdpworld.com
Over 80 jewelry makers who are creating radical new designs, blending
textiles with sculpture, are changing the way jewelry is made and
presented, and NEW DIRECTIONS IN JEWELLERY discusses these changes in
essays which profile artists and their approaches. Distinguishing
design paths, examples of various designs which defy the usual
geometric and material choices, and commentary on artist and fashion
statements make NEW DIRECTIONS IN JEWELLERY an excellent survey of the
latest trends in style and jewelry creation. Informed and informative,
NEW DIRECTIONS IN JEWELLERY is a 'must' for any college-level or
professional reference collection strong in modern art and jewelry.
Fantastic Realms
V. Shane
Impact
c/o F&W Publications
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 452326
1581806825 $19.99 www.fwpubs.com
If you like to draw and enjoy fantasy, then V. Shane's FANTASTIC
REALMS: DRAW FANTASY CHARACTERS, CREATURES AND SETTINGS is for you.
Packed with both step-by-step inlay illustrations of close-ups for
drawing hands, inking approaches, and capturing action and color
drawings of full finished products, FANTASTIC REALMS offers everything
from coloring keys and notes on texturing and shading to using variety
and bar sweeps to give an atmosphere to movement.
North Light Books
c/o F&W Publications
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.artistsnetwork.com
Judi Watanabe, Alison Eads and Laurie Dewberry's RETRO MANIA!
(1581807465, $17.99) is a craft title to delight the eye: over sixty
cards, party decorations, and scrapbook layouts demonstrate the retro
style from the 1940s through the 70s, suggesting flashy ideas for
themes and offering 'recipes' for success which include explicit
directions on card stock and types, gift boxes and cans to make, and
more. An excellent display of fun projects tied with ideas for
entertainment and gift-giving. Jean Grastorf's POURING LIGHT: LAYERING
TRANSPARENT WATERCOLOR (1581806051, $28.99) advocates pouring
watercolor to achieve radiant results. It's a technique which involves
balancing the free flow of watercolor on wet paper, which sounds
complicated and iffy - but not under artist instructor Jean
Grastorf's hand. From the unique requirements involved in pouring
colors to understanding the role of light in the watercolor medium,
POURING LIGHT is filled with tips, pages packed with color examples,
and wonderful artist insights.
Contemporary Clay
Joe Earle
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115-5597
0878466967 $24.95 www.mfa.org
Over fifty works by modern clay artists are profiled in CONTEMPORARY
CLAY: JAPANESE CERAMICS FOR THE NEW CENTURY, a catalog which follows
the most innovative of Japanese ceramists. Puts range from porcelains
with Chinese inspirations from the past to contemporary modern designs
and provide a survey of different uses of modern forms, along with
artist reactions to the new clay works. Each artist receives a full
page photo and a facing page describing training and the evolution of
repertoire and direction, making CONTEMPORARY CLAY an outstanding
presentation recommended for art library collections.
World on Sunday
Nicholson Baker & Margaret Brentano
Bullfinch Press
c/o Little, Brown & Company
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
0821261932 $50.00 www.bullfinchpress.com 1-800-759-0190
Joseph Pulitzer's New York WORLD flourished at the turn of the 20th
century and grew from a modern daily paper to a sensationalist
publication packed with striking colorful art, from photos to cartoons
and drawings. THE WORLD ON SUNDAY gathers over a hundred of the best
from WORLD and places them in an oversized presentation to display
their color on single and double-page spreads. A chronological
arrangement lends to a fine sequence of reproductions tracing editorial
and news highlights of the times, while colorful commentary accompanies
the pieces and provides the necessary background for appreciation by
all audiences. THE WORLD ON SUNDAY: GRAPHIC ART IN JOSEPH PULITZER'S
NEWSPAPER (1898-1911) is a top pick not just for art or newspaper
library holdings, but for general-interest collections as well: it
captures the art, craft and style of a bygone era and is a lush example
of newspaper history at its finest.
How To Draw Magnificent Mammals
Earl R. Phelps
Phelps Publishing
PO Box 22401, Cleveland, OH 44122
1887627065, $14.95 www.phelpspublishing.com
In "How To Draw Magnificent Mammals", artist and illustrator Earl
Phelps draws upon his more than 30 years of experience and expertise in
the field to create a fun and effective 'how to' book for children
wanting to learn how to accurately and easily draw all manner of
animals including the two-toed sloth, a polar bear, an African
elephant, a pipistrelle bat, a dingo, a markhor, a walrus, a giraffe,
an hyena, a rhinoceros, a wart hog, a leopard, a baboon, a slender
loris, a red kangaroo, a llama, an aardvark, a gorilla, and a lion.
Each animal is showcased with step-by-step instructions that are as
effective as they are 'kid friendly'. Information as to each individual
animal's behavior, habitat and diet are also featured. Also very highly
recommended for rainy day fun activities and art class curriculum
supplements are Earl Phelps' earlier 'how to' art instruction books:
How To Draw Supercharacters And Supermonsters"; and "How To Draw
Spectacular Reptiles.
Make It Pop!
Joyce Raimondo
Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0823025071 $12.95 www.watsonguptill.com
Ages 5-12 and parents and teachers will appreciate this unusual focus:
a collection of art activities for this age group that provides a
visual focus on the basic elements of Pop Art. Six artists plus the
author provide a survey of Pop Art elements and explore the stories
behind major art works - then moves beyond to encourage kids to
create their own Pop Art. Bright pages of color examples and a
question/answer format promises learning and fun.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to
promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We
accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to
post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites,
newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational
newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book
Review a credit line when doing so.
The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines
"California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch",
"MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch".
All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them
to:
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to
Fruga...@aol.com (Be sure to include the book title, author,
publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 10-digit
ISBN number, and list price).
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Midwest Book Review
Pop
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to
promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We
accept no funds from authors or publishers in order to avoid possible
conflict of interest issues. Full permission is given to post any of
these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups,
listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or
to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit
line when doing so.
The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines
"California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch",
"MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch".
All of these publications are archived and available for free on the