Artists Books

Whether you practice martial arts or not (I don't), this book will fascinate from beginning to end. It is a story of strength, beauty, joy, and healing. It's a gift, and I'm lucky to have come across it. I recommend it very, very highly.

This is a great book with a misleading cover and an indescript title. IT IS NOT ABOUT MARTIAL ARTS. If you want to read a poetic memoir that is written like a dream, read this book. If you want to learn about strength and struggle, read this book. But if its martial arts you're after, find a different book or better yet, get out of your chair and go get yourself a good teacher.

I am not a marital artist, and from the moment I picked up this book, I COULD NOT SET IT DOWN! This book is a WONDERFUL read. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys reading someone's story in a way that makes you reflect on yourself and see things in a new way. BK Loren is inpsiring and touches you in a way that authors rarely do. I HIGHLY recommend this book. This book should be in several categories including inspiration and self help. BK Loren is a wonderful author. I CAN NOT WAIT her next piece of literature is available.

"The Way of the River" is a compelling, beautifully written book that goes far beyond the subject of enlightenment through the study of martial arts. Ms. Loren has the uncanny ability to draw the reader completely into her autobiographical anecdotes, to the point that I absolutely shared her hopes, fears, triumphs and losses keenly. It is a page turner, and I learned a great deal from reading it.

Martial artists and students will benefit from her insightful perspective on life and perhaps confirm or renew the spirital and philisophical core of their chosen disciplines. Non-martial artists will be equally captured by her flawless prose, lovingly-crafted descriptions, and beatifully-paced chapters. Ms. Loren has a bright future as a writer, and she will definitely join Mark Salzman's company as an author who secures mainstream popularity outside the martial arts genre.

I have just finished reading this book. I have not yet read this book. This is a book you will want to read and revisit and cherish.

BK Loren uses words like brushstrokes in painting intimate images quietly charged with feelings, emotions and insights gathered from a life well lived and grounded in the flow of the martial arts. Unpretentious, she directly shares what she has learned and experienced and seen and felt. Her essays -- meditations -- gradually unfold and grow on you with the resonance of life and clarity. They grow like flowers, well rooted in the earth and opening to reveal personal memories and lessons learned. The cumulative effect stays with you.

I don't know that my words do her book justice. At the very, very least this is a great read. But it goes beyond that. This book is a gift to share with others. Read it and you'll know why.

Highly recommended!

As far as I know, this is the only available publication on Thiebaud. The book covers the artist's career from his early pastries paintings to his recent large-scale landscapes. It also enables the reader to discover less "typical" works, like the portraits of his wife.

However, what makes Thiebaud's paintings striking is their thickness, the way the artist works through the layers of paint, what we call in French "la matière". It is not only the color, which of course is present in the reproductions that fill this book. Unfortunately, that is somewhat lost and therefore I was a bit disappointed when I opened this catalogue for the recent retro on Wayne Thiebaud. The reproductions should have shown more close-ups and details of the works. For this particular artist, something is lacking.

I had ordered this book to share it with my adult painting students in a class I teach. It was to inspire a lesson about painting pictures of pastries. What I found was so much more. The book provides an informative overview of a variety of types of work by this artist, both realist and pop artist, with fine quality reproductions of the art work.

Remember that old Frank Sinatra song that served as an inspirational film for rainy day grade school entertainment in the 50's? Well, if there is an artist who has captured the imagination and dreamy reveries of life in the past century, the quieter, more ebulliently committed time to joy and the simple treasures here, that man is Wayne Thiebaud. WAYNE THIEBAUD: A PAINTINGS RETROSPECTIVE is a beautifully designed catalogue raisonne of the pop artist's oeuvre that toured the country a few years ago. Organized by curator Steven A. Nash of San Francisco (the artist's home) this book is beautifully illustrated with all of the iconic images of pies, cakes, candy apples, etc. that everyone associates with Thiebaud. Yet it gives equal time to the inimitable 'landscapes' of the hilly terrain that is San Francisco, valleys of Northern California, and beaches. Thiebaud's ability to flatten vistas into geometric patterns can be compared to Richard Diebenkorn's purely abstract Ocean Park Series of paintings: both artists understand space, color, and the excitement of the line.

Accompanying this 'delicious' array of Thiebaud paintings are essays by both Nash and by Adam Gopnik of 'New Yorker' who aptly praises Thiebaud as a man in the same company of Americana as Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams, and John Updike! That about sums it all up and this essay alone would be reason enough to buy this important volume of American art history. Simply superb. Grady Harp, October, 2004

This is the definitive book on the works of Wayne Thiebaud, which accompanied the very successful exhibition at the Whitney Museum. Thiebaud is best known for his hyper-realistic paintings of food, so luscious and sensual that they have universal appeal. When Theibaud first started painting in this style, he was compared to the Pop Artists, such as Warhol, Wesselmann, Indiana and Ramos. However, Thiebaud always tried to set himself apart from these artists, because although he agreed with their use of repetitive images as a comment on the banality of American consumerism, he wanted to paint well and believed that a series of soup cans painted poorly did not reflect his goal as an artist. It took many years after the Pop Artists became famous for Thiebaud to achieve the recognition that he deserved, partly because he was considered a regional artist who painted in California. This book is the seminal treatise on the works of Thiebaud and is therefore a must read.

an excellent book with excellent reproductions. i enjoyed it.

you've got to get this book and check out page 97 - tell me what you think.

If you're even a remotely Addams family or cartoon fan, you wouldn't have to read these reviews. Just buy it!

If you are a fan of black humor, then these cartoons are for you. This book contains many of his "Addams Family" cartoons, but there is MUCH more in there as well. A collection of classic cartoons that will have you rolling read after read!

AAAHHHHHH. Now this is an art book. Experience the dark and clever world of Charles Addams in this once-in-a-lifetime treasury of high-quality images. Finally, a masterful collection of his work. Addams' widow, Tee, should be proud of this book, which she assembled, in tribute to good ol' Charlie. God rest his soul.

Charles Addams was the man behind hundreds of delightful and dastardly illustrations for the prestigous New Yorker. Here, in one volume, are 300 of his best pieces. Included are several pictures involving the all together kooky Addams family and the macabre events that to them seem so normal. It is from these illustrations that the popular televison series, The Addams Family, emerged. And if you ever watched and liked the show, you'll love the cartoons it was based on. A great book for the coffee table!

I caught the tail end of the Li'l Abner series as a child in the 1960's and remember loving it. I recently started looking for some collections in libraries, but couldn't find any so I looked on Amazon and found this volume and bought it. I've had a great time reading it and even though the things it satirizes occurred before I was born, I'm familiar with much of them through my study of history. Much of what is satirized is applicable to any time and is still fresh.

I've recently been reading some of the classic satire of Voltaire (Candide) and Rabelais (Gargantua and Pantagruel) and this seems to fit right in with that style. I guess I have a warped sense of humor. I wish today's comics were this good.

I enjoyed the artwork and appreciated the explanations at the end of the book highlighting some of the items that someone born after that era may have missed. I highly recommend this book. I will probably order more volumes.

Grew up reading this series. Now I have a permanent copy of my own. Good price and great product for comics junkies.

I bought this volume (and volumes 2-4) for my Dad for Christmas because he was such a big L'il Abner fan when I was a kid in the 60's. When they arrived I just had to sit down and read them all before wrapping them up! L'il Abner is a lens focused on it's own era in time, totally tongue-in-cheek! For rollicking fun and biting satire these comics can't be beat!

These are Sunday Li'l Abner pages, penciled by comics legend Frank Frazetta. In my opinion, Li'l Abner was the greatest comic stip of all time. The strip was fantastic during the 1950s, so you can't go wrong here. It seems like this was released because of the Frazetta connection, but the art looks pretty much like all other Li'l Abner art. Frazetta was clearly drawing as close as he could to Al Capp's style. But any excuse to have Li'l Abner strips released works for me. Highly recommended.

Lil Abner always had a strong fan club that allowed the reprinting of the daily strips by Kitchen Sink press for about 25 volumes, which if there was no fan base, only one or two volumes would have been published.

In addition,we are very lucky that Frazetta's reputation and fan club would allow the printing of a comic strip that John Steinbeck once stated, its author, Al Capp, should be given the Putszler (excuse the spelling) prize.

Al Capp was a master satirist and storyteller, who would have one acclaim like Mark Twain or O'Henry if not for the snob attitude toward comic strips.

This is shown here. The 50-year-old color strips are re-printed in a fine manner with expert commentary about the period they were written in by Denis Kitchen.

Beware, they feature "politically incorrect" well-endowed women, and one main character, Daisy Mae, as mostly submissive, which would not be allowed in comic strips today as it would raise the ire of feminists and other "progressive" people.

On the other hand, it features the two main male characters, Abner and Pappy, as idiots or wimps, Abner and his brother Tiny as "hunks", and the one of the main women characters, Mammy as the leader of the Yokum clan, who occassionally beats Pappy, which are allowed in comic strips today as the "Progressives" seem to have no problem with this.

Remember, vintage comic strip reprints do not generate big bucks, some even lose money. They are produced out of great admiration for the strips, and we should be grateful for the publishers for doing so.


By the way, why does Amazon include a 'NO' in 'was this review helpful to you?'. People are only human and don't like opinions that differ from themselves. With some who are less mature, this the 'NO' makes it too easy express such displeasure.

Are they trying to discourage negative reviews, hence not purchase the CD. Such reviews only help a person in not being dissatisfied a product that received positive reviews

This book is a series of summaries and stories of the 30 designers Bucher talked to. It's a great book to flip through and think about. My only regret is that most of the designers' works shown in the book is reproduced at miniscule size, simply because there is so much of it to show. I think I had the wrong expectation in wanting to see lots and lots of work, but the stories of each designer is an inspiration in itself.

I am a designer. I carry this book to my office everyday. This is my most important book to quickly review entire graphic design history, and also inspire ideas from other designers!!!

I love this book. There is a ton of info but writer/designer Stefan Bucher has layed it out in an eye-catching, extremely functional way and I appreciate that. The insight into the designers lives and working process is something you just won't find in another book. I find it inspiring for us wannabe designers! As an artist or designer, this is a must-read!

After much time reading books on what seems like my weakest attribute (business acumen), I decided to treat myself to a book that was focused on what I love: design. In September I stumbled upon a book by designer, Stefan Bucher, called "All Access, The Making of Thirty Extraordinary Graphic Designers."

This book was a rather fortuitous find, but it re-awakened my interest in the joy of making things. I read and reflected upon the content in it exclusively for a number of weeks. This is particularly rare for me, as I generally have about a dozen books on the go, all in varying stages of completion.

It feels as though the design community has recently experienced a deluge of monographs which take on either a hero-worshiping or somewhat self-indulgent nature. Although he's clearly excited by the people he chronicles in his book, Stefan manages to stem any kind of adulation, instead breaking his studies into small chapters. Each of these passages works to illustrate the challenges real practitioners of design have struggled with, and how they have come to find their voice through their work.

If anything was difficult for me in reading this book, it was in keeping names and bodies of work straight. The vast collection of gifted designers and their wide ranging oeuvres, felt a little like a crash course that I couldn't quite process in time. As a result, I've been re-reading the book in fits and spurts since the fall, and have referenced it extensively in discussions ever since.

To read more: http://www.ideasonideas.com/2006/01/reconsidering_design/

All Access is one of the most abundant, interesting design books I've had the pleasure to comb through. Most design publications are a pleasant visual trip, but All Access has not only engaged my eyes, but pulled me in to read every entertaining, inspiring word. I would recommend this book to everyone from the seasoned design professional to someone who is only remotely interested in graphic design. It could change the latter to the former....

The author is as gifted a writer as he is a photographer. His eloquent narrative will keep you on the edge of your seat, while his photographs will amaze you. You will enjoy this book whether you are a patriot, naturalist, environmentalist, sportsman, photography buff, writer, adventurer, or couch potato. Every American should own this book.

John Pezzenti has the nobility of an eagle...the stamina of a panther and the endurance of an owl intent on it's foe. He is beyond any human explanation of what a photograher should or could ever aspire to be. When I experience his photograghs I am transformed to the reality that all mankind could benifit from his example. We are but players in the realm of a wonderous life cycle...not within our command but certainly within our protection. Thank You John for your gift and sharing it!

This book is absolutely exquisite. My husband is an avid eagle fan, a gorgeous coffee table quality book of photos was the perfect gift to add to his collection. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is an admirer of eagles.

Prepare yourself for another exhilarating adventure by one of wildlife photography's most talented photojournalists. John Pezzenti, Jr. has the unique ability to take his reader on a journey filled with fascinating tales and unparalleled photographs. In the American Eagle Pezzenti brilliantly captures the very essence and spirit of an American treasure - the powerful and majestic bald eagle - photographed by many but rarely to such perfection. Depicting the bald eagle in every conceivable situation, Pezzenti begins his photographic journey from the Florida Everglades through picturesque New England and northwest to Alaska - his home territory. I thoroughly enjoyed Pezzenti's engaging stories and portrayals of the dedicated eagle protectors across America who work tirelessly toward the survival of this magnificent bird. The photos alone make The American Eagle a "must have" for anyone with an adventurous spirit and a love of America's national treasure. Once again, Pezzenti has proven himself to be one of wildlife's finest photographers working in the field today.

Not long ago I sat with John Pezzenti Jr. in his beat up Suburban that he uses for nature photography as rain pounded upon the roof. John showed me a pre-release copy of his newest book, American Eagle. My 13 year old nephew from California looked over my shoulder as I turned each page, stunned by the breadth and depth of John's photographic coverage of this symbol of America. To say this is a remarkable book is an under statement. My nephew summed up how magnificant this book is when we were driving back home. "John's pictures are amazing," Shane said. "I'm going to start saving today so I can buy that book when it comes out!"

All that have seen my copy have loved it. Hardly anyone could view this book and not smile. Too bad it's now gone out of print, but there are other wonderful books and a brand new movie by Harrod Blank.

I visited my niece in Seattle, and she KNOWS one of the art car owners, so showed me the book. What fun!!! I am buying it today!

One of the most joyous picture books ever published. Put a copy on your coffee table at home or your desk at work, then sit back and wait for your visitors to start chortling. It's impossible to look at just one page!

This book is just a blast -- it is so fun and inspirational. It made me happy that I own a crappy old car, because now I can run out and paint it without worrying about the resale value.

I read Harrod's first book after seeing some art cars at The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. After that, the seeds were planted! In a few months I had made my first art car. I finally got to meet Harrod and get a copy of Art Cars when he appeared with several of us exhibiting our creations at Artscape. It was fun to ooh and aah over pictures of many other art car folks in this book who have become good friends of mine in the past few years. Art Cars will inspire you to go out RIGHT NOW and start decorating your vehicle!

This novel is filled with acute observations about the strong bond that occurs between mothers and sons, and the ineffable vicissitudes of the New York art world. I read the last hundred pages of David Lipsky's THE ART ROOM in a rush and was so caught up in the story-it became a real page turner for me. There was such a sense of dread which Lipsky sets up while Richard, the young narrator, and his mom are at the art fair, that I was certain that something very terrible was going to happen, but was relieved in a way that the coming-of-age aspect of the story played out naturally, and he finally could enter adulthood.

Some of Lipsky's turns-of-phrase made me pause to savor the words: pages 194-98 (the reverie about Richard's Dad) was very moving. It gave me lots to chew on after I finished the book. And I loved the description of Edith and the "desexification" of middle-aged women. The observations about fame and power are so insightful that I "starred" some of the passages so I could go back and read them after I was finished. (If you work or travel at all in artistic circles you will have strong moments of recognition AND, possibly, embarrassment.)

The canoe episode at the end of the book was beautiful, and the ending actually was chilling as Richard and his mother drove back into NYC: the word "towers" taking on new meaning now.

The opening was just plain fun to read as Richard travels from one separated parent to the other (cross country) with the descriptions of a very young Richard knowing that crying will get him the stewardesses' sympathies and a first-class seat.

It's a great book, and I just want to encourage anyone with any ounce of curiousity to read it. It made me squirm to read the Oedipal passages, but the honesty in Richard's narration makes the story fascinating: He is so self-aware, yet completely in denial at the same time-kind of like all of us.

if you grew up in this country in the last few decades of the century, this story will take you back again...beginning in the 60's with a woman who frees herself from a conventional marriage that cannot meet her deepest needs...the author tells it brilliantly and all too insightlyfully as he takes on his mother's success, failure, happiness as if his well being is tightly wound up with hers. its a coming of age story for both the boy and his mother, one that we can relate to, its a charm.

When Richard Freeley's parents get divorced, Richard stays with his mother, a New York artist. Though still just an adolescent, Richard takes it upon himself to help steer his mom through the viperish New York art scene. Lipsky is a smart, engaging writer whose prose is always a pleasure to read. He does a great job evoking Richard's often tortured relationship with his mother, and his portrayal of the New York art world is dead on and hilarious. Definitely worth checking out.

I really loved this book! I thought it was funny and touching, something that is kind of rare in most books. The author really has a beautiful way of describing things and the setting in the art world of New York City was very interesting (especially for someone like me who lives in the Midwest!) I heard about this book through a friend of mine who read it in her book club, and I now we're reading it in my book club. I highly recommend it.

A friend handed me this book before I walked on an airplane, and I actually stayed in my seat after the plane landed because I didn't want to stop reading. It's supposed to be about the NYC art world. But it's really about mothers and sons, parents and children, all the goodness and mess of families. It was funny and scary and had the feeling of something that actually happened. It's the best first novel I've read in a long time. I kept marking parts I wanted to read parts of to friends and my own mom. It reminded me of About A Boy and Bridget Jones's Diary. It's the kind of book where you say, "See? I wasn't the only one who felt that stuff."

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RQDTY7WE71WJB "Art from Intuition" book review by Big Puppet.

If you are an artist, want to be an artist, are interested in creativity, work with creative people, want to relax, enjoy making a mess or just want to live a fuller life...buy this book! It is full of ideas for helping you listen to what you need to hear, getting you unstuck and helping you enjoy yourself. It is destined to be the book on every artist's shelf.

This book is interesting to read and greatly motivating. I can see it being a great addition to any school curriculum, whether it be high school or college level. Or, just a great motivator to get you off the couch and get your mind flowing with great ideas. You don't have to be good at art, as these exercises can open your mind into a different way of thinking to help you in business decisions, calm stress, or just be happy. And, it's EASY to get started!

This book got me out of my creative block and completely jumpstarted my creative urges. Full of great ideas and assignments it helped me rediscover my own playful and artistic self! Thanks Dean Nimmer, you're the best!!

My book is beautiful, super the luxe edition, cheap, the content, as promised, very interesting and I got it faster than the expected delivering time.

It's beautiful and teaches kids (and parents) how to appreciate art in a simple way. Lifelong lesson that demystifies art. Love it. It engaged my son since he was 3 and he's 4 and still loves it.

The story and illustrations are top-notch. This book is an excellent tool for children learning to appreciate art and artists. Every child should own a copy of this book!

Buyer beware -- these note cards fold to 3"x5".

My 4 year old granddaughter loves the book. I enjoyed seeing many famous works of art converted to elephant-views of the world -- a refreshing reframing of the familiar. All ages can benefit from this.

This is a review for the note cards. They are beautiful. The whimsical images lifted from the book are printed on decent/usable cardstock, and are definitely fine but the envelopes are much, much higher quality than you normally see in a product like this. The box itself is wonderful and will be something you keep long after the cards are all gone.