Artists Books

If you want to read a book by an author that writes like he probably talks, grab a copy! Not too many authors would even attempt Smith's style of writing. No King or Koontz filler or fantasy. And ultimately, more fact than fiction. "Nothin' Left to Lose" is a must read for any music lover and mafia dissident!

If you like music, intrigue, mystery, romance and powerful endings - this is the book for you. The lyrical writing and skillful handling of characters make it hard to believe this is Carl Smith's first novel. A must for any avid reader's Christmas list.

Carl T. Smith's NOTHIN' LEFT TO LOSE is a breath of fresh air. A good story with an exciting cast of characters and all of the other elements missing in so many other contemporary novels. As he goes from Nashville janitor to a semi-successful performer/songwriter, John Ryan Stone passes all of the high roads and low roads of the music industry. Smith is careful not to make the path easy nor to sew the story up with major stardom and an unrealistically happy ending. The book is a story of people who work and play in the music industry, yet it is not a music novel.Unlike many of the light weight 'sex, drugs and rock and roll (country music?) novels, Smith's characters are real and touchable. The author's style and characters remind me of the works of James Lee Burke. A great read and definitely movie material.

This book was recommended by a friend and I am so glad--I spent the weekend curled up by the fire, listening to Trisha Yearwood and reading this book. One of the best weekends I've ever had. Thank you Carl Smith for a good time.

Nothin' Left to Lose gets an A+. Carl Smith writes in the true Southern tradition. As the Charleston, SC Post and Courier reviewer, John Lyons said--and his review lead me to this book--"Nothin' left to Lose is a southern work through and through". Filled with facile wit and intelligence wrapped a good story, Smith has created a spellbinder. The author's knowledge of the music business, the mob and the struggles one must go through to achieve any kind of sucess could only come from an insider. At times I chuckled and at times I teared-up. The book has everything from suspense, wild and crazy characters that tear your heart out to a romance that is to die for. A great read!

Images in this book are frame worthy. Form and light in his work are the reasons for viewing art.

This book is well worth the cover price of $27.00. Nearly every page is filled with large color plates of very high quality. If you want a high quality collection of Palencar's work this book delivers. Many of the color plates also have smaller versions of the pencil study for the work next to them. This is a great book for artists and art lovers. Palencar has extraordinary talent in drawing, painting and composition.Some of the book is devoted to some bazaar and creative fantasy work, but what I like most are his extraordinary figurative paintings. This is one book that can be judged by it's cover. If you like the cover then you'll find much inside to like.

This is a fabulous collection of work, I have never come across this artist before and am thrilled to dicover him. Do not make the mistake of thinking of Mr Palencar as a Fantasy artist, although there are some fantasy elements in some of his work, he is an Aritist period. His work has an exceptionally strong figurative element and calls to mind the work of Odd Nerdrum.

The other great thing about this book, is the inclusion of many of the preliminary drawing the Artist has produced for each of the final works, this is a great aid to anyone who has also embarked apon the path of learning to paint and draw. I have no hesitation in recommending this book

John Jude Palencar's art is beautiful and horrifying. Contradictory descriptions perhaps, but thoroughly fitting. Origins: The Art of John Jude Palencar, is the first collection of the artist's work. Palencar's work has been seen on hundreds of book covers as well as in the pages of magazines such as TIME, National Geographic, and Smithsonian. Even if you didn't know him by name, you've probably seen his work, and been mesmerized, just as I was.

The first Palencar cover I recall seeing was for the cover of the H.P. Lovecraft collection "Dreams of Terror and Death" back in 1995. This cover is included in the book and never has a title had a more fitting cover painting than Palencar's disturbing images of death and madness. He would also provide the covers for other Lovecraft collections: "The Road to Madness", "Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos", and "Shadows over Innsmouth." All of these covers capture the essence of Lovecraft's work superbly. These are some of the most disturbing Lovecraft images ever seen!

What is striking about Palencar's work is the strong feelings of isolation they convey, although not necessarily loneliness. A perfect example is the two-page spread of his painting "The Forest House" for the Marion Zimmer Bradley book of the same name. This painting depicts a Celtic woman, wandering in the moonlight of the foggy moorland with a Stonehenge-like ring of stones in the background.

Palencar has also tried his hand at the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, producing covers for each of the books of the trilogy for the Houghton Mifflin published editions. The most striking is his cover for "The Two Towers" showing one of the hobbits riding on top of Treebeard the Ent. The face of Treebeard was based on a photo of Tolkien himself.

One of the most simple, but effective pieces is Palencar's "Macbeth" depicting a horned, and skull-headed figure wearing a spiked crown with several small men impaled on the spikes. It's a gorgeous piece...

In all, the book features some 200 illustration in the 128 pages. Thank the good people at Underwood books for giving Palencar fans a long-overdue collection of his work.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

I enjoyed Palencar's surrealistic cover art for years without knowing his name. I think the first may have been for Connie Willis (both her collections of short fiction). I remember stopping and studying the cover and thinking, "Wow, this is really, really something." I saw more work, recognizably "that artist's" work, on other covers--Octavia Butler novels, Charles de Lint books. Oh, "The Onion Girl", that's another one that made me pick up the book. He makes you do that-- stop, look. He makes you stare. He does things to your insides with this amazing unreal reality he presents.

Look at the cover of FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS? I remember being stopped cold in the bookstore for that one. "What does this mean?" It's eerily beautiful. Startling. It's something special.

And he is that. Really, really something special. There is a moodiness, a sort of solitude and mysticism, that you can feel in the artwork. I've gotten this same feeling enjoying the work of Remedios Varo--though without the consistent weight of Varo's symbolism, I gather-- that dazzling surrealist obsessed with alchemy. Palencar seems to be interested in the isolation of the humans in his worlds of wonder or terror. (The Lovecraft cover art paintings are very difficult to behold. Chilling, nauseating, as they should be.) (Then again, I could be totally wrong. This is, after all, just my impression, and I am neither an artist nor an art historian. I'm merely someone who loves SF novels and enjoys SF art.)

So, after years of enjoying cover art by JJP, I was delighted to discover that this book was out there. I have it, I've perused it, I sigh over it, and it will sit next to my other books on SF art, including my Richard Powers one. I'll be enjoying it for years.

What's inside? Well, open it and get to a fabulous two-page title page spread with a robed angel, all soft pale colors and that gorgeous face. (Palencar does faces with marvelous skill. Beautiful, dreamy, thoughtful, inward-looking, trance-y, aesthetically superb faces. And hands and feet, too. I love studying his painted feet and faces. He makes them beautiful.) ORIGINS: The art of John Jude Palencar. Turn the page for another two-page spread with the copyright info. A brunette woman with an exquisite upper back, bared by the robe that's fallen off her shoulders. Slim-fingered hands reaching out to the left, up to the right, strands meticulously painted at her nape. Again, pale colors, greys and whites,and the browns of the woman. That texture that you associate with Palencar--a graininess, like wood or granite or some other natural object with a FEEL to it. Turn one more page and you get to the painting used in ELDEST by CHristopher Paolini, and it is Paolini who pens the foreword, which he ends with, "Welcome, then, to this collection of one man's visions. You may find them thought provoking, you may find them awe-inspiring, but if nothing else, I hope you find them memorable."

I think they are memorable.

Turn the page again and you find the painting "Angelica", painted for the Sharon Shinn novel of that title. A brunette, eyes closed, face turned up, seemingly in prayer, a subtle moon to the right, unattached wings flying off to the left, and a dawn (or maybe dusk) palette of pale lavenders/grays/charcoal, and the soft and pale wings. Note the fingers and that exquisite bone structure. Opposite this painting is "Burning the Midnight Oil" : A biography of the artist, complete with photos.

After several pages of insight into the life and work of the man, the great stuff parades for you: sketches, fully realized works, titles. Page after page of the subtly painted, gorgeously executed, profoundly pleasurable art. Don't expect commentary. This is the only thing lacking in the book, although some may say it's not needed. Me, I love when works are commented on by the artist. What does it mean to him? Why that object? Why these colors?

But sans commentary, you still have paintings that speak well for themselves of wonder and the fictional or theatrical works they relate to.

Palencar just got nominated for a Hugo award for his art. I, for one, hope he wins. These paintings say he's already a winner, just by having this grand talent.

Buy ORIGINS and just abandon yourselves to his art. It's not a bad way to spend a few hours. Not bad at all.
[...]

Book was adorable for 1st grade! I bought it to go with Stefanie Harvey's Comprehension Toolkit for Grades K-2.

I used this book to introduce writer's workshop and help my students see that they can write about anything!

Patches Lost and Found tells the story of Jenny and her pet guinea pig, Patches. Jenny, who loves to draw, is assigned to write a story for school. She's nervous about the assignment because she isn't very good at coming up with ideas for stories. When she gets home from school that day, her mother tells her that Patches has escaped from his cage and is missing. They put up posters around town and Jenny draws pictures showing all the things that might have happened to Patches. Luckily, a neighbor finds Patches, but Jenny still hasn't written her story. Later that day her Mom comes into her room and shows her that she can add words to her pictures of Patches to tell a story.

I would recommend this book for ages 6 and 7. Most children in this age group will be able to identify with being nervous about an assignment for school, and they will be reassured that Jenny was able to overcome her difficulties and succeed in writing the story. There are a variety of ways this book could be shared with children in a school setting. It could be read as part of a section on writing stories, with the children later drawing pictures and then writing stories to go along with them. These stories could possibly be the children's own ideas about what could have happened to Patches. Another idea would be to teach the children about guinea pigs, possibly having a real guinea pig in the classroom, and then follow the lesson with this story. The artwork in the book was prepared digitally. Jenny looks like she could be a character in a cartoon on Nickelodeon. Children would find this very appealing. Kids would also enjoy the pictures Jenny draws of Patches because they probably look similar to pictures they would draw themselves. The artwork does a good job of telling the story, showing each picture Jenny draws along the way and then displaying Jenny's story about Patches with the pictures.

This is the perfect book for a teacher to use in the classroom. It helps children understand that when they have to write something, they don't always have to write then draw a picture to go with it, they might do better drawing first then putting words to it later!! The story is realistic and very fun to read with great illustrations!!!!!!!

When Jenny is assigned to write a stroy for school on anything she wants, she doesn't know what to do. Jenny likes to draw, and writing has never been easy for her. When Jenny comes home from school, and her mom tells her Patches is missing, Jenny draws pictures of Patches, and they hung then up all over town. When Jenny is in her room, she draws things that might have happened to Patches. Three days later and still no Patches, and Jenny still has no story.
On Saturday morning Patches is found, but Jenny still has no story. Jenny's mom goes in her room that night while Jenny is cuddling with Patches. Jenny tell her mom she still has no story. Jenny's mom looks on the wall and see's all the pictures she tells Jenny that can be her story all she has to do is add words. So Jenny does and she does a very good job. I would recommend this book for children ages 4-9.

What a gorgeous book. I've recently become involved in hotglass work myself and picked this book up out of curiousity. Not only is the book full of beautiful pictures and prose but the author also allows us a peek into Paul's techniques, which for me, is incredibly helpful and well worth the price of the book.

Even though it made me late I had to stop and soak in every page from start to finish as soon as I got it in the mail. I think at just about every page a smiling, "Oh my god!" came bounding out of my lips in admiration for this man's extreme talent.

Most of my art books end up on my studio shelf, but this one is so gorgeous and such a joy to view I think I'm going to make it a permanent fixture on the coffee table.

You will not be able to stop the "oohs" and "aahs" . The artist has developed a style unlike anyone else and the photographs are so detail you feel like you have become part of the piece. A work of art in and of itself.

It is a book that every glass lover must have.

Filled with beautifully detailed photographs of Paul Stankard's paperweights as well as excellent closeups of the making of his flowers and other paperweight inclusions. It also includes an interesting background on Paul's career and philosophy, but the multitude of wonderful color photographs of his extraordinary work are what make this book truly special.

While I wouldn't consider myself a "paperweight" fan, I admire Paul Stankard's work immensely.

For so long I've wondered, "how does he accomplish such wonderful things?". This book cannot show his unique genius nor how his imagination works, but it does show just enough of his techniques to sate my never ending curiosity.

You can see how a thistle is built. There are gorgeous pictures of how a glass bee is build and attached to a honey comb. Here are the dragonflies, the orchids and those amazing root people!

The book is filled with full color pictures, and many wonderful detail views. In Paul Stankard's case, "God is in the details".

I admired Paul Stankard's work before I read this book. I admire his ability ever so much more now that I've seen the immesurable detail that goes into each piece.

I am Jael... and I'm so thrilled with the overwhelming success of my first book, _Perceptualistics_! This book, packaged and designed so beautifully by Paper Tiger, contains not only wonderful samples of my illustrative work through the last twenty years, but the "now discovered" Perceptualistic pieces, that I've been painting throughout my entire lifetime. I thank everyone who has supported this, my first publication, and encourage you to keep traveling within your mind. Dream your dreams of worlds and journeys that are real, but perhaps as yet unexplained. Nurturing, personal, comforting realms in which to retreat, are very much needed for us in this world today. Jael

"Perceptualisitics" is a magnificent gift to the reader. But beware, you "won't find a banana in the middle of each painting..."

That quote captures the essence of a Perceptualistic painting, if such an exercise is even possible. There is nothing literal about these paintings, and a casual observer, expecting to "see" a clearly defined image or a pictorial story in them will be challenged. And that, dear reader, is exactly why you should own this book and drink in the intoxicating visions it contains.

But let me segue for just a moment, for while the Perceptualistic paintings alone are an experience that will engage and enthrall you, there is so much more to this book that make it a compelling "must have."

It is eminently readable. John Grant's prose is both succinct and lyrical, and his biographical rendering of Jael invites one into her world in a way that is palpable and enjoyable. Rarely does one find oneself wanting to finish the text in an artbook before viewing the illustrations. Reading about Jael through Grant's eyes and ears made me want to know more. If there is a shortcoming here, it is because one finds onself wanting an even more intimate and extensive portrait of the artist.

Jael's paintings, regardless of the genre, are superb. Those seeking to view her Science Fiction and Fantasy illustrations will not be disappointed. Her work is among the best in the field and begs comparison to no one. Jael stands among the pantheon of "great ones" in the SF&F area.

However, dear reader, Jael stands alone with her Perceptualistic paintings, and she stands on a lofty plane indeed.

Each Perceptualistic painting beckons the viewer to explore. That exploration might be an inner vision, a transporting to another world or level of awareness, an opening to endless possibilities and insights. In a way, these paintings are gateways to perception, and that perception may change with every viewing. Can you think of any other artist who can offer you such a journey? I cannot.

I thank John Grant for his warm and vibrant words, obviously written with much caring. I thank Jael for this incredible gift to the public, and for opening her heart and her life, if only for a glimpse, to those of us who can only dream of such creativity.

Final thanks must go to the publishers, not so much for having the boldness to go beyond the trite and conventional nature of many "artbooks," but for recognizing creative genius and giving the world an opportunity to share in it.

Jael is a genius. Her genius comes from the heart, the dwelling place of all true genius, and that is a wondrous gift to us all.

Open your heart and prepare to expand your universe, dear reader, and buy this book!

As a former webmaster for the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, I had the pleasure of working with Jael to produce one of ASFA's Chesley brochures. This led to my becoming her webmaster. Until that time I thought she was a very talented illustrator having only seen the images that she has painted for covers and interiors of science fiction and fantasy publications.

While putting together her webpage she introduced me to examples of artwork that were unlike anything I had seen with the SF/F genre. These images cannot be considered illustrations. They are more than that as they evoke emotions and thoughts that transcend the physical plane; transporting one into higher planes of existence and depicting mindscapes of such vast and incredible beauty that the mind finds itself at a loss for words. These vistas can not be described. They can only be experienced.

With the publication of this book everyone can now own reproductions of these of these pieces of 'Fine Art', painted by one of the finest artists alive today. A must own book for every collector.

I've been familiar with Jael's super illustrations for a long time, but nothing prepared me for this book of her work, which concentrates largely on her fine art -- fabulously imaginative paintings that have almost all never been seen in print before. It's nearly impossible to describe them, because they don't obey any of the inhibiting rules that other fantasy artists tend to adhere to. This is a real breakthrough book, and the kind you'll want to buy extra copies of to give to your most special friends. It's lovely!

This book may be your only chance to see an extraordinary body of work from fantasy and sf artist Jael. Well known for her bookcovers, Jael (who goes by only her first name), had been doing an series of personal works over the last 40 years while she fulfilled the demands of motherhood and a busy artistic career. Not abstracts, not realistic paintings either, she calls them "meditations" or "journeys". They are unlike any other major paintings done in the 20th century; and while this book is beautiful, it doesn't do the original works complete justice--I had the privilege of seeing a couple first-hand, and they are stunning. Since Jael considered these personal works and "too odd" for public consumption, she had never publicised them before or even kept good track of the occasional times when she would sell one of these amazing works. The reproductions on page 40 and 54 hint at the splendor of the originals, but many of the illustrations of the perceptualistics were re-created from small slides, though Jael herself worked to restore them to something close to the original. The text is also delighful, since Jael has had a long, interesting (and rather inspiring) life. My hope is that this book will inspire a sequel, and that some of the owners of the perceptualistics will come forward for new scans of the treasures they own.

A pencil.

In my hand it makes numbers and scribbles letters that often even I cannot fathom. In the hand of Martha Perske it creates miracles that can melt even an icy heart. In this new book from Abingdon Press, we see a collection of her artwork depicting persons who have disabilities over a twenty year period beginning in 1971. We see her bring the human essence of all of us into her illustrations with such warmth, joy and compassion that I marvel not only of her self-taught talent, but of her uncanny ability to see in our soul.

How to experience this book? How do you review a book you don't "read", except for the forwards by both Martha and her equally renowned partner and husband, Robert Perske. Do you view the book? Are warmed by it? Enveloped by it? I shared my copy with staff who were not brought up with the Perskes work and some were brought to tears by the unabashed joy radiated in Martha Perske's illustrations. Can a ten-minute read to complete a book touch such nerves? Yes, and her work has for many of us for more than twenty years. The book also shows the growth in her artistic talent during the span covered by the book, from a lighter touch to illustrations of such richness and depth that one can only marvel at her talent. What is unchanging during the 20 year period is her ability to capture the beauty, common humanity, and the shining light even in a person with the most severe disabilities.

I recommend this book to those in disability services who are familiar with Martha Perske's past work and, like me, have been sustained by the humanity in her illustrations when our advocacy might flag from weariness, from budget cuts, from administrative indifference that disadvantage those we serve. Her work is a tonic during those questioning moments. I also recommend this book for those who are not in disability services so they can understand, without a word being spoken, the common humanity within all human beings and the motivation behind our work .

I recommend this book to anyone with a bookshelf, a coffee table or for a friend during gift-giving time. Every member of my Board of Directors will receive one as a gift for their gift, their volunteer service.

###

Ed Goldman is the Executive Director of Solano Work Services, a vocational training and employment agency serving persons who have disabilities in Suisun, California. He has over thirty years experience as an advocate, government official and manager of services.

I have enjoyed the drawings in Martha Perske's book Pencil Portraits 1971-1990. I would love to get larger prints of some of the drawings or prints (not bound in a book). Are they available? if so, where can they be purchased?

I admit up front that my review is a bit biased, because Martha and I have been friends for more than 50 years. But this book, showing some of her very early sketches, lets you watch her talent mature, until when you look at the later drawings, you think they must be black and white photographs. Her ability to capture the beauty of these children (and adults) with disabilities is truly a gift from God. Her husband, Bob, captures the essence of Martha in his foreward, and when you read Martha's words about her father, you will begin to understand the depth of this woman. I have many wonderful memories of times spent with Martha and her parents, and know that the love and support she received from them helped her to develop into the woman she became.

In collaboration with her husband, several wonderful books have been published dealing with the many problems of people with disabilities, both from the viewpoint of their parents and carekeepers, and from the disabled themselves. Enough good things cannot be said about their collaborative efforts. But if you simply appreciate an extraordinary artistic talent, Pencil Portraits is a must.

In October, Martha will be receiving yet another in a long list of honors. She will be honored as an Outstanding Alum of our high school, Topeka High. Certainly not as noteworthy as some of her many other honors, but more special to me.

PERSKE: Pencil Portraits 1971-1990

A Review by Dr. Denis W. Keyes (College of Charleston)

Martha Perske is a uniquely talented artist and her efforts throughout the years have produced beautiful and remarkably vivid images of real people living real lives. Martha is a self-taught yet utterly remarkable artist, whose engaging insights into the faces (read `souls') of the people she portrays can at once tug at the heartstrings while lifting the spirits of the viewer. Her husband, Bob Perske, is a gifted writer whose powerful prose shouts down the mediocrity of the silent majority, exposing a need or illuminating the plight of this defendant with mental retardation or that family with some related problems. This exceptionally talented couple can often be found wherever there is some question about justice and disabilities.

Bob Perske's gift is in his ability to tell true stories about the myriad injustices accompanying many of the lives of people with disabilities, and he does it in such a way as to educate, enlighten, move, frustrate, and sometimes even anger his readers. Yet, when Bob and Martha work together to produce joint projects, it is their ability to compliment each other's work that seems to tie it all together. For instance, Martha has illustrated Bob's numerous books for years, lending her artistic expertise to his linguistic skill, and the end product has always been impressive. The cover of his last text, *Deadly Innocence?* (1995, Abingdon Press), told the story (that was elaborated inside) of a man on Death Row who was clearly mentally retarded, and arguably not guilty. Such is the depth of Martha's gift: Her art tells a story that each viewer elaborates upon. This time, it is Martha's work that is being spotlighted: while Bob has written an introduction that emphasizes the subject matter at hand, that being portrayal of people with disabilities in pencil and paper. Perske: Pencil Portraits 1971-1990 (Abingdon Press, 1998) is the result of their latest collaboration, some twenty-seven years in the making. This time, Bob's contribution is short, but characteristically to the point. In his introduction, he outlines a brief history of his understanding and appreciation of Martha's talents and her mission. But Martha's contribution is not limited to her drawings; in a candid and moving essay, she describes her closest association to a person with a disability: her Father's recovery from a stroke that permanently paralyzed his right side.

An interesting aspect to note in these pictures is the progression of Martha's use of her talents as the years passed. The earliest pictures, signed merely "Martha," illustrate a more sketch-like quality, while later pictures take on a near photo-image realism that brings out the minutest details, physical and emotional, in the faces of her subjects. Even the simplest images take on an individual personality that those who have known these people with disabilities will instantly recognize. A picture of a child attempting to dial a rotary phone dial brings to mind the strong desire for individuality and independence, while the next page shows an occupational therapist assisting a child feed herself, graphically illustrating the fact that we cannot always do things on our own. Examples of such simple nuances abound in this book, as do fine illustrations that evoke joy and sorrow, awe and inspiration. The Special Olympics, social activities, and even a music lesson are among the scenes offered. If the Inclusionists movement is looking for a poster illustration, they may want to consider page 93, or perhaps page 111. There are even a few portraits of the people who are first in Martha's life. For example, anyone wondering what Bob and Martha looked like about twenty years ago should check out page 61.

Though she no longer draws the images that have won her acclaim, she is, nevertheless, still an artist. Despite talent that merited a special presentation of her work to the late Princess of Wales, Martha Perske does not present a proud persona. Her beauty is in her art and her life, both of which are captured in this beautiful book. And that is the reality of her art.

You must have this book in your permanent collection. The beauty of the human spirit is captured by Martha Perske with a divine skill. If this collection of children with disabilities does not touch your heart - check your pulse to see if its still working. This book is for any parent who truly loves their children, for any grandparent who shares the world with other grandparents in their pride of parenting of all Gods children.

Jerry Fink

Dora Maar was according to most observers the woman in Picasso's life , closest to being at his own level of artistic perception and understanding. As this volume makes clear she was an outstanding photographer . The story of her relationship with Picasso, the part she played as inspiration and model for his work, her special role in regard to Guernica, her being the weeping woman of the famous painting, his abandoning her when he sensed ( or so he claimed) her impending madness, her passionate clinging to his memory, her breakdown, her turning to a reclusive life and one of deep religious devotion- are all presented in this excellent and clearly written volume.
There are also representations of much of her work, and of Picasso's in which she is subject.
Maar was clearly a considerable personality and artist in her own right, and not simply the inspiration for another.

Of some of Dora's photographs, and self portraits are a must have for any Dora fan. It shows her in her later years, it shows her paintings, it goes into detail about her love affair with Picasso as well. This is easily my favorite Dora book.

This is a wonderful book, full of beautiful b/w images of dora, her photography/art and Picasso's work of her and more! It is really worth getting for your book collection, especially at this price, and it gives you an insight to Dora's life, I think she is fascinating woman living in a time when most photographer's were men. She is truely a pioneer and deserves more credit than being known as Picasso's muse. Very inspiring book.

Picasso's Weeping Woman: The Life and Art of Dora Maar

I am grateful for this book. It is insightful but not definitive. It is not an in depth biography of Dora Maar. A better perception of the psyche of Dora Maar is contained in James Lord's personal memoir "Picasso and Dora". And a better understanding of the cruelty of Picasso is presented in Arianna S. Huffington's "Picasso: Creator and Destroyer". Both I think are necessary to truly appreciate this book as I do.

Since Dora Maar's death in 1997, little has yet been published of her work. She is primarily known as one of the mistresses of Picasso but there was a world of complexity to this woman. She was deeply involved with the surrealists before she ever met Picasso. She knew them all, Breton, Tanguy, Man Ray, Hugnet, Crevel. She was a noted photographer, an exhibited painter, a poet and Picasso's muse and inspiration for seven stormy years culminating in a breakdown that left her a changed woman, a recluse and a religious devotee.

Mary Ann Caws book presents a dazzling panorama of works by both Dora Maar and Picasso including some wonderful comparative paintings of both artists. Dora Maar assisted and photographically chronicled Picasso as he created his masterpiece Guernica. That chronicle is beautifully presented in Caws book.

This book is an easy read with gorgeous reproductions of photographs, painting, sculpture, and poetry throughout not only from Dora Maar but also from Paul Eluard, André du Bouchet and others. It is a great visual companion piece to books on Picasso's works, photography and surrealism. It will occupy that regrettably tiny portion of my bookshelf devoted to Dora Maar. Thank you Mary Ann Caws for this delightful book

I would recommend this book to everybody. I am so delighted I purchased this book. It includes everything you need to know about Dora - her personal life before, during and after Picasso. I have always been interested in Picasso and by studying his life, I noticed all the fascinating women in his life. In my opinion, Dora was the one who made a big difference and who had a huge influence on him. Although it was Francoise Gilot, another woman in Picasso's life who gave him two children. Dora's own career and life as an artist (photographer, model, painter) is described in this book from the time she moved to Paris and tried to establish herself as a photographer.

You will not only find Picasso's portraits and drawings of Dora but Dora's own work (a lot of black & white photos taken by her that remind me of Man Ray's work). She truly was a talented artist. This is not often mentioned. Most of the people saw her mainly as Picasso's model and Muse. Dora was a very complex person full of emotions. She could be very dramatic in the way she looked and dressed. This all is revealed in this book. As I said, it has it all: Dora as a private person (Theodora M.) and Dora as an artist, the famous and remarkable Dora Maar. Trust me, with this book, you will get all the information you need. I consider this book a piece of art.

Stirring, compassionate, profound. One of my favorite books of all time. One of the most poetic books of photographs ever created. Best wishes to Mr. Gere.

This book is really special. The cover, first of all, feels so wonderful. The pages are on incredible quality paper. And the photographs are incredible. It's really a wonderful book.

This book was exactly what I expected from such a sensitive and intelligent man. Thank you, Mr. Gere. We need our hearts broken now and then.

Richard has access to places most people do not. Take, for example, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is not accessable to you and I on the level that Richard has. Richard shares private photos, such as plate 63 where His Holiness is in meditation. The photo alone portrays a depth of intensity that the experience offers. Richard also has a true sense of the tragedy of the Tibetan people and can deliver that in a light that few people can ever grasp, even after several trips to the region. Richard is the Pilgrim and we are fortunate to be able to see things in a way he does. Very few photographers can say that of their work. Perhaps it is due to his experience in film, perhaps as a result of his practice as a buddhist, maybe just because the openness of his sharing is felt in his work, regardless of the medium. Thank you my friend for sharing your life with us and a wonderful book.

I cannot look at this book without crying. It is very beautiful yet pierces my heart with sadness, I believe that the plight of Tibet is the canary of our planet. This book is about an amazing and gentle people and my hope and prayer is that it will generate more compassion . The text is very direct and simple and is not next to the photos but at the back. One quote stuck in my mind, "It's all ego." You can see these photos with your heart and they will melt it, if you are open.

Be prepared to marvel. You will need a lot of concentration, and a lot of silence to process these teachings. It's not hard, but this is deep stuff. This book is prophetic. You almost have to prepare yourself spiritually in order to really grasp this material. Are you willing to invest the time? I suggest you ask yourself this question before you order this book. If you are, then let me tell you it is worth every word, or should I say "point" on the page.

PS: This is not a book for someone needing basic information. This is only for the serious art student or seriously interested lay-person. Also, those who enjoy logic and math might like this book.

This item was received in a very timely , and in excellent condition.

I think this book is useful for understanding Kandinsky's art but I think it is most useful for artists trying to form their own ideas about art. The reason for this is that in ascribing characteristics to many aspects of art for example lines curves and planes, the author makes us as artists think about how we use these aspects of art in our work. So, in other words, he gets you thinking about the meaning of all those marks on paper we make. I think most artists will find their own explanations of the various types of line, curve, color and plane, what this book does is give you the idea for doing so in the first place.

Kandinsky's goal seems admirable, to create a vocabulary in which abstract visual art can be discussed. That would allow a theory of abstraction to develop, with the promise that art would advance as its theory advanced. He argues his case well, he was trained as a lawyer after all, using analogy to that most abstract of arts: music.

He presents his thoughts in three sections following logical progression: point, line, and plane. As one would expect in discussing visual impression, Kandinsky acknowledges the mathematical point but generalizes it to isolated, self-contained marks of many kinds. Already, in the zero-dimensional world, Kandinsky begins his conceptual whirl: a point is not just a point, but a tension, a temporal presence, and even a sound - though I'm not convinced that this "sound" relates to audible impressons. The point even manifests as a period in punctuation. Its presence and position changes or erases a sentence's meaning; presumably, one is to infer that it has similar meaning in visual compostion.

Moving on to Line, Kandinsky crams a huge number of concepts onto the page: temperature, hue plus white and black, movement and force, angle, sound and triple sound, and even the duality of male/active vs. female/passive. Certainly there is much to discuss in all of these things, but the color, sound, and sex of a specific diagonal angle elude me. They are clear enough to Kandinsky, though, who announces these relations with absolute certainty and inevitability. His writing makes me think of mysteries revealed with papal infallibility, and with internal reason beyond human reasoning. Discussion of Plane drives even deeper into thickets of interlaced concept. I admit that I was never able to hack a clear path for myself through his conceptual undergrowth.

In the end, Kandinsky's vision remains a statement of his own inner experience - not of thinking that could be shared and pushed forward by other minds. Instead of showing the world how to think, he shows the world how he thinks. Although I'm no great fan of his art, that glimpse fascinates me, and is reason enough for reading and experiencing this remarkable text.

-- wiredweird

Este libro se ha convertido en el indispensable para los estudiantes de artes plásticas, nos define el punto, la linea y el plano desde muchos puntos de vista además de explicar la generación y desarrollo de los tres elementos básicos del arte visual.

Portrait of an Artist is just that - a portrait of a powerful, unique artist. Refreshingly, for those of us who have an interest in art and some knowledge but are not familiar with technicalities, the book is very direct and honest. One comes away with the feeling they have met and experienced a fascinating woman - one who is not always pleasant and kind, but one who is always open and honest. Her art is used as a lens into her deepest feelings, although the only representations of her art are in photographs where she is posing in front of one of her paintings. Her devotion to her art was inspiring, although it seemed to overwhelm everything and everyone that surrounded her. I walk away from this book very glad to have met and experienced Georgia O'Keeffe, but also glad to have experienced her from a distance and not had to endure her intensity personally. This is a great compliment for a fascinating book.

For so many years to me, Georgia O'Keeffe was just a well-known woman artist who painted flowers. Thanks to this book I came away feeling that I got to truly know and admire this artist and now I can look at her pictures differently with a deeper understanding and appreciation for them. Thanks to this book I think I have learned to look at the beauty in nature in a different way and feel that this book has taught me much about people and truly opened my eyes in many ways to the world around me and made me curious about different areas of our wonderful country. Very enlightening in many ways and definitely worth reading.

There are parts of New Mexico that, if you know of the woman, just scream This is Georgia O'Keeffe Country. This honest and admiring biography lays out the story of this incredible woman who lived to age 99. That's a long, long, long life. Her life found its trajectory when, in 1916, a friend sent some of her drawings to renowned photographer Alfred Stieglitz. He proclaimed her to be "a woman on paper." Furious (as only O'Keeffe could be furious), she confronted him, became his lover, and eventually married him, initiating an emotional and artistic collaboration that endured until his death.
O'Keeffe became a feminist before the word was even invented. When she realized that it would be impossible to become her own person while working in his shadow, she established the pattern of spending 6 months with him in NY and 6 months on her own in New Mexico, a place she always referred to as her spiritual home. Stiegitz died in 1946, and O'Keeffe lived on for another incredible half a century.
If you have the opportunity to visit New Mexico, don't miss the O'Keeffe museum in Santa Fe - and my all means visit her home in Abiqueque. To say it's Georgia O'Keeffe country is to put it far too mildly.

When author Laurie Lisle advised the artist, Georgia O'Keeffe, that hers was a story Lisle "wanted to tell," O'Keeffe, as was her wont, elected not to participate but told Lisle, "you are welcome to what you find." ("Forward and Acknowledgments.") Lisle, equipped with a passion for her subject and steadfastness of purpose - qualities similar to those governing O'Keeffe's own work and life - pored through museum bulletins and exhibition catalogue notes, magazine and newspaper articles, memoirs about O'Keeffe's artistic peers (including her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz), and O'Keeffe's letters preserved in Yale's Beinecke Rare Book Library. She spoke with O'Keeffe's schoolmates, in-laws, and friends. And, of course, she viewed O'Keeffe's creations.

There is not one spot of color in this book except for the auburn and gold lettering on the jacket of my paperback. The sixteen pages of photographs in the book, only four of which show O'Keeffe posing with her art, are black-and-white. One imagines, had the artist participated in this project and accepted that a literary work, with an artist as its subject, could be as beautiful and fascinating as the flowers, skulls, rivers, and stones she captured in her own paintings, O'Keeffe would have appreciated the lack of color. For much of her life, O'Keeffe's signature garb was black with a touch of white, due to a belief that admirers ought to focus on the art, not the artist.

While reading this book, one obviously is tempted to take occasional breaks from Lisle's gorgeously plain, non-effusive prose to google O'Keeffe's paintings. After I read about O'Keeffe's initiation into the jet age, where she was surprised to peer down from her airplane window and "see so many rivers, tributaries, and deltas undulating through the earth's deserts" ("Chapter 13: Clouds"), I just had to view "It Was Red and Pink." However, this book clearly is not an art critique. Paintings are discussed insofar as they provide insight into O'Keeffe's mind, heart, and soul. Most of the time, while reading, I stayed far away from the computer. I was riveted by tales about family, femininity, marriage, the artist's apparent struggle between remaining dedicated to painting and perhaps having a baby, the conflict between how she and the public perceived her work, intimations of mortality, and a devotion to the splendors of New Mexico even after her eyesight failed.

I would recommend this book to anyone who relishes art, history, New Mexico, femininism, humanity, or just would love to read a great book.

Having just seen the Georgia Okeeffe exibition at the Phillips Gallery in Washington, DC, I had to run out and buy a biography to learn more about this incredible artist. This book gives deep personal insight to Ms O'keeffe's life and work.