Artists Books

This is a good book for any John Mellencamp fan. He expresses himself beautifully in his paintings as well as the written essays that accompany the artwork in the book. I was lucky enough to see his paintings on display in a gallery here in the midwest and they are even more colorful and vivid up close in real life.

What an Artist! Lyrically, Mellencamp has the ability to make the listener FEEL what is going on in the song, and relate it to his/her own life. He carries this talent into his paintings also. I don't know all that much about painting, but I do know that I can look at the face of any of Mellencamp's characters, and FEEL their pain, sorrow, see the hope in their eyes...

Words can not express the way I feel about his art work. It is just too beautiful.

John expresses himself quite well in his paintings. I have always been a big fan of his music and his paintings just complement his music and allows me to understand a little bit more about John Mellencamp, the person.

The book is a must for anyone who enjoys John Mellencamp. All the proceeds are given to elementary school children for music. I think this is a great way for John to give back to his fans and to the world in general. Go get yours now!

I greatly enjoyed Steve Hanks' first book. This second book continues in the Steve Hanks' tradition. He has a wonderful way of expressing the beautiful things in our world, it's people, with a suffusion of clarity and light. His work continues to entrance me, and I find myself gazing at his many prints that I have in my home.

This latest book always draws favorable comments from those that have viewed it. It makes a great coffee table book. I have yet to have a friend pick it up, then put it down. They all become deep in thought, with a smile on their face, as they slowly work their way through this masterpiece.

Everything I thought it would be. Great book. I would recomend it to a friend.

I am jealous. Admit I love the artist; I've purchased several dozen of his works. But,I don't want you to ever own his books or his paintings; let me explain. As our children were young, I would surprise my wife each year with one of Steve Hanks' paintings. It was the last present opened at Christmas. The children would always watch in anticipation to see my wife cry as the wrapping would unveil the lastest painting. It is probably the most profound gift I've ever given - or gotten. Each year I would mount the latest painting; our bedroom walls have nothing but Hanks' works. It is said that sharing is the most precious gift we gift to each other. I, on the other hand, don't want to share Steve Hanks. You have given my wife a lifetime of memories, as have you have given my children treasure in the world of art. Don't buy this book; I want all of the copies. Mound them on the floor; stack them to the ceiling. But don't buy the book. In fact, buy any other book "but" this one. I'm begging you! Hanks is certainly worthy as an American treasure - a Michelangelo, a Raphael, a Cezanne. So please, don't buy the book!

Book was as expected and arrived on schedule. I buy many books from Amazon and will continue to do so.

This is an absolutely fabulous collection of works produced by Steve Hanks. The artwork is beautiful and the written excerpts provide insight into the artist's life and inspirations for the pieces.

As a child I was in love with the books he illustrated and the worlds in the pictures, as an adult I fell in love with the moments he created on canvas; and as a librarian, I realized his art helped the stories become real to the reader... The Brandywine school and the tradition of the artists can only be an American story, and a dynasty of artists and their complicated lives is only a fitting result of this insularity. This is an interesting examination of the generations of artists who are still influencing the world of American art and illustration. This is a good addition to the canon.

An informative book on what motivated NC to do what he did, but not much on how he arrived at certain colors, composition, studies before completing a major work, etc. There is a lot of information that seems unnecessary, but it all comes together at the end. If you want to know the progression of his work, it is here; but there is not alot on technique.

The forementioned "Biography at its best" is fitting. David Michaelis went the extra mile to gather coupious historical data on Wyeth and his background. The evidence given paints a picture of the very soul of this man, almost to the point of smelling his oil-stained hands.

It is remarkable to catch a glimpse of this energetic and powerful artist who somehow balanced family, busines and sanity by applying passion to all he encountered. Whether or not our hero was particularly faithful to his wife can be argued, but his evident ability to excel in whatsoever he set out to do is inspiring.

A great read for those interested in disciplining one's self to master the studio and the home.

My brother loaned me a copy of this book because we both collect American illustrations. That qualifies some of my enthusiasm for this book a bit. I am already a fan of the golden age(s) of American illustration.
The life of N. C. Wyeth is impressively detailed by the author. He mostly uses detailed and extensive letters written by the family to piece together what would seem a very accurate account of N.C.'s life. This book helped piece together some of the influences I assumed N.C. had throughout his life. From Pyle to the war, depression, to family, it was a very complicated life for the entire family. A great read with enough personal melodrama to keep it very interesting. My only complaint was the occasional writing quirk where the author sometime wrote of the future while writing mostly a chronological book. It's hard to describe, but readers will notice this and occasionally get a little confused by the style. That's my only negative comment. (And frankly, I do not see how this writing method could have been avoided since some of the information was necessary in order to piece the story together.)

Although I was familiar with the paintings of Andrew & Jamie Wyeth, I wasn't aware of N.C. until I read his letters in Dorie McCullough Lawson's wonderful collection, "Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children." The brilliant writing in those letters, and the story of the tragic accident that killed him and his little grandson, made me want to know more. It led me to this book. I've just finished it, and can't stop thinking about it. If a novelist made up this saga, one might say it was just too fantastic. And yet the most fantastic thing of all is that it's true. David Michaelis weaves the tale, not just of N.C. Wyeth, but of his family and his times. Although so many people are introduced, the writing is clear and vibrant, and one never loses track of who's who. No novel could be more compelling than this saga, with twists and turns that almost had me gasping. Biography just doesn't get any better than this. Whether or not you're interested in Art, it is well worth your time. Bravo to Mr. Michaelis!

Todo tipo de imágenes del artwork de big daddy, ... echo de menos algúna lámina mas grande.. pero está muy bien

This is the definitive review of the lovably subversive Rat Fink, the iconic mascot of Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.
This history of Rat Fink (along with some of his cohorts) evokes the heyday of Ed Roth and the Kustom Kulture he inspired.
Rat Fink personified the 'Anti-Disney' take on the world, popular among social outlaws (of the time) including hot rodders, bikers, and even skateboarders and surfers.
Never serious, but a sincere rebel, R. F. maintained his macabre sense of humor, which endeared him to his devotees, and confused the citizens not in on the joke.

A great book for Ed Roth fans. Very nicely done. I would also get Ed "Big Daddy" Roth: His Life, Times, Cars, and Art for even nicer pictures. Long live Big Daddy!

The various individuals involved with this great man truly did him well by this book. It has motivated me to get out my mack stripers and get some! I'm even pinstriping my toilet seats, anything I can get my hands on! Some great stories and from a truly personal perspective. Great pics to go w/stories too!

Book was in excellent condition. Speedy delivery. Thanks so much.

Excellent! Great images.

(Although much of the text is very technical and concerned with small and trivial details.)

This book explain a little about Rembrandt technique and some details in his paints. You can understand how could he painted so beutiful arts. But you won't be Rembrandt reading this book. Only the technique is not sufficient to be a master!
But, if you are a Rembrandt fan, you have to read this book!

This book is generous with loads of quality pictures of the masters work and an equal amount of text for the reader of history and the technical , a good buy certainly worth the money , I really enjoyed this and I suggest it to any one with even just a passing interest in Rembrandt and an insight into how he produced his work , they actually found some of his dna in his paintings (i bet that makes you curious). This and the other book " Rembrandt's Eyes by Simon Schama" is another beauty possibly a bit better than this one Schama's book spend the first half talking a about Peter Paul Rubens and the dreams Rembrandt had of being his equal , both are great companions to each other I recommend them together.

This book is not easy to evaluate, at a first sight is a very irregular book, amazing in many passages but extremely boring in many others, a whole chapter dedicated to the canvas support !?, with a great mass of technical information about thread density and weave, I think it is too much, a very important Rembrandt's trick like "glazing and sweeping" (that it is supossed he created this technique) is just overviewed when it is perhaps one of the constituents for the most amazing passages in many of his paintings.
My conclusion is that despite of Rembrandt's Project and a lot of scholars studying his masterpieces is very, but very little what we know. How he commited his works is an enigma like in Vermeer's case, so there are a lot of books about them but very little valuable information

There isn't much more I can say, which hasn't already been said to reveal the great merits of this book. However I think the sheer quantity of 5 star ratings speaks volumes. This book is essential for any academic or personal study of Rembrandt, especially so for a painter as I am. On top of all the incredible detailed scientific analysis, the text is written very clearly and is even a pleasure to read. Above all, the detail shots of his paint surface, are breath taking and most instructive for any painter. They utilized different levels of magnification to reveal his work from the entirety of the picture down to the microscopic level. This book has revolutionized my studio practice!

Richard T Scott
Joelle-Scott Gallery

A decent if disjointed book. You can tell from reading it that Jean had great respect for his father and loved him very much. Unfortunately, there was a large gap between his father's death and the writing of this book, with Jean working from memory and not notes, and it shows. There are times where it's hard to see where Renior stops and Jean starts, and this can make things a bit confusing. If you are a fan of Renior's however,don't pass this book up.

An affectionate remembrance of Renoir by his son, concentrating the years up to the turn of the century.

Renoir considered himself an artisan rather than an artist, disliked anything artificial, from margarine to ready-to-wear clothes, had among his friends artists, and musicians who are household names today. "It is when you have lost your teeth that you can buy the best beefsteak" he would say, and considering that he became more infirm with age, this truism affected him no less than the rest of us.

A biography written by a child of someone famous often carries more than one burden, similar to the responsibility or encumbrance of the overshadowing parental fame. However, in filmmaker Jean Renoir's lovingly detailed remembrances of his Impressionist painter father, the reader gleans more than a timeline of an artist's rise to prominence. The author shares a richly detailed account of life in a culture that--in most areas of France save for Paris--was still foremostly agrarian. In this burgeoning Industrial world, Renoir tells of the rise of his father's art and the changing cultural behaviors, shifting societal patterns and troubling questions within that framework.

Beginning at Louis-Philippe's "July Monarchy" (1830-1848)-- generally seen as a period during which the haute bourgeoisie was dominant and the 1840's which saw financial crisises and bad harvests with an ensuing economic depression--we are reminded of the general and specific trends vis-à-vis how they affected the Renoir family's world. Curiously descriptive, this was a world of street oil lamps and chamber pots; anesthesia was not yet invented (nor any antiseptics); butchers slaughtered the animals on site in the back of the shop; great debates about the inferior railroad system and the overall safety of locomotives were waged (could a pregnant woman harm her unborn child by moving a such great speeds? Did the smoke and soot emitted hinder crops in nearby fields from growing). Adding to the vivid and graphic storytelling of French life are vignettes of the senior Renoir's dealings with fellow Impressionists and art dealers as well as his painting process behind some of his masterpieces. Family life, the defining touchstone of the artist as a man, is shared in humorous and matter-of-fact style ("My mother brought a great deal to my father: peace of mind, children whom he could paint; and a good excuse not to have to go out in the evening.") This book, which was first published in the mid-1950's, affords the reader a complete picture of the life of a great artist during a time of vicissitude and excitement in all facets of French society.

Impressionism is my favorite style of painting so I was really enchanted with this biography. Written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, Renoir, My Father not only gives us an intimate look at the life of Auguste Renoir, it gives us an intimate look at the Paris of Renoir's day as well.

As we get to know Renoir we get to know his contemporaries, too. Jean Renoir writes about Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Sisley and many other great artists. We learn many "little known" facts, such as Monet's penchant for lace and his "artful" way with the ladies.

Paris really comes alive in this book. Many of the places Renoir writes about still exist and can be visited today. This book makes any art lover's trip to Paris more meaningful whether he's a Renoir fan or not.

When reading this book, one must remember that this is not a "run of the mill" biography. This is a son writing about the father he adored. The portrait we are given is very intimate, detailed and loving. It's obvious that Jean Renoir adored his father, just as Auguste Renoir adored his family.

Ultimately, this book is a beautiful tribute from a loving son to a father who was one of history's consummate artists. If you have any interest at all in art, this is one book you simply must not pass up. The last page alone will break your heart.

We adopted "Renoir, My Father" as bedside reading while my wife was recovering from hip surgery, and (aside, perhaps, from "Goodnight, Moon,") I can't imagine better therapy. This is odd, in a way: Claude was an old man (and in pain) when Jean got to know him, and Jean was an old man when he finally brought his recollectios together. You might expect cranky, but nothing of the sort: it's a book full of sunny afterglow. Every parent would hope to be rememnbered so well.

The book might take a bit of getting used to: Jean has his own pace and his own way of telling his story. We did it in small doses and I'm not certain yet that I quite catch the rhythm. None of the rough edges have been smoothed off which, come to think of it, is just as Claude would have wanted: Jean speaks with his own voice. You have to listen well, but you know that the voice is nobody else's.

I suppose it helps to know a bit about the Impressionists to enjoy it all, but I can't say I know all that much, and I didn't feel impaired. Anyway, God bless Google: more than once, when Jean talked about a painting or a subject, I key-clicked my way to an image and completed (as it were) the picture.

Kudos also to NYRB (this time) for producing what it does not always produce: a finished physical specimen The paper feels like quality; the binding is sturdy, and there is a small but satisfying selection of pictures, both colored and black-and-white. There is even an index of sorts (I assume from the original translator) but it is patchy and incomplete. That last is a shortcoming, but forgivable in light of the book's other virtues. In the NYRB firmament, this is surely a star.

Solnit's RIVER OF SHADOWS is an entrance not only into the 19th century, but also a precursor of the 20th century and the advent of technology. She tells the story of Eadweard Muybridge and the invention of the moving picture. The value of this exceptional book, however, is the relationship presented between technology and culture, and the sweeping cultural changes that resulted through the annihiliation of space. It was as if the world had shrunk, or better yet, the old world had died.

Loved the book--Great Narrative, First-Rate Research, Excellent Writer.

Solnit's book is not simply a biography of photographer Eadweard Muybridge. It is also a fascinating cultural history of California in the nineteenth century, and the resonance that this lost world has for our own time. Gracefully interweaving the tragic history of Indian extermination with the triumphs of industrial expansion (specifically the railroad), and the rapid progression from "instantaneous photography" to the cinema itself, Solnit makes a compelling case for viewing Muybridge, his patron Leland Stanford, and the epic West as the staging ground for modern ways of seeing and thinking. This is a book that, while describing great art and the conditions that created it, is itself a great work of art, a literary landscape that acknowledges the good that came from Muybridge and his time, as well as what was lost. Essential reading for anyone interested in American history, film studies, or art history.

This is a splendid book, intelligent,stimulating, the best kind of cultural history. It illuminates the origins of photography, cinema, and the construction of the American west.

Rebecca Solnit is an amazing writer. She brings to the surface all the hidden currents of the Muybridge story in a narrative that is at once informative and moving. This book constantly surprised and delighted me with its deep insights and fascinating details. Not only is it well researched, but the results of the research are germane to the story and are all neatly brought together. It was a pleasure to discover that fine writing like this still exists. I can't wait to read her other books now that I have found her.

Muybridge was an interesting character aside from his pioneering landscape photography and motion studies. Rebecca Solnit is an interesting character aside from her accessibility and easy readable style. She is uncommonly skilled in describing her subject and what he did as well as explaining the historical context and landscape into which Muybridge inserted himself.

Gold rush California was a wild and raw landscape, filled with the last gasps of the American frontier as the Sierra was trampled by the world's riffraff. Muybridge dragged his huge camera into the mountains capturing images of Yosemite from perspectives many of us with much lighter cameras and easier trails wouldn't dream of attempting.

While Solnit makes a reasonable case for Muybridge's pioneering technology work in pre-motion pictures as well as still photography, she misses the continuing photographic California thread down the road from Leland Stanford's Palo Alto ranch, where Silicon Valley turned the telephoto lens around and photographically shrank designs onto silicon wafers. A minor point.

Nevertheless, this book, like her Savage Dreams, is an exquisite bit of California and photographic history. Anyone with an interest in Yosemite, landscape and nature photography should have this on their bookshelf!

These reviews are all fictional, including the Ellen Tanner Marsh editioral review. Google her, she was paid off. Not all self-published books are bad, but this, supplemented by fake reviews and possessing no redeeming content whatsoever, is the lowest of the low in the literary world.

Shadow Fields is a wonderful book which captures you the minute you open and start reading the first page. I found that I could not put it down. D. F. Whipple's main character, Jack Maguire, comes alive immediately. You are sure you know him or someone like him and so you keep on reading because you really want to know what will happen.

When you read this book you will feel the impact of the story because it hits home for many of us who are control people or who know control-type people--this is such a story where Jack Maguire who has money, power and all that goes with it. His journey of how he handles the gamut of life, death and all the ramifications that come with his decisions will keep you riveted. Like many, we can relate to Jack's successes, failures and finally the impact his lifestyle had on himself, his family and friends.

I most highly recommend this wonderful book--you will love it. I know we will be hearing more from this new, exciting writer--D. F. Whipple. Remember this name.

As a minor, upon reading the synopsis of the book, I believed the subject matter would prove to be too far removed to be of any interest to me. But - as I found myself increasingly engrossed in Jack's marital and familial trails - I realized just how universal Whipple's message resonates.

The style is uniquely his own; fresh, inviting, and ideal for Whipple's forays into matters of philosophy just as much as it is for his quick, dry, descriptions of the world in which he explores. Also of note is the feeling one gets upon reading his work; one is left with a need to contribute a voice to the issues he raises and pick up the pen themselves. Personally, the inspiration derived from his own ambition contributed greatly to my overall enjoyment of Shadow Fields.

Nor is his diction daunting or off-putting. Indeed, most passages from the book read at a fast clip. I point this out not as a flaw, but as a compliment - no unnecessary words are used nor does, at any part, the story slow to "pad out" the read. I believe Whipple has found a way, through combination of word and wit, to marriage Aristotelian philosophy with the best of modern writing.

Wall Street would appear to be a complex issue to introduce to unfamiliar readers but this is handled expertly within the text. In fact, all technical issues seem expertly handled under Whipple's guidance; an astounding feat most especially for a first time novelist.

My only gripe would not be the way in which Shadow Fields was explored, but in the way it wasn't; I felt that Whipple, himself, was on the cusp of some greater illumination that glimmered repeatedly throughout his writing but was left absent from the greater body of work. (Although I would like to point out that all conclusions Shadow Fields draws upon the morale of the human condition do not fall to stale, idle, abstractions. All insights are fresh without a feeling of disconnect from the reader) This arises, perhaps, from the many threads woven at Jack's childhood gone unacknowledged by the close of the book.

However, I did find the conclusion a satisfying end. (I'll attempt not to give too much away.) Not all ends were wrapped up but this did not lead to a cheapened feeling. In fact, one feels that Jack continues to exist in pursuance of the Great American Dream.

I highly recommend this book to all who are interested and to those looking for a fresh, inviting take on an issue grown long stale in the literary world. I have already picked up Snooker Glen, his second delve into the literary world, and look forward to seeing what new devices Whipple has forged.

From the moment I opened this book, I knew I would want to know everything there is to know about Jack's life. I felt every pain and victory with him. The writing is truly glorious. Thank you D.F. Whipple!
Stephanie D.

If you have ever heard someone describe seeing Springsteen at the Stone Pony *before* Greetings from Asbury Park, or saw LeBron play basketball in high school, you can get a sense for how I feel having read D.F. Whipple's Shadow Fields. The book is beautifully written, not just engaging but engrossing. That it comes without the hype of a major publishing house makes it even more delicious.

Shadow Fields tells the story of Jack Maguire, a man on the fast track who gets to the top and wonders what he has sacrificed and whether he should change course. But this is a fresh take on this not uncommon story.

I'm no literary critic, so I can't delve too deeply here, but the highlights of the book for me were the characters and their conversations, which are vivid and oh-so-real; the examination of the marriage, which will have anyone in a relationship doing some soul-searching; and the fact that I did not want to put this book down.

The book also passes my other tests: I will give it to friends confidently; and I will read it again myself to delve deeper into some of the important themes.

Look--I'm rooting for Whipple, in part because he is not backed (yet) by the big publishers. I just ordered Snooker Glen, his second novel, although I wonder if an author who scores big with his first novel can possibly nail the second as well.

And I recommend this book highly. You will enjoy reading it, and it will get you thinking. And someday, we'll all boast about how early we were aboard Whipple's career.

I can not get enough of Burton Silverman and this book was just what I needed.
I just flip open a page and study how he pulls it off, great painting that is.
I have not read the whole book, just little bits here and there.
But I sure have looked at all the pretty pictures and so should any one who likes B. Silvermans work.
Barry

You will have to admire the works of Burt Silverman presented in this well designed compilation of his work. I have followed his work for years and he's just one of those magical craftsmen that makes me just shake my head in wonder when I see what he can do with a paint brush. He is certainly one of the best artist of our age. If you love art in the realist format, you will be well pleased with this book and with Mr. Silverman's work. This one is a "keeper".

This is the story of a man's quest for truth in art in spite of a country's infatuation with its new found Modern Art. I found the book to be BEAUTIFUL, COMPELLING, ILLUMINATING, and INSPIRING...filled with IMAGES OF the LOVE that Mr Silverman has for his subjects, his kind & curious Humanist "take" on the World, and his incredible volume of awe inspiring work. He has crossed the barriers of "illustration" showing us that Art is Art when "spoken" by the true voice.

Most people who would buy this book are already familiar with Burton Silverman's paintings. The book is no disappointment; the reproductions are large and sensitive to color nuances, on heavy paper, and there are a lot of them. There are short essays by Silverman about each painting which show an honest, contemplative mind at work. It's not a how-to book; there's no pedantic bloviating, just a humble, intelligent man describing the circumstances behind each picture. At first I pegged Silverman as one of those East Coast types who paint their Greenwich Village friends sitting still with expressionless faces and vacant stares. It all seemed too academic, lacking action and vigor, like most modern art. But his understanding of color and composition is undeniable, and the personalities he depicts grow on you. They are of the type of person who can be found in artist's lofts, in front of Folger's coffee cans full of paintbrushes, wearing sweaters and spectacles, New York academics and intellectuals who go to poetry readings, listen to Public Radio, and fret about the fate of the Rosenbergs. He's a world traveller, so he has other types of people, too, but he seems to know all of them personally, and doesn't just paint anonymous models. Though his work is a little tame compared to the kind of entertainment industry stuff I'm interested in, commercial illustrators could learn a lot from Silverman's penetrating eye and calm, balanced judgement.

Just a few lines (as I chose to write below) to be an 'unhelpful' review.

My fingers wiggle when seeing the drawings. My nerve cells tingle trying to process/digest/analyze color combinations in the paintings, and half of me trying to get off the chair and get to the easel to "mix 'em colors".

Some body, catch me! I am falling... in love.

An excellent book showing many and varied techniques with very easy instructions. This book is very inspiring.

This book has great, inspirational photos and very good instructions. My main disappointment with it is the authors attitude toward silk paints (i.e., not dyes). I have used several varieties of the paints that are made to mimic dyes and find them to work very well, leave the silk soft and be very easy to use. They are a great way for a beginner to get started and try most of the same techniques used with dyes without the hassle of steaming or the toxicity. I am glad that I had some experience silk painting before I got this book because her attitude would have discouraged me from every trying. Aside from that - it's an excellent book, worth the price and full of great pictures to inspire you.

You name it she tells you how to do it. For beginner & Intermediate silk painters. Educational, Informative and well formatted. My only suggestion is a ring binding so the book could lay flat when it is being used for refeence.

I love this book! I think the blend of historical content and variety of techniques described make this the perfect book in your resource library!

An excellent, comprehensive guide for the beginning silk painter. The author demonstrates many inspirational designs and recommends her preferences for dyes (by brand), gutta, and other resist options. I've not painted on silk before and, after reading this book, I feel I have all the knowledge I need to begin painting on silk.