Instruction Books

I discovered this book at my sister's home after I bought a print while visiting. The comments accompanying each print in the book provide an intimate look at Wyeth's life and art. It added a new dimension to my fondness for his work. I'd highly recommend this book to any admirer of Andrew Wyeth.

I purchased this item as a gift for an artist friend, she was very happy with the quality of the reproductions in this book.

This isn't a linear autobiography, in the usual sense. Instead, it presents selections from Wyeth's entire life as a painter, from his mid-teens to his late seventies, when this book was published. Wyeth's own notes on each piece make it an autobiography.

This says less about the artist than about his artwork, which speaks for itself. His subdued palette captures the people and places of his life. Places include farms, barn or farmhouse interiors, Maine shorelines, and other open spaces that are increasingly hard to find. Wyeth's people include his wife Betsy, his sister, and neighbors. Grittier than Norman Rickwell but no less affetionate, he presents them at work, at hard-earned rest, or simply at a quiet moment. A few nudes of teenaged Siri, including the remarkable "The Virgin," capture the gawky grace of emerging womanhood. Two images really stood out for me, though, images I would never have associated with Wyeth. "Spring" and "Christmas morning" carry a surreal sense, somehow even closer the the supernatural for their entirely realistic rendering. "Spring," especially, offers an amiguous sense of hope using the starkest and bleakest of visual language.

As Wyeth narrates each painting, a sentence to a paragraph for each, parts of his life emerge: friendships, successes, and losses. Without being mysterious, the text comes across as spotty and selective, omitting far more than it presents. If you want a standard kind of biography, you'll have to look elsewhere. Instead, this book is closer to the occasional cup of coffee with the artist, shared over weeks or months, in which different moments of his life arise almost at random. His words add an intimacy to the art that's hard to express, but that is worth experiencing - as is the art itself.

-- wiredweird

I didn't know a lot about Andrew Wyeths work before reading this book. I had seen the paintings and I liked them a lot, but I didn't know that much about them.

The book is labeled as an autobiography, but its form is not what many might expect. This is not a book consisting of prose with the occasional picture, it is a book that mainly shows Wyeths paintings with a paragraph or two about the paintings below. Written by Wyeth. For some this may not be what they are looking for, but I liked this very much.

It is a very good introduction to Wyeth's paintings and the subject matter he painted. The people, the places and their history. There isn't a lot of information about Wyeth himself in the book. At least not in the sense one would expect from a traditional biopgraphy. But after reading it I feel I know a lot more about both Wyeth and his paintings than a typical art-history or biographical text would give me.

I'd be happy to recommend this book.

My teacher introduced me to Andrew Wyeth's paintings and drawings about a year or two ago. I've been in love with his work ever since. It's just how beautiful his linework is and how he brings life to the paintings. That is so incredibly rare. There are plenty of portrait artists out there, but I can't think of one that impresses me as much as he does. I think this is because of how well he knew his subjects.

He said drawing with pencil helped him get to the core of a thing. If you've ever drawn or painted people and animals from life, as he did, it increases the appreciation for his work one hundred fold. I also think that this is why his paintings and sketches are so full of life - you just don't get that from a photo, there is NO comparison. His landscapes blow me away every time, and I'm not really a fan of landscape paintings. Something about the solitude of it all just takes me in.

My favourite is Night Sleeper, which is on the cover. His palette is just beautiful, i don't really think it's muted or drab - the closer you look, the more colours you see. How he played colours in juxtaposition, so that they glow, is another part that gives his work such intensity and life.

The comments beside all the work are, as people have mentioned, very good. The entire book is one of those slow joy books. It's just nice to sit with it and turn the pages slowly and take in every thing.

For a designer+Trekkie like me, this book is a collector's item. This compilation of scenic art, concept sketches and production stills is just inspirational.

When I was first given The Art of Star Trek as a special gift by a close friend I was to say the least, over the moon. The present came as something of a pleasant shock for I was totally unaware that it had been published. As a lover of "the art of" books and an avid fan of Star Trek, I had long hoped for such a title and finally... here it was! The Art of Star Trek has fast become my favourite "art of" book (along with the Art of Star Wars books) and it is always near at hand.

The Art of Star Trek is everything I would have expected and more, stunning colour pictures, informative text and lavish presentation. This long overdue book covers several of Star Treks many and varied incarnations thus far on television and film alike and charts its visual evolution over more than thirty years. It is positively overflowing with many fascinating examples of the sketches and storyboards, production and matte paintings, posters, costumes, props and sets [etc] that fill the Paramount archives and private collections alike. Although most of the designs will not be used for various reasons, they loosely form the basis for how a Star Trek production might appear when completed. The concept art included in this volume has been created by many of the top film-television designers to have worked in Hollywood throughout the years. These creative individuals have played a seminal role in shaping the distinctive aesthetic of Star Trek over its almost forty year history. Included are such artists as Mike Okuda, Andrew Probert, John Eaves, Mike Minor and Matt Jefferies, who created the first brilliant prototype Starship Enterprise in the 1960s. Mr. Jefferies classic design has served as the blueprint for all subsequent Starfleet starship designs. The many individuals included in this wonderful book are the unsung talents of Star Trek, and who for the most part go unrecognised by its legions of fans. They have diligently worked long hours behind the scenes of Star Trek series and movies to create the multitude of conceptual and commercial art that helps Trek run efficiently. Their concept art and finished designs play an important role in Star Treks appeal to a devoted fan-base around the world.

Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens have carefully chosen a wide selection of the finest art created for this most enduring of franchises. The book is arranged in a chronological order, the first half being devoted to the television series from The Original Series to Voyager. The second half of the book is devoted to Star Trek films from The Motion Picture leading up to Generations. With stunning full colour photographs throughout this is a fascinating and engrossing volume that will keep one rapt for hours. So if you haven't already got a copy in your library and are a serious Trekkie and art lover do yourself a big favour and buy this incredible coffee table book, you won't be disappointed.

Since The Art of Star Trek was first published (some years ago now) the Star Trek universe has been steadily expanding, Voyager and Deep Space Nine have long finished, three more movies have been made so far... and Star Trek: Enterprise has sadly been cancelled. In their wake they have left a whole gallery of exiting new material gathering dust in the Paramount archives that hopefully will be used in The Art of Star Trek: volume two at some future date.

This book has some of the best artwork that was made for the first four Star Trek series and some of the movies. It has photographs of the sets and props as well as diagrams of the ships, including Klingon and Romulan vessels, the movie and series Enterprises, and even Voyager. The book follows a plan which views the art history of Star Trek from the pilot film "The Cage" to "Star Trek: Voyager". You'll love this book if you're a Star Trek fan!

"The Art of Star Trek," by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, is to date the ultimate "coffee table" book for devoted Star Trek fans. This book, which was published in 1995, covers all aspects of "Trek" history up until its publication date. Through text and plentiful illustrations, the book celebrates the visual artistry that has been such an essential component of the "Trek" phenomenon.

The book deals with each of the specific series from the original until "Voyager," including both the often neglected animated series and the aborted "Phase II" series of the mid-1970s. All films from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" to "Star Trek Generations" are also covered.

The amount and quality of items in this visual "museum" are astounding. There are behind-the-scenes photos, concept drawings, photos of models, prosthetic makeup designs, storyboards, movie posters from around the world, closeup shots of props, and more. Particularly interesting were the shots of certain props and aliens which were barely seen in fleeting shots, but which represent great imagination and artistry.

Also noteworthy are the drawings which document the evolution of both the original series "Enterprise" and the "Next Generation" ship. I was fascinated by the concept drawings of possible "Enterprises" for the aborted "Phase II" series, as well as by the rejected new uniforms for the first "Next Generation" feature film.

The concise but clear text is a good match for the wealth of glorious, full-color photographs. This book is, from start to finish, a visual feast for "Trek" fans.

My initial reaction to The Art of Star Trek and it's hefty price was skepticism. Once I did purchase it and start running through it, the price could've been twice and I still would've bought this gem. The Art of Star Trek is a pure celebration of everything that Star Trek is and was all the way through it's publication date. It includes articles from the very beginning to the lastest on Voyager and Star Trek Generations. The pictures and drawings are stunning to say the least. This is a book you'll definitely want to add to your collection if you haven't already.

I have to agree with the other reviews on this book, it's a MUST have at any price.

The art from the early Dragonlance covers has always been some of my favorite fantasy art, and this book dives deeper in the vaults to bring out art that if you're like me might never have seen. Some of the art is from the dragonlance calandars, posters, etc. This book will leave you with a deep appriciation for Larry Elmore and the other great artists who've done these covers.

I was born with the name of Raistlin.. naturally i would want to see the character i was named after. This book provided me with the start to my passion with Dragon Lance.
It goes into detail and explains everything (how the dragon riders stay on the dragons etc.).
I have one copy and so does my Dad, but mine has pages missing from when he used them as posters. I want another copy but it depends how much i am willing to pay on e bay.
This book is worth getting for a price such as £50.

Enjoy.

This book is worth every penny I paid to get it. It includes a short story about how the Dragonlance epic came to be, the four original color roughs (by Larry Elmore), sketches of the dragonlance and saddle and how to use it, sketches and pictures of the many types of draconians, armor and weapons, beautiful oil and acrylic pictures, a little history and pictures of the Heroes of the Lance, pictures and history of minor characters such as Lord Lorac, the elven king, and much, much more! This book is a must-have for any Dragonlance collector. You won't be disappointed!

This gorgeous book is one of the finest compendiums of TSR artwork ever created - it is loaded full of hundreds of illustrations, free of print, on glossy paper; included are every piece of full-color artwork ever created for Dragonlance (up through 1987), supplemented with rich text and many, many concept sketches that appear nowhere else! For Dragonlance afficionados, or those who appreciated classic art by Easley, Caldwell, Parkinson, Elmore, and more, this is the ideal collection.

This was an absolutely beautifully laid out book. It contains 'round 40 full color full page prints of paintings of the dragonlance saga. Along with the prints there is also background info. on how the artists put the images together, along with an intriguing storyline that ran with the images. An absolutely fantastic book... can't say much more about it!

The focus of Greek civilization, the Parthenon captures viewers imaginations even as it conceals its true meaning. In his ground breaking work, Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. author of ATHENA AND EDEN: THE HIDDEN MEANING OF THE PARTHENON'S EAST FACADE demonstrates that when Athena is seen to be Eve, then Greek mythology becomes narrative art. Consequently, the marble sculptures on the east pediment of the Parthenon relate the story of the origin of mankind, matching the Genesis account in detail.

Johnson asserts that scholars have previously been unsuccessful in identifying most of the figures in the east pediment because they have failed to connect Athena with Even and the story of Eden in the Book of Genesis. Through careful research, Johnson demonstrates that we do have the literature and art to serve as a source of reconstruction. Painstaking comparison demonstrates shows that the sculptures of the eastern pediment depict the Garden of Eden, the birth of Eve, the Great Flood. Furthermore, the goddess Athena, whom the Greeks worshipped as the one who brought the serpent's wisdom, is the same person the Book of Genesis calls Eve.

Johnson, a West Point graduate, author, teacher and public speaker based his research on surviving sculptures, the ancient writings of Homer, Hesiod, Pindar and others, plus myths, vase art and the work of numerous experts. His controversial approach will certainly garner attention from all who are interested in the classics, religion, art, and mythology. Indeed, Johnson's unique perspective will provoke avid discussion among academics for years to come, yet is easily approachable by any who hold an interest in our origins.

I don't profess to know enough about Greek history or archaeology to say that the author is right on target; HOWEVER, his theory does fit the facts of Greek mythology and Biblical revelation.

The author's premise is that Greek mythology is really the story of Creation, the Fall of Man, and the Great Deluge, except told from the side of Evil. There are a lot of photos of various aspects of Greek art to back up his theory, and he does a good job of explaining it in terms a novice can grasp. This work has piqued my interest and I'm going to have to do a lot of further reading.

One thing the author didn't point out, but which I've theorized for years, is that the portions of Greek myth typically referred to as "The Clash of the Titans," was a perversion of the true story of Lucifer/Satan being cast out of heaven. I'd like to see Mr. Johnson chase that rabbit in the future.

I have accidently seen this book in Tampa Museum of Art downtown, and intrigued by its title, I bought it. Little did I know how revealing this book is.....

I always pondered about the ancient fascination of womanhood, and modern condemnation of womanhood -- where and why it all changed?

Well, the author nicely connects the ancient female divinity emphasis and the one the Bible gives in the garden of Eden.

Indeed, because of Eve's choice to be seduced by the Serpent, humankind serenity of life ended. Later generation, perhaps out of deperation and mystic of new life birth, elevated woman again, and Athena (a-thanassos -- immortal) carries the symbols of woman 's fall from the garden, yet, in sense that through the Serpent she gave humanity freedom from God, and then presented a new connection through her outstretched hand.

So strange why females were so elevated back then----Cybele and Kaabala connection (Muslim worship of black stone just like in Ephesus Artemis and black stone)...

I am often shocked to see how ancient beliefs carry over to nowadays...

D.Barbara Zapal

Athena And Eden: The Hidden Meaning Of The Parthenon's East Facade by author and educator Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. offers the non-specialist general reader a unique, accessible, and provocative look at classical artwork and human spirituality. Athena And Eden focuses on the majesty of the Parthenon and its mystical connection to the Book of Genesis. Illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs of Greek artistic treasures, sculptures, and pottery, Athena And Eden is an original, seminal, ground breaking, unforgettable, and highly recommended perspective that will be of particular interest to students of Hellenic art, architecture, mythology, and religion.

If you know who "the prince of the power of the air" is then you will probably find this book very interesting. I came across the book almost by accident on an Amazon list and found it to be very well reasoned and argued.

The author's main idea is that greek myth and religion consists of a retelling of the story of mankinds origins (familiar to us through the first 12 chapters of the Bible) from a greek or humanist point of view. Wow, he got me right there!

The book shows how many of the seminal events of human history such as the original sin, the murder of Abel, the flood etc. were depicted on the sculptures decorating the Parthenon. However, they have almost the opposite meaning and sentiment as the biblical depiction.

If you are interested in ancient history and how it intersects with the bible you will love this book. I bought the author's second book Athena and Kain. It supposes to make the same basic points looking at a wider selction of Greek myth than found solely on the Parthenon. However, as many follow up books do it spends a lot ot time covering material from the previous book. That's ok if you have not read the previous volume but tedious if you already have.

The book is also well illustrated.

I am finishing up by degree in Graphic Communications in December. I checked this book out of our school library and didn't want to give it back...so I bought my own! What I love about this book is that it breaks it down by industry and specialty area. I also like the way it breaks down what you should include in your portfolio for those areas. It is nice knowing that there is more to Graphic Design than just being a Graphic Artist in a print shop or a newspaper. This book gives you an idea and an overview on what's out there. Awesome!

This book is a good overview of what it means to be a graphic designer. It goes through the different areas of design, and different job positions.
Everything you need to know about the design world is in this book.

This book rocks! Once you read it you'll know WAAAAAZZZZZUP!

This book is a good overview of what it means to be a graphic designer. It goes through the different areas of design, and different job positions.
Everything you need to know about the design world is in this book.

There is a lot of good to be said for this book. But the thing that jumps out and slaps me in the face, right off, maybe because I have dealt with new design students and new professionals for the past several years, is a few dumb comments such as "If you are going to be a good designer, fine. If you aren't don't bother. The field is full of mediocre talents as it is."

And how, pray tell, does one know whether one is going to "be good" during the first year of ones study? --Or even during the first few years of ones professional practice, when sweeping out the place may be included in your job description, and hands-on real world work may come your way slowly and in small discreet bits? And doesn't every creative person at one point or another question the worth and validity of what he or she is doing, EVEN after recognition has started rolling in and they understand that their work is generally perceived by their peers as good? Further, I would ask whether everyone HAS to be a Saul Bass or a Neville Brody. Isn't design a broad enough field to encompass the work of those with less Olympian ambition? Comments such as the one above are relatively few and far between, to be certain. But where on earth was the editor when pompous uninsightful stuff like this flew in under the radar? Although the sheer snideness of the comment may make many jaded pros cheer, I have to wonder what useable information this kind of comment contains for the neophyte at whom the book is supposedly aimed? --To show that a lot of jaded pros have a really bad attitude?

I do not favor the Pollyanna view whether we are talking art or careers. But I believe it is impossible to know how you will fare at something before you have been doing it a while. Thinking otherwise --for example, that a teacher in a design 101 class can tell you whether you are "any good" (and I have seen or heard about many students asking this very question)-- just intimidates and discourages people from being brave enough to give the life that they would see for themselves a try. To me, that is way too limiting.

Very usefull in order to improve jazz style after be-bop.

I already had the last book by John Riley but this one is much better, every drummer should have and practice " Beyong Bop Drumming ", I am very happy and proud to get this book. This method is really made for the be-bop fans with many examples and songs you can practice, very interesting and complete, excellent !!!

I am just about finished with Riley's other book, "The Art of Bop Drumming." I wasn't sure whether to move on into this book, or continue working on mastering the material in the first book. I decided to order "Beyond Bop Drumming" and I'm glad that I did. It addresses a number of things in more detail such as uptempo playing, and begins to get you into comping with your hi-hat foot.

This is a great follow up to his "bop drumming" book. It helps expand your versatility on the drums by adding more comping that utilizes the hi hat as part of your comping figures. The section on "implied time" is amazing. A must have for drummers who want to become a truley "musical" drummer.

this book is a great learning tool from semi-pro to professional drummers that want to refine and improve their jazz and drumming skills. The audio cd that comes with the book offers great examples of the charts and exercises listed. It also lists other recommended listening and reading material. In my opinion, this is even better than the first book from John Riley. Anyone who buys this book will not be disappointed.

This is one of those "hmmmmm...interesting" books. George Rodrigue gives a compelling history about his roots and how Blue Dog came into creation. While I love the content of the book, I am even more facinated by the design. Inside you will find a "punch-out" blue dog mask, postcards and other little nifty interactive thing-a-ma-jigs that help make this book such a pleasure to enjoy.

This is a weighty (but not cumbersome) coffee table book that any thinking, feeling human being would be happy to own. Ever since I saw some original Blue Dog paintings in New Orleans, I've wanted to own one of them. Alas, I'm too poor. This book captures the spirit of the little alien-looking pooch and lets me borrow it for a price I can manage.

You just can't fully appreciate or understand the scope and delight of Blue Dog until you read this book. I adore Blue Dog. This silly, goofy blue dog provokes emotions in me that I have not experienced with art before...there is some strange, sad, beautiful, eerie, rapturous, haunting, joyful essence to this darn dog. This book is completely unique, fun, inspirational...I could go on and on. You just have to touch this book (the cover is fuzzy!) and open it...you will be hooked. The best coffee table book and a sure conversation starter, though that is hardly its value.

Any book with more of Blue Dog is great. This features more of the pop art world of Blue Dog than the previous books of Rodrigue's work. (I actually like the paintings of Blue Dog in cajun settings best.)

Teach an old dog new tricks? Absolutely, provided the pooch in question is Blue Dog, that colorful canine spawned from the mind of Cajun artist George Rodrigue. (For those no up to their four-legged friends fodder, the cobalt canine with the yellow eyes is based on three of the artist's now-dead dogs, and was first immortalized on slick papers back in 1994.) Who says a sleeping dog must lie? This babe is everywhere: portraits hang in the White House, on the set of "Friends" and in fan Whoopi Goldberg's abode; Blue Dog also stars in an Absolut ad. This volume boasts 60 gorgeous never-before-published paintings, along with commentary by Rodrigue on the birth of Blue Dog and its transformation into a pop culture icon. Tom Brokaw, an avid Blue Dog collector, wrote the book's forward. The cat's meow. Really.

This book is really great. I got accepted in the nursing program but I always had a fear of math I didn't think I could do it. But this book carrys you step by step even the math dummy can understand dosage calculation. Believe me you won't be disappointed.

This text takes you from basics to excellent in calculations, which was exactly what i needed. The CD was very helpfull and it gives you great tips!

I need this book before I start nursing school this fall. I think I ordered this book on Friday and received it on a Monday. Anyway,
ftorres, the vendor, is very honest and prompt. The book I ordered IS like new and an undamaged CD-ROM did accompany it. Thanks FTORRES, whoever you are. I'd buy another book from this guy any time.

As for the book itself, it delivers what it's supposed to in terms of a basic grasp of medical calculations. Very practical as its applied to the current pharmaceutical market.

KTimbers

This book is a required text in my nursing program and it has been wonderful. I really needed practice brushing up on math and this book leads you from math basics all the way through to various methods of medication and IV calculation. One unique feature of this text: 3 different methods for calculating medications are introduced (ratio & proportion, formula, and dimensional analysis.) You determine which method you prefer for completing medication problems. The medication examples in the book are then worked through step-by-step based on all 3 methods. I simply study my preferred method of solving problems (ratio & proportion) and disregard the other 2 methods. Each chapter includes pre and post tests and there is a CD-ROM that contains over 500 practice problems. I find the book easy to understand, even if you are self-teaching. There are lots of practice problems and answers. This book is well worth the money!

When lives are in your hands, you want to be sure that your calculations are perfect everytime. This is the book that will give you the confidence to know that you are calculating all medications accurately everytime. A must have for all those in the medical field.

A little book, but very very complete. I think that it suits all artists that are not perfectly familiar with this method. I was knowing the method but I found some little gems in it. A must!

I bought this book after reading the positive reviews at amazon.
This book gives a closer look at classical drawing technique which is perfect for portrait drawing done in a studio.
Almost from a beginning a reader is thought the sight-size technique by example.
There are clear explanations about setting up a workspace, measuring, shading and finishing work. Additionaly a reader is given some references about the sight-size drawing and painting.
The author promise this book to be a start of a whole course of sight-size aproach. That's why a student-reader begining his journey with this book starts with basic practice of cast drawing.
What I like the most in this book is that it comes with a subject right away without any unnecessary content.
The author is a painter and teacher and as a teacher he knows that book is sometimes not enough. That's why there is a dvd that accompanies the book and shows the author explaining the technique while drawing a cast.
The only disadvatage of sight-size aproach is that you have to have some extra space to set up your workspace that's why I recomend this book to everyone interested in classical drawing and painting done in art studio and to everyone interested in drawing techniques in general.
However, I don't recomend it to comic and concept artists, unless they are interested in broadening their drowing skills in general.

"Cast Drawing, using the Sight-Size Approach, by Darren R Rousar"

In my studio is a large walk-in-closet filled with books on art history, artist biographies and art how two books. Most of my how to books are deceptive pricey, glitzy books claiming to reveal secret art practices, some just rehashed bits of stuff with an over focus on personal expression and others are ads. My students offend bring in new books and we as a class discuss each book's merits. We've broken the field of books on art practices into three groups: inspirational, usually packed with lots of pretty pictures, artist promotional, usually packed with lots of pretty pictures produced by one artist, and technical usually not so pretty but packed with useful information.

Darren R Rousar's book "Cast Drawing Using the Sight-Size Approach," is technical and is in the vein of an older group of books written in the tail end of the 19th and start of the 20th century who's authors focused on real studio practices and aesthetics, not on self-promotion. What you will learn from Rousar's book is a way of drawing that is focused and sure. This book is like having Rousar there beside you as he walks you through an approach to skill development in drawing. He is one of those rare teachers, formed from the studio tradition, who understands the how and why, and can explain it and do it. I wish I had him as a studio trained drawing teacher instead of the university trained teachers, when I went to art school back in the 70's but I now have his priceless book of well-presented material.

This is not a book of fluff and pretty pictures. If you want to learn how to draw, buy this book and learn from it.

David C. Powers artist and teacher of art skills

This book is very simple and straightforward explaning the "atelier" or a sighting method for drawing which yields realistic drawings. I once took a class on this subject and have read a few books on it, but most were a bit "lofty" and philosophical. This book tells you how to set up an atelier studio simply and a week later I was using these methods and producing almost photo real drawings (been studying art for 4 years now). Highly recommended.

The content of the book is good; other reviews have covered it and I don't disagree, so no need to rehash.

One star deducted for its disappointingly mediocre production quality; it looks like a manuscript printed on a cheap home laser printer and sent off to the publisher for duplication, and in fact I'd be surprised if that wasn't exactly how it was done. The photographs, as a result, are badly halftoned and muddy-looking, like newspaper photographs, and for a work about detailed fine art line this one, that's really surprising and unfortunate. There are many photographs that I really wish were sharper so I could see the technique and results being described more clearly. I would happily have paid more for the book if it had had better print quality, like any of the other art instruction books I've purchased over the past few years.

Five stars for the content, minus one for the production.

I caught this exhibition at the Indiana State Museum while it was on a nationwide tour. It was so interesting that I took full advantage of my museum membership and came back and saw it several times while it was here in Indianapolis. I picked up the book as the exhibit was winding down but only recently read the well-written introductory essays that make up the first 35 pages or so of the book.

Cheech Marin has created a high-quality full color text of this travelling show which is mostly comprised of pieces from his own personal collection. Marin's taste tends to run towards political art, but there is plenty that speaks of life for artists who are both Chicano and American, as the exhibition title (also the book title) imply.

Artists that grabbed my attention include:

Carlos Almaraz - his car crash paintings were gigantic attention getters in the gallaries. His other works are great as well.

David Botello - his Monet-like style is fascinating.

One of the best paintings may well be "Janine at 39, Mother of Twins" by Margaret Garcia. Cheech Marin's comment on page 67 hits it on the head: "If there is a visual definition of the lushness, the strength, and the beauty of women, this painting is it."

Cesar Martinez's "Hombre que le Gustan las Mujeres (The Man who Loves Women)" is funny and a sadly realistic portrayal of the ways that men see women.

Patssi Valdez was the painter that stole the show in Indianapolis, at least from the comments I heard. Her pictures are so bright and have the power to mae the viewer feel as though he or she is being drawn in to the canvas, especially with works like "Room on the Verge." Another painting of hers graces the cover of the book.

I did not care for the works of a couple of established artists: Gronk and Mel Casas. The Casas pieces in this show seemed less like a work of art and more like very large, not very clever political cartoons. That being said, it was entirely appropriate to include their works considering their standing in the Chicano art movement.

I bought this book for my brother (artist) and he loved it! it had a great collection of chicano art throughout Los Angeles. Any 'Chicano artist' would like to take a look at other inspiring work.

Cheech Marin has collected some of the most amazing, enthralling pictures (paintings, drawings, etc.) by Chicano artists that I've come across! This book is such a rich collection to own because some of us can't afford to buy art, but we can look again & again at the copies he's put together. There are well-known artists, unknown artists, and people I'm thrilled to have found out about because their work is so brilliant. Some places where I've seen "Chicano" art collected before have stuck to one style, very pastely, very soft colors, a certain women's painting style that has its place but isn't representative. This book isn't like that. Marin has collected paintings of incredible scenes, showing car wreck victims, cholos, lovers embracing, a drive-by shooting in progress, a freeway accident, & a police shake down to name a few. The "realist" aspect of these pictures is so entertaining that it will provide owners of the book hours of transfixing study & discussion! Buy it!

Absolutely breathtaking. A great addition to my collection.

I am insanely jealous of Cheech Marin's art collection, or at least those pieces that are featured in this book. A true artist is one who can make the ugly beautiful, or at least make you look at it with a different perspective, such as David Botello's "Alone and Together Under the Freeway"

Frank Romero's "Arrest of the Paleteros" is tragic and funny at the same time, with the hapless ice cream sellers lined against a wall in front of robot-like cops.

Adan Hernandez' "Sin Titulo II", while not owned by Marin, is included in this book, and gives a peeping-Tom's eye view of a family's living room-it is stunningly beautiful and menacing at the same time. Other works in this book are excellent, and it is inspiring for any artist in a rut, who needs a fresh look at some unusual talents.