Hart Books

I collect oracle cards and have many different decks. These cards are quite unique in design, description and usage. I often pick a card from a spread and sleep with it under my mattress to further integrate the power of the symbol. They appeal to anyone regardless of your spiritual or religious inclination.

This is a beautiful deck featuring the artwork of Francene Hart at http://www.francenehart.com.

29 cards out of this deck of 64 are beautiful pieces of artwork that incorporate sacred geometry. I have to admit to being biased already as I am a fan of the artist, but these cards just took my breath away. The rest of the cards in the deck are simple drawings of sacred geometry, and even though they don't have the detail and artistry of the other cards, they are elegant and effective.

The book is filled with information and I believe anyone interested in the field of sacred geometry would find it highly enjoyable. And as it is not a tarot deck, but an oracle deck, it is wonderful for either the beginning or advanced reader. I would highly recommend the Sacred Geometry Oracle Deck to anyone interested in working with a powerful tool of personal transformation.

Both the illustrations and the book commentary are fantastic!
I agree with all of the positive descriptions of the other
reviews here.Every time I view the images, something new
opens or is revealed. Truly sacred, inspiring, and profound.
Truly beyond words, touching the divine.I hope these images are available as posters!
Sakanta Running Wolf

"Often termed the `language of light', Sacred Geometry has the ability to balance human energy fields and contains a complex informational system that can be used to access healing and growth in many dimensions." -Francene Hart

When you have constructed a mandala, walked through a labyrinth, visited a pyramid, beheld a medicine wheel or engaged in a spiral dance, you have felt the effects of Sacred Geometry. According to artist and author Francene Hart, Sacred Geometry in an ancient science and a sacred language-a study of shape and form, wave and vibration, microcosm and macrocosm. It is geometric archetypal patterns that gather and repeat, echoing the oneness of All That Is.

Sacred Geometry also serves as a bridge between the left and right brain, the Yang and the Yin. This "blueprint for all creation" is a complex informational system-a vehicle to transcend duality consciousness, move beyond third-dimensional reality, balance human energy fields, and evolve consciously.

After years of studying the wisdom of ancient mystery schools and secret societies-as well as receiving and heeding intuitive Guidance-artist Francene Hart created the Sacred Geometry Oracle Deck as a means for accessing the holographic view of past, present and future. Her intent is for individuals to find their personal place in this holographic universe and gain insights that are outside the scope of the rational Western model.

The Sacred Geometry Oracle Deck contains 64 cards, each with a specific theme. The expression of this "language of light" is through shamanic-like illustrations, familiar geometric patterns, spiritual symbols, and simple shapes. Some of the cards and themes in this deck:

* Vesica Piscis - Birth Portal
* Sri Yantra - Meditation
* Square - Earth, Male
* Medicine Wheel - Connection to Nature
* DNA - Conscious Evolution
* Leonardo's Vitruvious Man - Divinity of Humankind
* Dodecahedron - Divine Thought
* Earth Grid - Fellowship
* Kabbalah - Tree of Life
* Steam Cave - Elemental Forces

This boxed set also includes a 143-page companion book, which features seven spreads-described at length-and a comprehensive treatment of each card in both the upright and reversed position. Some cards are symmetrical and harmonious, and thus mean the same thing upright and reversed.

Every time I've used the Sacred Geometry Oracle Deck, I have found it to be amazingly insightful and accurate-regardless if I used the cards in a complex spread or just for a one card meditation. In my experience with Cartomancy, I have found that when one individual creates both the images and divinatory meanings of an oracle or tarot deck, it somehow carries more intuitive "weight". Perhaps because the years of study and wisdom are infused into the whole of the oracle-both art and meaning-this combination really packs a wallop in terms of delivering clear, powerful Guidance. The Sacred Geometry Deck is no exception.

If you enjoy exploring the realm of Sacred Geometry and are seeking integration, balance, and increased awareness, this deck and book will be a wonderful companion on your journey to conscious growth and personal empowerment.

(To see 6 card images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Oracle Decks section at http://JanetBoyer.com)

Sacred Geometry is facinating! This deck of cards is beautifully illustrated and simple to use. THe suggested card layouts correlate with sacred geometry, as well. These cards can give wonderful insight for the user. Highly recommend!

This book was really great. I love reading love stories from a old decade. Although the 1970's isn't so old, it's still different from today. I really love when the author describes everything in detail, and you can see it right there on the page. The love between Angee and Tom is really sweet, although every one around them is trying to destroy what they have found in each other, which of course is, soul mate. As I kept reading I realized that's what the author is conveying in this story, that it doesn't matter the age, when you find your soul mate,you know it and you can't live without them, no matter what. I don't want to give away too much of the story, you really should read it yourself. It truly touched me and brought tears to my eyes. It's a story that stays in your mind for awhile. I'm looking forward to reading more from Ms. Hart.

This book is filled with touching love scenes which took me back in time to the days when I was Angee's age. The powerful love that is felt by our first love is brought to life again through this wonderful love story. The poignant ending both sadened and surprised me. The author is good at pulling you in to the story and making you participate through descriptions and details. I loved this book and look forward to reading more from this creative and talented author.

I just finished reading this book like yesterday. I have a fast paced life in LA and I couldn't put this book down. It was like a two sided magnet pulling me back everytime I stopped reading, I just had to know what was going to happen next. Angee is a young girl, sweet to the core, spirited, full of life. Tom is rich and spoiled, had everything all his life, except for true love and devotion. Something Angee gives him freely. He falls head over heals for her and she in return, they become truly inseperable. His family is rich and snobby, something Angee feels she can't fit into. She comes from a common backround, but giving Tom up is something she fights with back and forth. His mother is rude and has plans of her own for Tom. His exgirlfriend trys to ruin what they have together, not to mention Tom's supposedly best friend Rick who really wants Angee for himself. Ugh, you just want to cream all of them. But they both persevere and have a beautiful wedding. Tom lavishes her with everything shes never had, and Tom's father suprizes them with a whopper!! Tom's father really loves Angee and sees her as a breath of fresh air. Their short marriage is suddenly shattered, and chaos and disbelief sets in. At this point my eyes were so wet, I could barely read on. The ending is sweet and I can't wait to read more from Ms. Hart!!

This story was really sweet. I totally fell in love with Tom and Angee. They are so in love, but no one seems to believe Angee, given her age. Tom is incredibly taken by her, her sweetness, kindness. She completely enchants him with her style. It doesn't seem to matter who tries to spoil things for them, they seem to just plunge forward and do what makes them happy. I was rooting for them all through the book. Oh, and their wedding, the author describes every small detail, right down to the menu. It made me hungy! The ending completely blew my mind, it hits you like a brick and your left crying and wondering why??? I can't wait to see more from Ms. Hart. It's a book I would read over, like a favorite movie you like to see over and over again.

I read about 4 to 5 books a week, but this one really touched my heart! The minute I started reading, I was in the story.The story is so real and the author describes everything as if you can see it in front of you. Tom and Angee have the sweetest love, I wanted to be Angee just reading it! I hated Tom's mother, but Angee won her over. Everyone that meets her, can't help but love her, they all understand how Tom is so inlove with her and their devotion to each other. Even Tom's friend couldn't break them up, he saw how beautiful Angee was inside and out and wanted her for himself. Everything that these two go through to be together and then tragedy hits!Oh My God, I was completely crushed and my husband was laughing at me for crying over a book.I went to the authors website and emailed her regarding the ending. She wrote back theres a sequel coming and my broken heart will be mended. I can't wait! Best I read in a long time.

I've given this book to a handful of teens already and now I'm back on line to buy more copies to give away. That pretty much says it all. Finally, its the answers to the questions they've felt too dumb to ask and more questions they didn't even know how to ask. It's an awesome book - they love it. Heck, I love it - and I'm 25!

'Along the way He calls upon us to use the gifts He's bestowed on us for HIS glory, not for our own' (pg. 125). Mark Hart has clearly used the gifts God has bestowed on him by being able to pick apart a single verse from the Bible and transform it into something that fits each person that reads it! Many of us read the Bible all the time but never challenge ourselves enough to go deeper and read EACH passage carefully. Mark Hart, writing from his heart and experiences, makes the Bible fun to read and also applicable to our modern times. His humor, the personal touch he includes, and his deep faith in the church make this book a great resource for people of all ages. Mark makes reading the Bible memorable; I guarantee that the analogies he makes will stick in your mind the next time you read or hear the passage.

The Bible Geek is a disciple of Jesus Christ, a comic, a big brother, an evangelist, and a sinner, which makes his biblical reflections inspiring and transformational for teens seeking Christ amid the culture of death. Hart incorporates every aspect of teens' lives and his own experiences of living as a disciple into his writing and reflections on Scripture - truth and sincerity radiate each passage. His command of youth culture and ability to break open the Word of God lend to this book's incredible ingenuity and wit. To date, I have not come across a more usable Scripture reflection for teens. Regardless of religious affiliation, teens everywhere can relate to his perspective on modern-day discipleship. The Bible Geek is out to dispel a nasty rumor that Catholics don't know or understand the Scriptures!

In his book, ýAsk the Bible Geeký, Mark Hart gives clear answers to difficult questions, with an amazingly attractive flare. By the questions he seeks to answer, you can tell that Mark knows teens; by the way he answers those questions, you can tell he can speak to them in their language; and by the faith he gives in those answers, you can tell he loves Christ and the Church. His layout of the questions and answers is simple, allowing the reader to get right to the heart of the matter. Markýs ability to answer the questions clearly, based in Scripture, allows the reader to come away with some real clarity, not confusion and fluff. There are many ways this book can be used: It can be a great gift for teens getting Confirmed; it can be a great resource for a teen to use if he/she is questioning the meaning of life; it can provide a youth minister over a yearýs worth of Bible Studies and discussion material. Every teenager, whether they are Catholic, non-Catholic, or non-Christian, should get a copy of this book: It will allow them to see a different side of the world than what our pop-culture gives. It will allow them to know the Truth!

Mark has this incredible gift. Not just with words, but his actions. He is so passionate about Jesus, being Catholic and his faith. He has this light about him that you can't help but see. He has a way of getting anyone to think. In this book he really digs deep and connects the scriptures to everyday occurances. It's great to see that what started as being a bi-weekly email (and still is) has had such a huge success. He brings the truth in a humorous, yet completely understandable way. I highly recommend it to anyone.

I've never been fond of Chris Hart's books. The illustrations tend to be overtly generic with very little detail in my eyes, so I tend to push them to the side when I'm scanning the local bookstores for new art books and How to Draw tutorials. However, when this one came out, the cover caught me by surprise. THIS was Hart's work?

Well, in truth, it wasn't. Hart only did maybe five to six pages of drawings while the rest were done by a legion of other artists. Artists who I believe have a much stronger grasp of composition and balance than Hart does. (If I remember correctly, it was Nao Yazawa who created the most breath-taking images.) For those who grew up watching Sailor Moon as a kid, the nostalgia will hit you like a train, but in a good way. Everything about this book was pure classic.

The instruction is mostly visual, as in while there is text I certainly didn't need to read it. It's easy to pick up and easy to practice the techniques the artists are trying to teach. I highly recommend this book, as it is one of the few non-Japanese books where the drawings truly feel authentic.

This book has better Drawings and is more inspiring than most books in this series!

This book is GREAT for getting ideas; the anatomy parts are not anything particularly spectacular, but it's great for getting ideas and concepts going, as well as what to DO with these ideas. I recommend it for those who like fantasy and/or the 'Magical Girl' genre

An Outstanding book that teach you how to draw cartons in detail. I bought it for an 8 years old girl, she likes it too. (but, it seems a little bit hard for her) However, I borrowed the book and draw once and find out it's a great book. I highly recommend for teenagers who love Japanes Cartoon.

I am a big fan of Christopher Hart and his work. His books are the best manga tutorial books I have come across.
This one is no exception. The drawing are gorgeous, the instruction is easy to understand for beginners and is still useful for advanced manga artists who want to learn new techniques.
It has everything from cute chibis to the transformation of a regular girl to a magical girl. (step by step instruction)
My favorite is the cute little mascots which are also transformed into magical mascots.
This is worth every penny!

In the late 1970s, when the Mets really hit the skids and the Yankees got good again, it became necessary, if you were a kid in the Tri- State
area, to at least watch the Yankees, perhaps even to grudgingly root for them.  Forced into this spiritually untenable position, I chose to only
root for the scrubs, which made Cliff Johnson my favorite player.  I'll never forget the game where he tagged a pitch and Phil Rizzuto started
screaming that : "That one's outta here", bringing joy to the heart of every Heatchliff fan, only to have his towering popup caught by the
second baseman.  

"The Scooter" was easy to laugh at, with his myriad phobias, his propensity for saying unintentionally offensive things about minorities, his
tendency to leave the ballpark early when the Yankees were home, etc. But then there began appearing in The Village Voice a most
remarkable feature : verbatim text from Scooter's broadcasts rendered as poetry. We were suddenly confronted with the frightening prospect
that Scooter was not only making sense, but serving up literature, even profundity. Consider the wisdom, about baseball and about life [....]

As it turns out, this kind of exercise even has a name, it's called "found poetry." The Rizzuto poems are as good as any I've seen[...].

At any rate, this book is a hoot and once you read it you'll never again think of Rizzuto as just a good glove man, nor listen to a baseball
broadcast without noticing the frequently poetic nature of the announcer's line of patter.

GRADE : A

This literary gem is destined to be handed down from parent to child for generations to come.

Long before there was politics, or correctness, there was Phil Rizzuto. Rizzuto ably scoops up the essense of morality and ethics and fires to first with more deftness than Shakespeare, or that guy from Ireland (I can't remember his name--not Joyce, though; it was somebody else.) The poem we always relate and remember around the old campfire--when we go camping, and we have a fire, is the story Scooter tells in the honored oral tradition of Homer: of live-trapping squirrels in his attic and then letting them loose somewhere over by Yogi's house.

No doubt Rizzuto will forever be linked to the other great American Poets: Frost, Angelou, and Walden.

Some people are good at laying down sacrifice bunts, and some people are good at poetry. But nowadays so few people excel at both. Phil Rizzuto is that rare double-threat, and that's why this book is essential for anyone who likes bunts or poems.

My only complaint is that the editors have left out my all-time favorite Rizzuto moment, which was the time circa 1980 when Rizzuto and Frank Messer spent part of a day game discussing whether or not gorillas can swim. The answer proved elusive, but I have since learned that they can.

Even though it's a short book, a little bit goes a long way with this kind of thing. Use in moderation.

Plus, I miss Bill White's good-natured chuckling.

Still, these "poems" are pretty good at bringing back long-gone hot summer nights.

For me, nothing better epitomizes my age of baseball innocence than falling in love with the WPIX broadcasts of Phil Rizzuto, Frank Messer and Bill White during the late 1970s. This offbeat collection of the Scooter's unintentional poetry in his broadcasts is a graphic illustration of why Rizzuto was a true joy in the broadcast booth even if he wasn't a professional in the Mel Allen-Red Barber mold. I loved the format so much that I've actually reviewed the hundreds of old Yankee radio and telecast tapes in my collection searching for supplements to the collected verse of the Scooter and have found enough that could fill a sequel volume. Thanks to Seely and Pyer for this wonderful collection that no Yankee fan should be without.

I have just started reading this book, but I can already tell I love it. I work with Vietnam combat vets doing individual and group therapy as a Social Worker with the V.A. I try to read many different books about PTSD and working with Vietnam vets so that I can improve my skills and be better at helping my vets. I have already recommended this book to my PTSD combat group. I really like how the book is set up as a collection of essays and chapters are kept short, sweet, and to the point. I think that it will keep the attention of some of my vets (as well as my own!) better than some of the "drier" texts I have read!

PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door I thought my book was good. This book is one I wished I'd written. Like the book I wrote it is more in an essay form. Found even more solutions in (Operators Manual) this book. I wrote mine for my sanity. I read this one for even more strength in knowing my "triggers" and "anchors". Changing our references and changing our state is crucial in our recovery.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST BOOK WRITTEN AND MANY VA DOCTORS AND MSWS ARE USING IT. WONDER INFORMATIN.

I read this with a certain skepticism but I have to say this is an outstanding book on PTSD for military folks. The author gives you short, readable content with practical suggestions. From one who has suffered PTSD and gotten few answsers since my days as a Marine sniper in Nam this was such a pleasent surprise. I passed it on to my team of aging snipers and they love it. Actually has stuff you can do - well worth the read. We can tell the guy who wrote it has been counseling vet's, its not academic, its actionable. Great book!

I was in denial about having PTSD after my tour in Iraq until I read this book. When I read the first couple of chapters it felt as if he had written the book about myself.

The book emphasises that PTSD is a combat injury that it is nothing to be ashamed of.

I have recommended this book to other veterans and feel that this is the first book somebody who has (or suspects they may have) PTSD should read.

I agree with the majority of reviewers here, but I think you have to be an intelligent reader to appreciate it. For example, on page 20, in golf the author discourages distracting activities while opponents are playing, but you could disturb opponents, especially musically competent ones, while you yourself are playing, "by constantly whistling a phrase with one note - always the same note - wrong." In the footnote he actually writes the musical notation of a suggested phrase, the horn motiv from Wagner's Ring, with the second note changed from an A to a D# with a glissando (sliding up to the high note). I laughed out load before I even tried to play the phrase on the guitar. I realize that some won't see the humor here, but what incredible depth in the descriptions of these tactics!

I first bought this book, thinking it would be along the lines of Sun Tzu meets Frazier...I wasn't disappointed, but the '50s writing style is not fluid to read

This tome offers a complete introduction to the theory and practice of gamesmanship. Though some of the ploys are outdated, if properly executed, these gambits will most certainly put the gamesman in the one-up position. The coverage of countergamesmanship, while sparse, is essential reading for gamesman at any level.

This book instantly turned me into a Potter fiend, and I subsequently tracked down first editions of all four -manship books. This is dry, deadpan British humour at its absolute finest - I've never seen an American writer come close, except for Mark Twain.

I came across this at some rummage sale, and once I started reading it I was instantly hooked on Potter's dustbowl-dry wit and bought all his other books. Each is outstanding, but this is still the best. For the uninitiated, this has nothing to do with playing games; it has everything to do with attitude, games people play with and against one another in life, and poking fun at our egos and self importance...and the egos and self-importance of others. There's no explaining Potter's humor - you either love it, or you don't get it at all. I love it. Even the 'diagrams' are absolute screams. Only Wodehouse was as funny or funnier than Potter.

This play is amazing, crazy and oh so funny. It's fun to read and even better to watch!

A "screwball" comedy that is very well written and superbly crafted, a wonderful theater ensemble piece with action and interesting stage business pretty much constantly going on in every scene. It just percolates with fun from start to finish. It has wonderfully endearing characters and is very indicative of the 1930's America concerns and values. It informs the audience about those times, while teaching a wonderful message of tolerance and the benefits of diversity and individualism. The character of Grandpa espouses a philosophy that is both timely and timeless, and that would benefit all people at all times, if they would just adopt it as a way to live. It is simply to relax and enjoy life. Quit striving for the seemingly important, but actually unimportant things like money, position, unrewarding work for other people. Give up the prejudices and conventional negative assumptions about other people that actually make us unhappy. It seems odd, but is instructive to audiences of today, to know that the play was controversial when written and first produced.

From this wacky family with pet snakes, fireworks, playwrites, and dancers: you learn to expect anything that doesn't make sence, but what you don't expect is them to make sence! That is exactally what happens. When Alice, daugher of Paul and Penny, tells them of the young man that is calling for her, they instantly accept him into the family. His family, however, is not so accepting.
My high school has just started preparing for our performance of this wonderful play. We have all fallen in love with the script and are eager to perform. This is a wonderful choice for any theater program, I am sure that anyone can find it entertaining!

When I first read this play I absolutely loved it. When our school did the production I played the part of Edward Carmichael. It was one of the greatest experiences for me. I loved doing the show, it was soo much fun. To me the show was about a very loving family who has to overcome obstacles. I would love to do the show again.

Reading "You Can't Take It With You" brought back so many memories. This play is full of fireworks, plays, kittens, and everything that comes together to create entertaining chaos! This play can be enjoyed by all ages. High School theatre teachers will smile as their students take pride in portraying characters like Penny, Mr. De Pinna and Essie! This story will stay in your mind as a warm memory.

Ditto the above reviews.
Jan Hart has painted and written an excellent book on color. I would say one of the top 2 or 3 I have found during 30 plus years of painting and study, and I have read and studied a lot of them. Constant insightful tips of using color, constant color circles painted with sets of pigments, very specific as to the colors used. Many, many color examples and paintings further clarify the well-written text. Frequently there are 3 or more color illustrations on a single page, all of them with Jan's crystal clean and clear, beautiful watercolors (except there are some included paintings by other artists). Every serious watercolorist should own, read, and study this book. It is much more valuable that its selling price.

She exhibits an enthusiasm to try different color combinations than you might not have tried before. Very important to have someone who has as much experience as she has to encourage you to experiment. Nicely done.

Jan Hart has written articles for Daniel Smith Paints, most on her "amazing mixes"--unusual blends of watercolor that give luminous results in mainly landscapes. If you enjoyed seeing her articles and work (which really glows with subtle and startling color) then this book has a lot more of her way of mixing paints.

Though landscape and botanicals seem to be her major love, the book also has animals, buildings, seascapes, skies and other subjects. She shows them in variations. There is no attempt to reproduce reality exactly--instead, Hart shows how to mix colors to get a result that dazzles the eye like fluttering leaves and bluish shadows on a bright, sunlit day.

There is a section at the end on Daniel Smith Primatek colors. These are natural pigments made of ground stones and earths. They are sometimes less colorful and bright than synthetic paints, but Hart shows how to use their unusual granulating properties along with more traditional watercolor pigments to gain some eyecatching mixes.

This book is a good tutorial for those who want to break away from the standard three to eight color palette and try for something different.

Numerous color palettes shown; many excellent and various art examples by professional watercolorists in a wide variety of color schemes. Everything printed in full color. Terrific book for a beginner and yet extremely helpful for advanced watercolor artists. The book is divided up into sections, for example, "Light, Shade and Shadow","Wet In Wet","Backgrounds", "Clouds and Skies", "Portraits" "Flowers", "Paper" and "What's New". Also a lot of information on how to do certain techniques. I own at least 50 or so watercolor books and most of the ones about color have not measured up to this wonderful book.

Jan Hart's book, The Watercolor Artist's Guide to Exceptional Color, is such an attractive and useful book. Beginners, as well as experienced painters, will be excited to have it in their hands. Ms. Hart gives much practical information for the beginning watercolorist as well as for those who have been painting for some time.

But like all instruction books, it has its good points and its not-so-good points. Its strong points far outweigh its weaker points. While I recommend it very enthusiastically,
I would not use the superlatives that other reviewers have used ~ calling it the "bible"of watercolor, or "fabulous", or saying there's no need to read anything else! Such extremes and generalities always make me a little suspicious. They do not help me at all. The kind of reviews that I do find helpful are those that tell me WHY the reviewer feels the way he or she does. A review is also helpful if it tells, even in a general way, what I can expect to find in a book. That's what I propose to do here.

After a brief, general introduction, there's a section explaining the composition of paints, what they are made of. The author gives a fine explanation of the technical data on watercolor labels. She groups colors in general categories of the primaries: reds, yellows, blues; the secondaries: oranges, greens, purples; and a stand-alone group, the magentas. The practical application of this material is shown in three close-up demonstration paintings. This is followed by a brief treatment of basic mixing, again with practical suggestions for exercises that will enable the reader to learn from his or her own experience. Then color theory is approached through examination of the color wheel.

After this introductory material, the book is organized in three large sections. The publisher has not made it possible to look inside this book on line. So I will list for you here the topics covered in each section. They are enticing.
Section 1, Pigment Properties
Pigment properties gallery, Transparent non staining paints, Permanent staining pigments, Sedimentary and opaque paints, Granulation, Wet-into-wet pigment actions, Underpainting, Glazing
Section 2, Pigment Aesthetics
Pigment aesthetics gallery, Comparing color schemes, Primary palette, Six-color palette, Analogous color palette, Complementary palette, Split-complement palette, Tetradic color scheme, Tertiary colors, The Velazquez palette, High and low color key, Color value, Color temperature, Neutrals
Section 3, Choosing Pigments for Painting
Choosing and using a color scheme in a painting, Light, shade and shadow, Backgrounds, Skies and clouds, Waterscapes, Buildings, Flowers and plants, Animals, Landscapes and trees, Portraits and figures.

The book closes with a brief but practical treatment of the different types of paints, brushes, papers and other equipment. Then the author gives an engaging account of new developments. Finally, there's an excellent Index and a page of credits, 128 pages in all.

The following are among the book's many strong points:
1) It has a very clear and logical layout with beautifully inviting color on every page.
2) Each topic within the three large sections of the book has a small list called, "Some things to consider." I find such key observations and suggestions so helpful. They focus on the more important points that have been treated in the topic at hand. And they often clarify something that I did not readily grasp in the text.
3) One of the most valuable features of Ms. Hart's book is that it reproduces not only her own works, but also those of many other artists. This provides the reader with a broad perspective of many possible styles and approaches to the watercolor medium. It's a delight just to page through the book and study the richness of the varied possible ways of painting in watercolor.
4) There are many step-by-step demonstrations. Most of these are made up of a photograph followed by three stages of the painting ~ first, a broad wash or two with a few structural details only hinted at; second, greater definition worked into or over the original wash; and third, the finished painting with final details. This system of demonstration shows so well how photographs serve best as mere references, rather than as critically demanding models.
5) The book deals with just about any kind of subject matter you can imagine: landscapes in varied seasons and weather conditions, climates and terrain; animals; florals and plant life; urban and rural buildings; cityscapes; seascapes and other natural forms of water; skyscapes; still lifes; portraits and figures.
6) The author's free use of color demonstrates so well that it is not necessary to paint a subject strictly in its natural hues.
For example, one demo shows the same cat in the same pose painted in nine different color schemes (one for each of the cat's nine lives?). Each is convincing. Each has its own "feel" or mood.

There are occasional small errors in the text. But the intended meaning is usually clarified by context. For example, on page 8, sample spots of two colors are given with the caption, "Inorganic pigments, cobalt blue and cobalt violet". In the text just to the right of these samples, they are referred to as "organic": "Synthetic organics include cobalt blue, cobalt violet..." (italic emphasis mine).

I was a little disappointed in the glossary given on page 7 under the heading "Key Terminology". It lists thirty-five terms, but defines only eight of them at this site. For definitions of the remaining twenty-seven terms, the reader is referred to later pages. It would have been more convenient if a single page had been devoted to all these definitions. That way, when the reader encounters an unknown term later in the text, he or she would have only one place to go for a definition ~ as in most books that use a glossary. Moreover, I like to take the time to study a glossary like this one and become familiar with all the key terms before moving on into the text.

In the upper right corner of page 14, there are two diagrams illustrating the subtractive and additive color mixing systems. Their center dots are misplaced. As the text explains, mixing the three light primaries in the additive system results in white, not black shown by the diagram. Mixing the three pigment primaries in the subtractive system results in black (or gray), not white shown by the diagram. This same type of illustration is given at the bottom left corner of p. 49. There the centers are correctly given, white as the result of mixing light primaries, black as the result of mixing pigment primaries.

On page 15, the author shows the reader what she considers a basic palette of twelve colors. If you do not already have the colors of her wheel, you can refer to the corresponding twelve groups at the bottom of the page and substitute any color from them. None of the earth colors are treated here.
They are saved for a later section.

There are eighty-five colors listed on p. 15, so there's a good chance you already have some that you can substitute for those given in the author's color wheel; you don't have to go out and buy a new tube in order to have a workable palette with precisely the colors Ms. Hart uses in her wheel. For example, if you already have hansa yellow, it will do in place of the azo yello on her wheel. If you already have cobalt green, you can substitute it for phthalo turquoise.
Notice that each one of the twelve lists is headed by the color given in the author's color wheel. (One of the colors is duplicated in the blue-violet list # 7 under two different spellings, indanthrone blue and indanthrine blue. On page 71, it goes by another spelling: indanthrene blue.)

I studied this list rather carefully so I could watch for the way the colors are used in the rest of the book. As I continued into into the book and first noticed a couple of colors that I did not remember from the lists on p. 15,
I started keeping track. After tabulating all the colors in the book, I found that there are ninety-six new colors that had not been mentioned in the lists on p. 15. The advantage of this is that the readers can see the nearly infinite possibilities of all those colors without having to test them all for themselves. Think of the cost it saves you! There are about 160 colors represented in the entire book. If you bought one of each at the bargain price of $10. each, you'd spend $1,600 !

Ms. Hart's pages on "Landscapes and trees", pp. 106--109,
are superbly practical for people who have trouble mixing convincing greens for summer foliage and the warmer colors for fall foliage. It's one of the best treatments I've found in all my watercolor library of more than a hundred books.

The author's closing pages on Daniel Smith's relatively new Prima-Tek colors are exciting. When I first saw the ads for
these colors, I felt that they were probably mere novelties.
But Ms. Hart shows just how effective and beautiful they can be. Most of them are wonderfully granulating. (If you're not sure whether you like that quality, I recommend studying the work of Robert Lovett in his book, "The Art of Designing Watercolors", published by International Artist in 2002. Granulation seems to be a favored feature of his paintings. To my eye, they are exquisitely beautiful.) I'm tempted to say that Hart's several pages on landscapes and trees, and on the Prima-Tek colors, are alone worth the price of the book. But instead, I'll just say that the price of the book is very well worth everything it has to offer. Don't miss it!
Chris Uehlein

Great book! Written with both heart and mind! Very helpful and simple and deep at the same time!
Thank you!
p.s.read it slowly, let the book happen to you...

"All You Need Is HART" is a holistic guidebook to help, you, the reader experience a life of abundance. Issues covered in the book include: Raising self esteem, enhancing relationships, keys to success, overcoming addictions, sexuality, anger, parenting, and healing.

The author introduces several techniques she has developed in the HART program, self talk, visualization, and the use of affirmations. The effectiveness of the program is demonstrated through the use of case study examples. Each case is developed with a statement of the problem, suggested therapy, and the accomplished results. As a reader I was drawn into the narrative and eager to use the exercises, and affirmations as I recognized areas needing attention in my own experience.

Helene Rothschild is well qualified to author this important and unique manual. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Helene is founder of the Institute for Creative Therapy and has developed this well documented and thoroughly proven process. Rothschild has labeled this program of Creative Therapy (HART). Rothschild's approach to unresolved personal issues has proven to be "Holistic and Rapid Transformation."

This straightforward guide offers creative techniques for building healthy relationships, experiencing healing from physical suffering, as well as in areas of self discovery, inner growth and personal development.

Reviewed by Louise Bickley for Reader Views (12/06)

The author's main point is that "you can create love, joy and abundance now." The way to do this is through applying the principles of HART--holistic and rapid transformation. Ms. Rothschild is obviously a knowledgeable contemporary therapist with a thorough grasp of the principles of cognitive therapy. Her invention of the HART method is catchy and holds the potential for some memorable concepts that can endure in the minds of her readers.

I loved the two metaphors linking HART to a house with three levels and also the sick tree. The house model illustrated beautifully Freud's three levels of consciousness. Something else I like about Ms. Rothschild's writing is that she takes complex, technical concepts and translates them into clear language for the lay person. I believe her book is especially useful to beginners on the journey toward better emotional and mental health.

One nugget of gold that caught my fancy was the author's suggestion (page 115) that children be given classes in problem solving from first grade up. I hope she writes a whole book on this subject for parents and schools to use.

Some suggestions that could have perhaps made this book even better are the following:

* I wish she had done more with the house metaphor throughout the book.

* I would have liked to see more connections throughout referring back to HART and how it is being applied. As it is, I had to keep going back to where she first outlined its meaning and asking how this related to that.

* The book contains enough material for three or four individual books. At times I felt overwhelmed with too much information and lengthy, tedious lists. For better or for worse, modern readers expect briefer presentations--short bulleted or bordered lists, for example.

I believe that Ms. Rothschild has much to share with a world hungry for her expertise. I see within this one book, "All You Need is HART!" another three or four books. Two such publications could be one expanding upon the house metaphor and another on problem solving skills for children. I look forward to seeing more of her works in the future.

Written by Helene Rothchild, MS, MS, MFT, All You Need is Hart: Create Love, Joy, and Abundance - Now! is an empowering self-help book that guides the reader through a process of Holistic And Rapid Transformation. Grounded in basic principles such as "our minds are like magnets and therefore we attract what we are thinking" and "what people say or do is about them and not you. You are okay no matter what people say or do!", the HART process is a compassionate, self-esteem building, consciousness-raising philosophy to improving one's mental, physical, and spiritual life. Sample exercises for the reader to perform or write answers to help reinforce the positive lessons and transformational tools presented in this upbeat and insightful resource.

"Are you ready to be happier, healthier, and more successful in every area of your life?"
~Helene Rothschild

Reading "All You Need Is HART!" is similar to wrapping yourself in the most beautiful, warm, loving blanket of understanding you can imagine. Within the pages of this book, Helene Rothschild offers insight into beliefs and fears we need to address in order to balance our lives. By allowing the clearing out of negative emotions, we can embrace new positive beliefs that invite success into our lives.

This book will help you to:

Overcome Phobias
Heal serious physical problems by removing negative emotions
Understand the 20 fears that are blocking you from prosperity
Comfort yourself in times of conflict
Enhance your Self-Esteem
Overcome Addictions
Lose Weight
Create more financial success
Understand how to move from fear to love
Balance your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life goals

Helene Rothschild's transformational approach to life allows powerful positive thoughts to create a new reality. This goes beyond thinking positively and addresses specific areas of personal growth. A notebook or journal is helpful. Jotting down specific areas of conflict will encourage you to refocus on those areas in order to overcome fears and conflicts that may stem from childhood experiences.

"Addictions are what we do to the extreme in order to run away from our emotional pain caused by our negative decision. They are usually the symptoms and not the causes of our problems." ~Helene Rothschild

I have recently been thinking about how much of our adult life is spent overcoming our childhood. Are you stuck in a pattern of negative thoughts and actions? What is holding you back from success?

Fun questionnaires, visualizations, insightful commentary, examples from real life and a thoughtful approach to conflict resolution makes this book essential reading. Some of the things you may find yourself doing while reading this book include:

1. Writing down lists of things you want to change in your life to encourage more success.

2. Encountering moments of enlightenment about what is really holding you back from success. I wrote down 12 things I need to change in the next year. I had a startling revelation on page 85 when I realized how something my father said to me as a teenager is still affecting how I think about my life today.

3. Writing down goals for the next year! This book is excellent in this regard and it can help you plan out goals for an area of your life. This may include your career, relationships, sexuality, weight issues and health.

The affirmations in this book are especially healing. There is also a stunningly beautiful 8-page love letter that expresses the deepest heart desires anyone could ever feel or try to express. Rewriting the letter while including some of the topics of high concern could create one of the best love letters you ever give someone.

"All You Need Is HART (Holistic And Rapid Transformation)" is truly based on accepting yourself and being brave enough to love who you truly are as a soul. Helene Rothschild gives guidance and presents a safe, comforting place of acceptance where you can grow, change and become more successful in every area of your life. I found this book to be a highly empowering read and I believe this book will change your life in dramatic and healing ways.

~The Rebecca Review