The fourth book in the popular Do More Art series looks at how the simple process of moving ink from one surface to another can open up a world of creativity and artistic expression. From simple finger printing and potato prints to screenprinting, this book is packed with ways to create exciting and beautiful handmade prints without the use of expensive equipment. Each technique is clearly explained and illustrated with works by some of the greatest contemporary printmakers - including Saul Steinberg, Tracy Simpson and Delita Martin - demonstrating that print is very much alive!
Portents
The mystery of what's to come revealed through every day encounters with animals! Illustrator and muralist Robert Armbrister delivers bright colors and bold statements with his break-out hit PORTENTS!
A Drawing a Day
FROM TIKTOK'S FAVORITE ART TEACHER. Unlock your inner artist. This book is for: -Those who've forgotten what it's like to draw for no reason and color outside the lines. -For anyone who misses the feeling of putting pen to paper to create something. -For wannabe artists of all ages and all skill levels This book is for you. No one else needs to see these pages. Start wherever you like and draw for as long as you need. Find an escape, find calm, find your creativity - every page offers a simple drawing prompt to learn new techniques and skills and grow your confidence while offering you a calm daily practice away from your screen.
Miami's Art Boom
Discover how Miami's local art community transformed the city into a hub of global artistic exchangeFlorida Book Awards, Gold Medal for Visual ArtsStep into the vibrant heartbeat of Miami's art scene during a transformative period in Miami's Art Boom. Award-winning art critic Elisa Turner presents over 100 of her best profiles, reviews, and stories to capture the evolution of Miami's visual arts community before and after the inaugural Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002. This book reveals how a constellation of visionary artists, curators, galleries, and museums ignited a cultural revolution that propelled the region onto the international stage.Through four chronological sections and a richly contextualizing introduction, readers are invited to witness a pivotal era when creative pioneers like Jos矇 Bedia, Carlos Betancourt, Mar穩a Brito, Gary L. Moore, Eugenia Vargas-Pereira, Edouard Duval-Carri矇, Mar穩a Mart穩nez-Ca簽as, and many others redefined artistic boundaries. Their individual stories are artfully interwoven with the broader narrative of a community energized by cross-cultural exchange. As Miami transformed into a flourishing hub of global artistry amid burgeoning support from state and private funders, the groundwork was laid for Art Basel Miami Beach, a landmark event whose explosive impact continues to reverberate.Miami's Art Boom is more than a history--it is a vibrant cultural artifact that not only defies myths about Miami's artistic roots but also celebrates the spirit of innovation and diversity. This detailed, lively collection is an essential read for art students and scholars, professionals, and anyone passionate about the power of creativity. Embrace the story of Miami's rise from the foundational work of local visionaries to the exhilarating exchange of the international art world and experience an inspirational journey.
yOur Backyard Volume V
Full Description yOur Backyard Magazine, a quarterly online and print publication, encourages writers, actors, artists, musicians, photographers, gardeners, crafters, and youth [of all ages]. We also offer contests with the potential to be included in forthcoming issues of yOur Backyard Magazine and yOur Backyard books. For each issue, we welcome and consider: ●Personal inspirational stories●Poems ●Artwork●Songs●Photographs●Biblical facts and/or applications
Learn to Draw Anything
Get started drawing with this fun and encouraging step-by-step guide--no experience required! Learn to Draw Anything by Zephy (@zephy.fr) is a comprehensive 192-page drawing guide created to transform beginners into confident, independent artists. Led by Zephy's fresh, friendly, and accessible teaching approach, this book introduces you to essential techniques that provide a strong foundation in drawing. Designed for those new to art, the book covers a variety of subjects and includes exercises that will help you discover your own unique style. Learn to Draw Anything makes drawing enjoyable for all, with Zephy's supportive method emphasizing consistent practice and self-expression. You will explore a variety of subjects, from objects and animals to people and landscapes, gaining skills you can apply to any subject. The simple step-by-step tutorials can be completed in 15 minutes, so you can accomplish them easily--no matter how busy you are. With clear instructions, engaging activities, and insightful tips, Zephy helps you build the confidence to draw anything you imagine. Inside, you will find: Essential drawing techniques: Follow step-by-step instructions for basic skills that form the building blocks of artistic expression, including observation, proportions, perspective, details, light and shadow, and creativity.Encouraging exercises: Develop confidence and creativity while practicing a range of subjects.Photo references: The tutorials include photo references, enabling you to see how Zephy approaches each drawing subject. With Learn to Draw Anything, you will not only learn the basics of drawing but also gain the tools to explore your creativity independently, embracing your artistic journey with confidence.
Art & Court of James VI & I
A dazzling selection of art, jewellery, clothing and objects that reflects the dynamic court of James VI & I. James VI & I, the only child of Mary, Queen of Scots, has often been overshadowed by the dramatic lives of his mother and son, Charles I. This book seeks to redress the balance by centering the first monarch to reign over both Scotland and England and uncovering the artistic treasures created during his extraordinary reign. The cultural riches of James's court are showcased, revealing his diverse roles as ruler, scholar, politician, father and patron of the arts. His court's passion for jewelry and fine clothes is illustrated in the vivid portraits and miniatures by John de Critz and Nicholas Hilliard - just two of many artists and craftspeople who thrived in its artistic and intellectual climate. Five richly illustrated chapters demonstrate James's impact on early modern Britain, while reconsidering the reputation of a king traditionally presented as preferring hunting and drinking to the duties of daily governance. Packed with exquisite art works and sumptuous objects, this book brings James's court vividly to life.
Impressions in Watercolour: Turner and His Contemporaries
Rarely seen watercolors by the greatest English artists of the 19th century, beautifully reproduced. Curated and introduced by Ian Warrell, the leading expert on Turner, this selection from the fabled Hickman Bacon collection is one of the finest groups of British watercolors in existence, and hardly ever seen or reproduced. Centered around 32 watercolors by Turner, including some of his breathtaking views of the Alps, early views, and late cloud and sea studies, the collection also encompasses some of the greatest works by Turner's contemporaries: John Sell Cotman, Alexander Cozen, Thomas Girtin, Peter de Wint, John Crome, David Cox and others. Beautifully printed on heavy uncoated paper, with some reproductions life size, this book conveys the intensity and freshness and stupendous virtuosity of these artists whose work in watercolor has never been rivaled. An extended essay by the leading expert and former Tate curator Ian Warrell examines the paintings and gives a vivid picture of the artists who made them.
The Third Ace
Beneath the glittering veneer of power and wealth lies a world most will never see-a world where whispered promises can topple empires, and loyalty is nothing more than a bargaining chip. In The Third Ace, the game is not played in the open, but in shadows, where every gesture, every silence, and every calculated glance can alter the course of entire dynasties.When a fragile balance of influence begins to fracture, the barons of power gather, each convinced of their superiority, each blinded by arrogance. Sterling, always cautious, circles carefully, measuring every word. Finch, sly and calculating, thrives on risk, whispering in ears and feeding secrets. Dubois positions himself with quiet precision, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Von Hess clings to tradition but hides a desperation he cannot admit. And through it all, Rico-the predator at the center-believes he is orchestrating the downfall of his rivals, unaware that he too is being drawn into a web beyond his comprehension.But the true power lies not with these men, but with the women they underestimate. Evelyn, underestimated as a mere ornament, weaves influence with subtle brilliance, shaping decisions without ever appearing to move the pieces. Maria, pragmatic and precise, uncovers vulnerabilities in financial networks. Anya secures their communications and plants seeds of discord. Sofia dissects personalities with surgical clarity. Lena binds their efforts together, transforming quiet observation into strategic dominance.They are not spectators-they are architects. And while the men battle openly, blinded by ego and rivalry, the women's collective intelligence dismantles them piece by piece, reshaping the very game itself. What begins as a contest of influence becomes a war of perception, manipulation, and survival. Every move tightens the noose. Every whisper shifts the balance. And every secret brought to light has the power to crown a victor-or destroy them all.The Third Ace is a gripping tale of strategy, deception, and the hidden currents that drive power. A story where brilliance thrives in silence, and the most dangerous players are the ones never seen.Prepare for a novel that blends psychological intrigue, political maneuvering, and relentless suspense into a narrative that will leave you questioning every alliance and doubting every truth.The game has already begun. The question is not who will win-but who will survive. Get this book now and step into a world where every move matters, and the shadows hold the sharpest blades.
Vincent Van Gogh: Almond Blossom Artisan Art Sketch Book
New title in the colourful Artisan Art Sketch Book collection by Flame Tree Studio, in a range of hues to suit the mood, crafted with decorated page edges and embellished with beautiful tactile art on the cover. Perfect for all artists, sketchers and doodlers. Artisan Art Sketch Books from Flame Tree come in a range of hues to suit the moment and are embellished with a wide variety of well-known art on their tactile, vegan leather covers. They're carefully crafted with decorated page edges overflowing with petals, teasing vines and patterns. A unique blend of the practical and beautiful, with two ribbons and thick white FSC-certified paper stock that makes them ideal for sketching and drawing. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for artists, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. And with robust flexi covers they're a pleasure to use. Simply, they feel good! Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the world's greatest painters, his work having had a huge and far-reaching influence on 20th-century art as well as remaining visually and emotionally powerful to this day. Van Gogh painted Almond Blossom as a gift in celebration of the birth of his nephew. He had previously been greatly inspired by flowering trees, and appreciated their power as symbols of rebirth. Flame Tree: The Art of Fine Gifts.
Vincent Van Gogh: The Starry Night Artisan Art Sketch Book
New title in the colourful Artisan Art Sketch Book collection by Flame Tree Studio, in a range of hues to suit the mood, crafted with decorated page edges and embellished with beautiful tactile art on the cover. Perfect for all artists, sketchers and doodlers. Artisan Art Sketch Books from Flame Tree come in a range of hues to suit the moment and are embellished with a wide variety of well-known art on their tactile, vegan leather covers. They're carefully crafted with decorated page edges overflowing with petals, teasing vines and patterns. A unique blend of the practical and beautiful, with two ribbons and thick white FSC-certified paper stock that makes them ideal for sketching and drawing. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for artists, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. And with robust flexi covers they're a pleasure to use. Simply, they feel good! Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the world's greatest painters, his work having had a huge and far-reaching influence on 20th-century art as well as remaining visually and emotionally powerful to this day. In The Starry Night, the sky is Prussian blue, ultramarine and cobalt, with sparkling yellow gaslights and stars. The spot depicted is in Arles, close to the Yellow House he famously rented. Flame Tree: The Art of Fine Gifts.
Leonardo
This accessible and beautifully produced volume honors the extraordinary legacy of Leonardo da Vinci, whose genius shaped the Renaissance and continues to inspire the modern world. Through stunning reproductions of his most iconic works, including The Last Supper, Mona Lisa, and The Virgin and Child with St. Anne, readers can experience the depth and brilliance of Leonardo's artistry. These masterpieces, alongside his intricate sketches and studies, are paired with commentary that illuminates the innovative techniques, symbolism, and groundbreaking ideas that define his legacy. A concise and engaging biography traces Leonardo's journey from his early years in Vinci to his influential career in Florence, Milan, and beyond, exploring the boundless curiosity and intellect that fueled his pursuits in art, science, and engineering. Rich contextual details highlight the cultural and historical influences on his work, offering readers a deeper understanding of his enduring impact. Compact, elegantly designed, and affordably priced, this book is ideal for both devoted admirers of Renaissance creativity and those discovering Leonardo da Vinci for the first time. Offering a compelling exploration of his life and achievements, it is an essential addition to any art lover's collection.
Bobbie Goods Cozy Coloring & Drawing
Embrace cozy creativity with Bobbie Goods through step-by-step drawing tutorials, coloring activities, and more in this officially licensed book. Bobbie Goods Cozy Coloring & Drawing combines winter-themed charm with hands-on creativity, perfect for fans of cute, whimsical art. This two-in-one book offers 32 pages of step-by-step drawing projects that guide budding artists through creating cozy animal characters, holiday scenes, and adorable objects. In addition to the tutorials, an attached pad includes 6 unique winter and holiday coloring pages and 6 memo sheets. Perfect for personalizing projects, jotting down notes, or sharing your creations with others, this pad offers endless possibilities for creative expression and fun! Inside, you'll find: Easy step-by-step drawing tutorials for drawing holiday-themed animals, cozy scenes, and cute decorationsAn attached pad with 6 cozy winter scenes to color and 6 memo pad pagesWhether you're relaxing by the fire or looking for a creative holiday activity, the official Bobbie Goods Cozy Coloring & Drawing Pad offers a delightful, hands-on way to enjoy the winter season.
Post Human
A renewed examination of Jeffrey Deitch's pivotal exhibitionOriginally exhibited in 1992, Jeffrey Deitch's groundbreaking exhibition Post Human brought together the work of thirty-six young artists interested in new frontiers of body and identity transformation. The prescient exhibition, which traveled to five international venues, introduced the art world to posthumanism - how the human body continues to merge with and diverge from technology. Both the show and it catalogue, which featured a unique visual essay and innovative design, helped set the agenda for art discourse in the 1990s.More than thirty years later, Deitch revitalized Post Human at his Los Angeles gallery, bringing the themes of the original back to the present. The show's 2024 iteration presented several key figures who participated in the original exhibition in dialogue with emerging contemporary artists whose boundary-pushing work explores how these themes, particularly recent forms of technology such as AI, have evolved over the course of the twenty-first century.This timely publication revisits artworks from both iterations of the show. Readers will discover color photography of the featured works, along with Deitch's iconic visual essay from the original catalogue and text contributions from contemporary philosopher Rosi Braidotti and critic Philippa Snow. Together, they form a printed testament to the show's indelible impact and Deitch's everlasting influence on the art world.Featured artists include: Isabelle Albuquerque, Matthew Barney, Ivana Basic, Frank Benson, Ashley Bickerton, Maurizio Cattelan, Chris Cunningham, John Currin, Alex Da Corte, Olivia Erlanger, Jana Euler, Rachel Feinstein, Urs Fischer, Pippa Garner, Robert Gober, Hugh Hayden, Damien Hirst, Tishan Hsu, Pierre Huyghe, Anne Imhof, Alex Israel, Arthur Jafa, Jamian Juliano-Villani, Mike Kelley, Josh Kline, Jeff Koons, Paul McCarthy, Sam McKinniss, Mariko Mori, Takashi Murakami, Wangechi Mutu, Cady Noland, Charles Ray, Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, Hajime Sorayama, Anna Uddenberg, Cajsa von Zeipel, Jeff Wall, Jordan Wolfson, and Anicka Yi.
Bukimi No Tani (不気味の谷): The Uncanny Valley - The Affectivity of the Humanoid
Examining the "uncanny valley" experienced by humans in the presence of the humanoidPublished with Funda癟瓊o Bienal de S瓊o Paulo. This fourth and final volume in a series of educational publications in conjunction with the 36th Bienal de S瓊o Paulo centers on the Invocation held in Tokyo in April 2025, exploring the complex relationship between humans and machines through sound, performance and visual practices. Inspired by the concept of the "uncanny valley" proposed by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970, the Tokyo Invocation reflects on the ambiguities of the human in the face of technology and the issues that emerge at the intersection between art, artificial intelligence and corporeality. This book addresses issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic creation, the performativity of machines and the affective dimension of the relationship between humans and automated devices.
You Are an Artist
With original, full-color designs and 11 affirmations from the artist himself, this compact gift book offers guidance, clarity, and support for fulfilling your creative potential Are you an aspiring artist? Or perhaps lost your creative vision? Or you just need some powerful words of encouragement to follow your dreams. Well, this book is for you. Known as the "architect of joy," this book was created by visionary multidisplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori and offers bold and fearless encouragement for anyone looking for assurance on their artistic journey. Suitable for all ages, this is the perfect gift book for anyone needing a joyful mood boost and for aspiring artists in need of uplifiting declarations. With original, full-color designs and 11 affirmations from the artist himself, this compact gift book offers guidance, clarity, and support for fulfilling your creative potential.
300 Things to Draw
Say goodbye to creative block with 300 Things to Draw, a guided sketchbook designed to add bursts of creative time throughout your day. Whether you're a doodler, a budding artist, or a creatively blocked pro, let the 300 diverse prompts--from everyday objects to original concepts--set your imagination racing. With so many prompts, you can turn your drawing into a daily practice that may even become a lifelong habit. With a combination of full-page, half-page, and quarter-page prompts, this carry-along sketchbook includes lots of space to draw, allowing your artwork to shine and the prompt text to recede into the background--making it the perfect keepsake. The layflat format enables you to focus on creating your art. Try your hand at drawing: A spring day in the gardenA campfire sceneThe front door of a houseA weeping willow treeFireworksAn actor on stageA pair of glassesOpen your mind, start drawing, and enjoy a sense of accomplishment. Also in this Series: 3,001 Questions All About Me, 3,001 Would You Rather Questions, 3,001 This or That Questions, 301 Writing Ideas, Anti-Anxiety Journal, Complete the Drawing, Create a Poem, Create a Story, Create Comics: A Sketchbook, Design & Destroy, Forever Friends, Gratitude Journal, Inner Me, Inspired by Prayer, Internet Password Book, Mom & Me, My Family Story, My Father's Life, My Grandfather's Life, My Grandmother's Life, My Life Story, My Mother's Life, Our Love Story, Sermon Notes, Sketch - Large Black, Sketch - Large Kraft, Sketch - Medium Black, Sketch - Medium Kraft, This is Me, Write - Medium Black, Write - Medium Black
Larry Rivers
Between French Modernism and the New York School: The idiosyncratic art of the pioneer of American Pop Art. The American painter, musician, and filmmaker Larry Rivers (* 1923 in New York City; + 2002 ibid.) is considered one of the most influential protagonists of the New York art scene in the period from the 1950s to the 1970s. He played with Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, was a close friend of Frank O'Hara, and pioneered Pop Art. In dealing with contemporary artist colleagues and historical role models, he always strived to making painting visible as a medium of reflection. From an early age, Rivers was preoccupied with French painting of the late nineteenth century. During his stay in Paris in 1961/62, he met Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, whereupon the range of materials he used was extended to wood, cardboard, and electric light. For the first time, the present volume-the first monograph in twenty years-sheds light on Larry Rivers' idiosyncratic art with a view to the tension between traditional French painting and Abstract Expressionism around Willem de Kooning. The catalogue accompanies the first European exhibition of Larry Rivers' work in forty years at the Ludwig Museum Koblenz.
Collecting the Future
Over 125 years of groundbreaking and perpetually relevant modern Italian artEstablished in Turin in 1898, the Fondazione De Fornaris holds thousands of works key to the history of modern Italian art. Collecting the Future spans various epochs to discuss artists including Pellizza da Volpedo, Alberto Burri, Giorgio Morandi and Pino Pascali.
Leigh Bowery
A comprehensive monograph on the boundary-pushing career of artist, performer, model, TV personality, club promoter, fashion designer, and musician Leigh Bowery Leigh Bowery used performance to explore questions around the politics of the body and its use as both material and a site of transformation. He was also fascinated by the subversive potential of costume as sculpture.Published to accompany a major exhibition, Leigh Bowery features over 200 images by and of the artist--spanning an eclectic and dynamic career which included fashion photography, club Polaroids, film stills, paintings, postcards, and ephemera. In addition to Bowery's own works, the book also includes paintings of the artist by Lucian Freud, and works made with and about Bowery by Stephen Willats and Trojan Barnes, among others.A visual inventory of all of Bowery's costumes, held by the artist's estate, has been newly photographed and published here for the first time.
John Bock
Meaningfully meaningless. The augmented reality book for John Bock John Bock (b. 1965 in Gribbohm, lives in Berlin) is one of the most important contemporary performance and video artists. In his works characterized by humor and absurdity, the artist places language, human bodies, everyday objects, and spaces in peculiar relationships to each other. He attained international recognition with the installation LiquidityAuraAromaPortfolio at the first Berlin Biennale in 1998. Together with his work Voll die Beule from 2013, it is now included in the collection of the Kunsthalle Mannheim. The present volume not only contextualizes and documents John Bock's work, but also immerses the viewer/reader directly in his performances. When a selected page is brought into focus with the new edition-cantz app, the image begins to move. The first edition cantz book with augmented reality, in which the artist's head emerges and a filled rubber glove leaks out over the page. A completely new approach to the works of John Bock. The publication is packaged in a sock designed by the artist and includes a foreword by Johan Holten, a preface by Ulrike Widmaier Picasso, and contributions by Sebastian Baden, Jens Hoffmann, Antonella Bianca Meloni, and Marianne Wagner & Till Wyler von Ballmoos. John Bock studied at the Hamburg University of Fine Arts and since 2004 has taught at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe as Professor of Sculpture. He has participated in the Biennale di Venezia, and his works have been featured worldwide in solo exhibitions at, among others, the Berlinische Galerie, the Contemporary Austin, Texas, the Barbican Centre, London, and the St瓣del Museum, Frankfurt.
Derrick Adams
The highly anticipated first monograph on one of the most celebrated American contemporary artistsThrough portraits, social scenes, photographs, sculptures, and immersive installations, Derrick Adams has developed an artistic practice that jocundly visualizes modern Black American life. Equally informed by popular culture as he is by the history of modern art, Adams's work brings the everyday experiences of Black Americans to the forefront, capturing fashionable moments of joy, resilience, and celebration. His artworks are filled with color, energy, and complexity, whether they depict intimate, everyday moments or grand, sweeping statements.Adams's first-ever monograph includes 150 of the most significant works from his thirty-year career, along with four newly commissioned texts from cultural luminaries. Filled with beautifully reproduced images and presented in a cloth case with a painting tipped onto the front cover, this stunning book establishes Derrick Adams as one of the most important figurative artists working today.
Watercolour Lessons
A Watercolour How-To Book for the Whimsical Creative"I am brand new to watercolor and this book is exactly what I needed. Highly recommended." --Amazon review#1 Bestseller in Watercolor Painting, Plants & Animals, Mixed Media & DecoratingTake a walk down the path of translucent pastels and delicate wet washes with Watercolour Lessons. Filled with engaging exercises, this vibrant guide contains step-by-step instructions on how to paint with watercolours. For beginners and those looking to improve their technique, Watercolour Lessons brings artistic inspiration to any home.A watercolour guide book that is uniquely you. Follow author and artist Emma Lefebvre as she teaches the fundamentals of this simple-to-use painting medium. With an emphasis on developing skills and style, Watercolour Lessons offers the necessary tools to produce paintings anyone would be proud to display, gift, or to keep for themselves.Learn how to paint with watercolours. For beginners and mavens alike, Watercolour Lessons offers straight-forward lessons to help anyone develop their craft and unique artistic style. From color theory to tool sets, it explores watercolour basics while helping painters--old and new--gain confidence in themselves and their work.Inside, you'll find: A list of essential watercolour tools and how to use themAn easy-to-understand explanation of watercolour techniques and theoriesCharmingly simple watercolor painting projects with step-by-step instructionsNotes on common mistakes and how to fix themIf you're looking for creative art therapy exercises, want to learn how to paint with watercolors for beginners or intermediate artists, or enjoy books such as Watercolor the Easy Way Flowers, Watercolor Workbook, Watercolor With Me in the Forest, or Everyday Watercolor, you'll love Watercolour Lessons.
Made in L.A. 2025
Animated by its inimitable residents and cacophonous disorder, Los Angeles is brought to life through interventions by 28 emerging and under-recognized local artistsPublished with Hammer Museum. The Made in L.A. biennial highlights the practices of artists working throughout the greater Los Angeles area, with an emphasis on emerging and under-recognized artists. The catalog for the seventh iteration, Made in L.A. 2025, includes curatorial essays and commissioned texts focusing on each of the 28 featured participants, spanning generations and working across a wide range of mediums. Neither myth nor monolith, Los Angeles is many things to many people, and its dissonance is perhaps its most distinguishing feature. Attitude draws them together: Each engages with this city in ways alternately literal, formal, material, and metaphoric. Conceived or made in Los Angeles, they are of this city and nowhere else. In the spirit of the exhibition, the book embraces writers' voices from a broad range of disciplines. Among the contributions are interviews, critical essays and experimental writing exercises, all centered on and influenced by Los Angeles.
Project Sketchbook
Why do artists keep sketchbooks-and what secrets do these private pages hold?Project Sketchbook Volume 1 opens the door to a world rarely shared with the public: the personal sketchbook pages where ideas are born, risks are taken, and creativity unfolds in its purest form. Inside, you'll discover the work of twenty-six artists from Canada, the United States, and Germany-each sharing the raw beauty of their sketchbook pages alongside reflections on their process, inspiration, and creative journey.This book isn't just for artists. It's for anyone who has ever wondered what creativity looks like on the basic level. Every page invites you to explore-whether through a double-page spread bursting with color, a quick sketch made in a moment of observation, or an experimental collage that redefines what a sketchbook can be.Part exhibition catalogue, part behind-the-scenes peek into the artistic process, and part call to action, Project Sketchbook Volume 1 is a reminder that creativity is for everyone. Be inspired and find the spark to begin your own sketchbook practice.
Freeing Our Frozen Songs
What do you do when your body can no longer house the brutalities of the life you have lived? This book is for readers who have experienced the darkness of trauma. It is also for those who want to better understand the impact of trauma on survivors.Collectively, our co-creators confronted and then freed what had long been frozen inside of us. Our stories are now held within this book, and our bodies are lighter. We have experienced profound pain. We are not afraid of confronting this pain; rather, we are terrified of what might happen if we don't. Some of us are poets, some are visual artists, and some combined both gifts as we dug for and then dragged our wounds into the light to be seen, felt, and released. Ten artists created eighteen works of art each for this anthology. We met regularly to support one another as we created and healed, both individually and collectively. Each artist's chapter is divided into three sections: six works that represent the root wounds of their Past, six works that represent how that root wound continues to show up in their Present, and six works that represent the hope found in the transmutation of their past and present into their triumphant Possible, where the light of hope is found. Each chapter of our book represents an individual's study of light and dark. That which forms us, and is formed by us. That which has been, is, and will be-that which was once frozen, and is now free. In this transformative and empowering anthology, you will find: Ten chapters by ten different artists who worked collectively and individually to transmute their pain into their power through creativityCreative, powerful explorations of trauma, its impact on the feminine, and its collective impact on us allRaw, unfiltered vulnerability that opens a path toward empathy and an understanding of the feminine experience in a patriarchal societyInspiration to embark on your unique path from pain to power through intentional transmutational creative expressionFind out more about our anthology at www.freeingourfrozensongs.com.
Silicon Valley Reimagined
In January 1949, the Benedetti Brothers & Co. of Santa Clara Valley published their latest home technology catalog. Inside: wireless telephones, portable radios, data wristwatches, and tabulating machines for the home - all available for immediate delivery.Silicon Valley Reimagined: Illustrated Gadgets from an Alternate 1949 presents a meticulously crafted product catalog from a timeline where the tech revolution arrived decades early. Each illustrated gadget carries the analog aesthetic of the postwar era - warm wood finishes, vacuum tubes, precision dials - wrapped around technology the real 1949 could never have imagined.Complete with fictional manufacturers, period-accurate pricing, and 2025 equivalents that reveal just how far ahead of their time these devices were, this is alternate history told not through narrative, but through the everyday language of commerce - a catalog from a world that almost was.For readers who love technology history, industrial design, speculative fiction, and the enduring question of what Silicon Valley might have looked like if someone had gotten there first.
Brand Something Beautiful
If you don't tell your story well, who will?If you're like most writers, artists, musicians, solopreneurs, and other creatives, you love making things. But you dread marketing.Marketing feels hard- like complete guesswork-because no one has ever helped you define your brand. Without a clear brand, marketing is like trying to build a house without a foundation. In a swamp. With alligators.Branding is about much more than logos or taglines. It involves understanding you and your unique gifts and desires, and then connecting those with the needs of your audiences. Branding is the missing middle between making something beautiful and helping people find and embrace that beauty. Inside this book, you'll discover a proven five-step process-Determine, Discover, Define, Design, and Delight-that bridges the gap between creating and selling, a method that makes marketing not just easier, but more enjoyable. You'll develop your own creative brand that will help you: articulate who you are as a creative, understand the difference between a personal brand and a creative one, make better decisions, charge premium prices, and enable others to describe and recommend your work.Many creative people aren't clear about what they want or how to achieve their dreams. Or if they are, they don't know how to message their passion well or communicate it in a way that resonates with customers, clients, collectors, and other vital audiences. In this book, you'll gain the clarity you need to focus on the work you were made to create, and then to share that work in ways that excite others.It's time to stop guessing at how to promote what you do and instead, start building emotional connections that turn admirers into loyal customers.Your creative work deserves to be seen. Your brand is how the world will find it.
The Future of the Art World
A wide-ranging collection of interviews conducted by New York Times contributor Andr獺s Sz獺nt籀 sheds light on the future of the art world in a rapidly changing societyThis is the third in a series of books investigating the future of the museum, following on The Future of the Museum: 28 Dialogues (2020) and Imagining the Future of the Museum: 21 Dialogues with Architects (2022). If the previous volumes examined the "software" and the "hardware" of the museum, respectively, the third installment of the trilogy surveys the social, cultural, economic, institutional and technological conditions in which museums operate. The conversations engage voices not heard in the prior volumes: artists, curators, collectors, members of the art trade, social scientists, entrepreneurs and others. The dialogues range across a panorama of topics, from the future of the art gallery and outlooks for the art fair, to the role of globalization in the art world, to the internal and external forces transforming cultural institutions, to the impacts of climate change, to perspectives on the future of digital creativity and artificial intelligence. Several conversations shed light on the evolution of specific global regions--from Asia to Africa to Latin America to the Gulf nations and the Middle East--where some of the most transformative investments in arts infrastructure are currently being made. The dialogues grapple with the question of whether the art world can adjust to the future incrementally, or whether it is heading into a period of systemic, paradigmatic transformation. Taken together, the conversations offer a portrait of an art world seeking to adapt to a society undergoing an accelerated period of change.Andr獺s Sz獺nt籀 (born 1964) is a Budapest-born, Brooklyn-based author and editor who has been conducting conversations with art-world leaders since the early 1990s, including as a frequent moderator of the Art Basel Conversations series. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, Artforum and many others.Conversations with: Refik Anadol, Albert-L獺szl籀 Barab獺si, Larissa Buchholz, Diana Campbell, Joshua Citarella, Marcello Dantas, Simon Denny, Noah Horowitz, William Kentridge, Agnieszka Kurant, Sylvain Levy, Atsuko Ninagawa, Alain Servais, Yoram Roth, et al.
King Alpha
Willow Creek was a town that noticed everything-and forgot nothing. Small, quiet, and unchanging, it lived by details: who lingered too long at the diner, who left their lights burning late, who didn't belong.And no one doubted that the man who claimed the abandoned Victorian on Elm Street didn't belong.They called him King Alpha. Tall, magnetic, and impossibly composed, he drew people to him as though by design. Women drifted into his orbit without conflict, men grew uneasy but said nothing, and children whispered his name like a prayer. Each night, the long-dead Victorian glowed golden, as though the house itself had been waiting for him.Bobby noticed first. His wife murmured Alpha's name in her sleep. His notebook-the Dossier-began to fill with words he didn't remember writing, warnings written in his own hand. Alongside Paul, his closest friend, Bobby tried to resist the pull. But resistance came at a price. The town bent toward Alpha as if it had always been his, and Bobby realized the stranger was not just a man, but a presence: a fracture, a silence, a crownless king.Now Bobby must confront the terrifying truth: to resist Alpha is to break, but to surrender is to be remade.Dark, atmospheric, and haunting, King Alpha is a supernatural thriller about power, devotion, and the unseen forces that consume ordinary lives.���� Step into the circle. Enter Willow Creek. Get this book now.
Banksy: Completed
There's more to Banksy than the painting on the wall: the first in-depth investigation into the mysteries of the world's most famous living artist. Banksy is the world's most famous living artist, yet no one knows who he is. For more than twenty years, his wryly political and darkly humorous spray paintings have appeared mysteriously on urban walls around the globe, generating headlines and controversy. Art critics disdain him, but the public (and the art market) love him. With this generously illustrated book, artist and critic Carol Diehl is the first author to probe the depths of the Banksy mystery. Through her exploration of his paintings, installations, writings, and Academy Award-nominated film, Exit through the Gift Shop, Diehl proves unequivocally that there's more to Banksy than the painting on the wall. Seeing Banksy as the ultimate provocateur, Diehl investigates the dramas that unfold after his works are discovered, with all of their social, economic, and political implications. She reveals how this trickster rattles the system, whether during his month-long 2013 self-styled New York "residency" or his notorious Dismaland of 2015, a full-scale dystopian "family theme park unsuitable for children" dedicated to the failure of capitalism. Banksy's work, Diehl shows, is a synthesis of conceptual art, social commentary, and political protest, played out not in museums but where it can have the most effect--on the street, in the real world. The questions Banksy raises about the uses of public and private property, the role of the global corporatocracy, the never-ending wars, and the gap between artworks as luxury goods and as vehicles of social expression, have never been more relevant.
100 Windows
Established in 2010 by Stefanie Seidl in a former gateway for horse-drawn carriages that is now enclosed by glazing at both ends, the project space BERLIN-WEEKLY offers the narrow yet exceptionally tall display space to artists as a highly visible public stage for installations that respond to the setting or site. Its unilateral orientation toward the street makes BERLIN-WEEKLY a creative intervention into the urban fabric that harnesses the shopwindow format. The book presents 100 selected window installations to illustrate the widely diverse ways in which individual artists have engaged with the venue, time and again transforming the unusually shaped small space. With works by: Menno Aden, Alexandra Baumgartner, Isabelle Borges, Astrid Busch, Simon Faithfull, Moritz Frei, Max Frisinger, Wolfgang Flad, Dagmara Genda, Andreas Greiner & Armin Keplinger, Sabine Gro?, Marc van der Hocht, Sabine Hornig, Ir癡 ne Hug, Bettina Khano, Julia Kissina, Nikolaus List, Ulrike Mohr, Virginie Mosse, Piotr Nathan, Katja Pudor, Philip Topolovac, Inken Reinert, Sophia Schama, Geerten Verheus, Sinta Werner, Barbara Wille, and others
Paint 50: Watercolour Nature
Learn to paint 50 vibrant watercolor nature motifs in the loose, ethereal style of popular artist Clarice Gomes (@helloclariceg). Create colorful, softly blended vignettes of delicate flowers, juicy grapefruit, fluffy bumblebees, striking toadstools and more! Over the course of 50 simple watercolor projects - including exotic fruit, iconic trees, vibrant insects and traditional flowers - this beginner-friendly title will teach you how to paint! Each project can be completed in six to eight simple steps, using a small selection of colors and a handful of easy-to-follow watercolour techniques. No prior knowledge of watercolor techniques needed - This book contains a short list of tools and materials needed to get started and a clear and informative guide to the basic techniques needed.No drawing skills required - Some simple outlines are included where necessary, but at the heart of Clarice's painting style is the mantra 'go with the flow' be bold and creative and learn to work with the marks you make.Suitable for artists of all levels - Clarice's clear instructions guide the reader from start to finish in a way that makes it easy for anyone to pick up a brush and learn how to paint in her loose, characterful style.Latest title in the bestselling series - Animals and Flowers have already been published and are selling extremely well.Whether you want to create a hand-painted card, decorate your wall or maybe you simply want to learn the relaxing art of painting with watercolors, with 50 cute motifs to choose from, you'll easily find something to inspire you.
Russian Icons
A beautifully and lavishly illustrated book on an important private collection of late Russian icons written by distinguished art historians. The artistic quality and historical significance of Russian icons - religious paintings of characters and scenes from the Eastern Orthodox Bible - have been of a consistently high order ever since they first emerged in that country in the eleventh century CE. Less constant, however, have been the care with which these works have been treated and their commercial value. Russian icons were at various times encouraged, then vandalized, then exported, then banned from export; during the worst privations under the Tsars and the Bolsheviks, people felt forced to use them as bartering counters and even sometimes as firewood.After the collapse of Communism and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Oleg Kushnirskiy (born 1960) came to the West and set about assembling a collection of Russian icons in the United States, where they would be well protected from physical decay and safe from further religious and political upheavals. Acquired from a variety of sources - ecclesiastical, civic, and domestic - the Kushnirskiy Collection is now stored in New York and exhibited periodically in universities, galleries, and museums in numerous locations, thus fulfilling the collector's ambition to bring these masterpieces to a wider audience than ever before. This complete catalog features sixty works, the oldest created in the mid-seventeenth century, the most recent in the early twentieth. Accompanying the images are insightful analytical commentaries by distinguished art historians.A clear conspectus of 300 years of Russian religious artBeautifully illustrated throughout with over 400 photographs of complete icons and detailsReadable text that explains the artistic processes and the historical context
Angela Harding: Fair Isle Puffins (Blank Sketch Book)
New title in the Flame Tree Sketch Book collection, this luxurious sketch book features beautiful art, high-quality production and the thick paper stock makes it ideal for sketching and drawing. A FLAME TREE SKETCH BOOK. Beautiful and luxurious, the sketch books combine high-quality production and FSC-certified paper with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, the thick paper stock makes them ideal for sketching and drawing. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed in full colour, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and bookmark ribbons. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. THE ARTIST. Printmaker and illustrator Angela Harding trained in Fine Art at Leicester Polytechnic and Nottingham Trent University. She now lives in the UK's smallest county, Rutland, where she works from her garden studio in Wing. Angela has received commissions for her illustration work from most of the UK's major publishers, and her unique and distinctive style has become recognisable to nature lovers and book lovers alike. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Eric Fischl: Late America
Major new catalogue on one of the leading figurative painters working in the USA today. Contemporary artist Eric Fischl has been unwavering in his commitment to painting the human figure throughout his long career, revealing the body's central role in determining social and individual experience. As the first major book on the artist in over a decade, this beautifully illustrated publication accompanies a new exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona and includes early, well-known paintings and works on paper focused on the inhabitants of middle-class American suburbs with their social taboos, family secrets, toxic masculinity and unacknowledged privileges. Also featured are the recent poetically and revealingly titled series of paintings Late America, Presence of an Absence, and Complications of an Already Unfulfilled Life. These works were created in the contexts of the pandemic, political activism and division. Featuring new and unpublished work, this book will be essential for Fischl's many loyal fans, and all those interested in modern and contemporary figurative painting.
Common People
A stunning book by photographer Leah Gordon and bestselling art author Stephen Ellcock, illustrated with 100 incredible colour images from a diverse range of artists of different eras, exploring the enclosure of common land in England and the struggle over the centuries to regain access. IN 1600, 50% OF ENGLAND WAS COMMON LAND.IT'S NOW 3%.THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW THAT HAPPENED. This is a visual journey through the history of the enclosure of common land in England and the stories of those who have attempted to resist. Richly illustrated with Leah Gordon's photography alongside fine art and folk customs past and present, discover: - A timeline of this centuries-long struggle for access to the land.- The stories of rural resistance such as the Levellers, the Diggers, the Luddites and Captain Swing.- The links between the struggles of the industrial working-class and the peasants.- Contemporary conflicts around land rights, such as the New Age travellers and rave scene, the anti-road campaign and the Right to Roam movement. Common People offers a reimagining of English history told by the people themselves, giving voice to the silenced history of the enclosures and the incredible visual creativity inspired by rural resistance and protest.
Artista
ARTISTA is a curated celebration of creativity, vision, and innovation in contemporary art. Carefully assembled by ICM Gestora Cultural, this book presents a hand-picked selection of artists whose work reflects the diverse voices, mediums, and narratives shaping today's artistic landscape. Each featured artist brings a unique perspective, challenging conventions and expanding the dialogue between tradition and modernity, local identity and global culture.Through painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, and interdisciplinary practices, ARTISTA offers readers a panoramic view of contemporary expression. The book not only highlights artistic talent but also emphasizes the importance of cultural management and curation in giving visibility to emerging and established creators. Every page invites readers to discover new aesthetic experiences, explore creative processes, and connect with stories that transcend borders.Designed as both a source of inspiration and a reference for collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts, ARTISTA embodies ICM Gestora Cultural's mission to foster cultural exchange and promote artistic excellence. More than just a compilation, it is a testament to the transformative power of art in society today-a vivid snapshot of creativity at its most compelling and relevant.
Media as a Catalyst for Change
How an effective role of media organizations play in a democratic country like India is a matter of study. In a democracy, the media can be used as a bridge between the rulers and the ruled. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the fact that how media plays the role of 'Watch Dog of Democracy' by providing government related information to the public and secondly, to what extent it creates a public opinion by becoming the voice of the views of the citizens. Nation building through political, social, economic and cultural democracy, the role of the media as a representative forum is not only to disseminate information and entertainment, but also to educate the public about social and political movements and their benefits and then to form public opinion, after which the opinion of public is directly or indirectly translated into legislation affects construction. In a country where there is still widespread poverty, unemployment and backwardness, the media should be oriented towards development journalism, which along with the creation of public opinion can give the legislature and political parties the right to influence the progress of the common man of the country. Can media force the making of key laws? Therefore, this research type book assesses the media's ability to give policy shape to the preferences of the common men. The problems faced by the public are disseminated through print media, electronic media and social media networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instragram and WhatsApp are put in front of the public and the government, after that public opinion is created, this public opinion gives a policy basis to those problems and thus legislations related to them are created. The present book reviews the comments of Indian & Western Media on scrapping of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution as this Article was unnecessary and it used to use for vote bank politics, violation of human rights, separatism, militancy and it was also a greater obstacle in the way of Jammu & Kashmir's development and unity and peace of India.
Performance Art
The standard reference since its first publication in 1979, Performance Art continues its authoritative chronicling of one of the most important art forms to emerge in modern times. Art historian and curator RoseLee Goldberg has updated her magnum opus to reflect the current state of performance in an age where digital and web technologies are becoming increasingly dominant, as she shows how a medium once used in sporadic bursts of artistic dissent has become a worldwide phenomenon.Performance is now the medium of choice for many creatives entering the global conversation of art and culture. As the medium has developed across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas it has become one of the most popular art forms for articulating "difference," whether dealing with issues of identity, politics, race, or historical background. Marina Abramovic, Matthew Barney, Sanford Biggers, Tania Bruguera, Patty Chang, Rashid Johnson, Autumn Knight, Pierre Huyghe, and Jacolby Satterwhite are among the many new and established artists whose work can now be seen in the context of other innovators in the field from the Futurists and Dadaists to Yves Klein and Laurie Anderson. Goldberg explores contemporary artists' approaches to politics, tradition, social engagement, and the art world itself, while evaluating the changing status of performance.This revised edition includes an updated foreword, an expanded reading list, and a new chapter outlining developments in the second decade of the twenty-first century in the fields of dance, architecture, technology, and virtual performance.
Art and Revolution
A wrenching portrait of the Russian sculptor and a tribute to the potential of political art John Berger explores the life and work of Ernst Neizvestny, who, after clashing with Khrushchev, was excluded from the ranks of officially approved Soviet artists. Abandoned to obscurity, Neizvestny laboured to realize a monumental and very public vision of art. Exiled to the United States, he finally found recognition, returning to his homeland with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Berger's account illuminates the very meaning of revolutionary art. In his struggle against official orthodoxy - which brought him into face-to-face conflict with Khrushchev himself - Neizvestny was fight-ing not for a merely personal or aesthetic vision, but for recognition of the social role of art. His sculptures earn a place in the world by reflecting the courage of a whole people, commemorating, in an age of mass suffering, the resistance and endurance of millions.
Why Surrealism Matters
An elegant consideration of the Surrealist movement as a global phenomenon and why it continues to resonate "Mr. Polizzotti carefully balances the movement's aspirations and attainments against its flaws and contradictions, hoping to recuperate Surrealism's 'critical and imaginative essence' for the present. . . . The best concise account of the movement available."--Michael Saler, Wall Street Journal Selected by Art in America as an "Essential Book About Surrealism" Why does Surrealism continue to fascinate us a century after Andr矇 Breton's Manifesto of Surrealism? How do we encounter Surrealism today? Mark Polizzotti vibrantly reframes the Surrealist movement in contemporary terms and offers insight into why it continues to inspire makers and consumers of art, literature, and culture. Polizzotti shows how many forms of popular media can thank Surrealism for their existence, including Monty Python, Theatre of the Absurd, and trends in fashion, film, and literature. While discussing the movement's iconic figures--including Andr矇 Breton, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dal穩, Ren矇 Magritte, Man Ray, and Dorothea Tanning--he also broadens the traditionally French and male-focused narrative, constructing a more diverse and global representation. And he addresses how the Surrealists grappled with ideas that mirror current concerns, including racial and economic injustice, sexual politics, issues of identity, labor unrest, and political activism. Why Surrealism Matters provides a concise, engaging exploration of how, a century later, the "Surrealist revolution" remains as dynamic as ever.
Michelangelo and the Viewer in His Time
Now in paperback, an invitation to re-experience the works of the Italian master as they would have been encountered in his time. Today most of us enjoy the work of famed Renaissance artist Michelangelo by perusing art books or strolling along the galleries of a museum--and the luckier of us have had a chance to see his extraordinary frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. But as Bernadine Barnes shows in this book, even a visit to a well-preserved historical site doesn't quite afford the experience the artist intended us to have. Bringing together the latest historical research, she offers us an accurate account of how Michelangelo's art would have been seen in its own time. As Barnes shows, Michelangelo's works were made to be viewed in churches, homes, and political settings, by people who brought their own specific needs and expectations to them. Rarely were his paintings and sculptures viewed in quiet isolation--as we might today in the stark halls of a museum. Instead, they were an integral part of ritual and ceremonies, and viewers would have experienced them under specific lighting conditions and from particular vantages; they would have moved through spaces in particular ways and been compelled to relate various works with others nearby. Reconstructing some of the settings in which Michelangelo's works appeared, Barnes reassembles these experiences for the modern viewer. Moving throughout his career, she considers how his audience changed, and how this led him to produce works for different purposes, sometimes for conventional religious settings, but sometimes for more open-minded patrons. She also shows how the development of print and art criticism changed the nature of the viewing public, further altering the dynamics between artist and audience. Historically attuned, this book encourages today's viewers to take a fresh look at this iconic artist, seeing his work as they were truly meant to be seen.
Hew Locke
An in-depth look at the innovative career of an artist renowned for his multimedia explorations of colonial and postcolonial power For the past thirty years, Guyanese British artist Hew Locke (b. 1959) has used strategies of appropriation to reveal and upend the visual codes of imperialism. Incorporating sculpture, photography, drawing, and found objects, Locke's oeuvre has been described as a "postcolonial baroque" that deconstructs and reimagines deeply entrenched iconographies of British sovereignty. This richly illustrated catalogue showcases the full spectrum of Locke's practice, bringing together distinct bodies of work that scrutinize the visual language of empire and colonialism's present-day legacies of global market capitalism, migration, and diaspora. Essays from leading curators, critics, and scholars of contemporary art situate Locke's work within the context of colonial and postcolonial history and theory, reveal how his use of nontraditional materials--including cardboard, fabric, beads, sequins, and readymade toys--enables the artist to reflect on his Guyanese-British heritage, and consider how the artist's dense, highly textured, and multilayered works fuse vernacular and formal traditions. Published by the Yale Center for British Art/Distributed by Yale University Press Exhibition Schedule: Yale Center for British Art(October 2, 2025-January 11, 2026) Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH(February 13-May 24, 2026) Museum of Fine Arts, Houston(June 21-September 13, 2026)
You're Already Working
You're Already Working: Here Is Your Creative Practice invites readers to enter a deep exploration of the art-making life. Its encouraging mantra "you're already working" instills confidence by encouraging readers to acknowledge their own excursions into creativity. Using personal experiences from the author's rich and varied creative work and high-level teaching background, You're Already Working guides readers in developing a sustainable and meaningful creative practice. It illuminates crucial aspects of the creative process-from exposing raw work, to radically changing mediums and venues, to delving into historical research, to sharing grief through physicality. With exercises, insights, and contemporary-world observations, this book offers actionable ways to enhance productivity, overcome setbacks, and push artistic boundaries. Wendy Richmond's career spans design, studio art, writing, teaching, and collaboration at WGBH, MIT, Rhode Island School of Design, Harvard University, and International Center of Photography. Her work has been exhibited internationally and supported by fellowships from MacDowell, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center. She is the author of Design & Technology: Erasing the Boundaries; Overneath; and Art Without Compromise.
Family Romance
Jean Strouse captures the dramas, mysteries, intrigues, and tragedies surrounding John Singer Sargent's portraits of the Wertheimer family. Jean Strouse's Family Romance: John Singer Sargent and the Wertheimers looks at twelve portraits of one English family painted by the expatriate American artist at the height of his career--and at the intersections of all these lives with the sparkle and strife of the Edwardian age. In commissioning this grand series of paintings, Asher Wertheimer, an eminent London art dealer of German-Jewish descent, became Sargent's greatest private patron and close friend. The Wertheimers worked with Rothschilds and royals, plutocrats and dukes--as did Sargent. Asher left most of his Sargent portraits to the National Gallery in London, a gift that elicited censure as well as praise: it was a new thing for a family of Jews to appear alongside the Anglo-Saxon aristocrats and dignitaries painted by earlier masters. Strouse's account, set primarily in England around the turn of the twentieth century, takes in the declining fortunes of the British aristocracy and the dramatic rise of new power and wealth on both sides of the Atlantic. It travels back through hundreds of years to the Habsburg court in Vienna and forward to fascist Italy in the 1930s. Its depictions of Sargent, his sitters, their friendships and circles, and the portraits themselves light up a period that saw tumultuous social change and the birth of the modern art market. Sargent brilliantly portrayed these transformations, in which the Wertheimers were key players. Family Romance brings their interwoven stories fully to life for the first time.
