Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns
Authors: Ken Davies Ellye Bloom
List Price: $252.00
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Painting Sharp Focus Still Lifes: Trompe L'Oeil Oil Techniques
Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns |
| ISBN: 0823038564 List Price: $252.00 Amazon Price: This item is currently not available. |
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Dear Zoo: A Lift The Flap Book (Dear Zoo)
Publisher: Little Simon |
| ISBN: 0689825498 List Price: $6.99 Amazon Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 4 Reviews: Summary: Great book for your curious toddler My 15 month old loves this book. The flaps are quite sturdy and can withstand her constant manipulation. Only problem I have with the book is that the names of the respective animals are not printed on each page. Summary: Good book It really holds my daughters interest. Pictures are simple and clear. The story is cute and easy enough for a toddler to understand. Summary: My 3 children all loved this book when they were babies.. From about 9 months on they are interested in the animals, being able to open and close the flaps. It is best read with sounds accompanying each animal (i.e. hissing for snakes). Great way to spark their interest in reading. Summary: |
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The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece
Publisher: Random House |
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| ISBN: 0375508015 List Price: $24.95 Amazon Price: $15.72 Usually ships in 24 hours |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: A Real Life Mystery This book reads like a mystery thriller, but based upon true research and history. Unraveling the mystery of Caravaggio's lost painting takes the reader on a tour of Europe and keeps him in suspense all along the way. Not just a retelling of facts, the author has done a masterful job of involving his readers in the search. I highly recommend this novel history of an epic find. It meant much more to me since my wife and I had discovered the painting for ourselves while on a walking tour of Dublin and the Irish national gallery. We were privileged to hear a curator explain the details of the painting to a young art student, then we just sat and marveled at the genius of the artist. What a find! Summary: Documentary? While the story is interesting, the narrative is a little bland. I think Caravaggio's exploits could have been portrayed more vividly by working them more tightly and creatively into the researchers' findings, rather than as separate chapters simply recounting events as in a newspaper article. I am motivated to look further into Caravaggio, however. Now all of you out there, don't beat me to the few DVDs and videos available on Amazon, OK?! Summary: Pretty Good Read Not bad for a quick read. Overall this book was full of really interesting information, and a cool story, but it seemed to lack any flow or artistry. More just a retelling of a news story. Regardless, it was very interesting, and not a bad read. Summary: |
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Theft: A Love Story
Publisher: Knopf |
| ISBN: 0307263711 List Price: $24.00 Amazon Price: $15.60 Usually ships in 24 hours |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: A singular work Love or hate his novels, Peter Carey remains a writer like no other. Theft: A love story offers the reader a fascinating, nuanced, and often darkly humorous view of the relationships of three thoroughly damaged individuals, an Australian formerly successful artist, his "idiot savant" brother, and the beautiful and mysterious art expert who stumbles into their lives. Telling the tale from the two brothers' shifting perspective, Carey shows offers the reader an intimate view, while also providing an insightful commentary on the concepts of observation, blindness, attachment, and art. This being a Peter Carey novel, the author's characters hold strong opinions and the author's thorough research of his subject shines through the pages. Yet Carey also stands as a subtle author, interested in topics of relationship, loyalty, family, and time. What makes this work particularly interesting is that while Carey's topic involves the seemingly high stakes world of multi-million dollar art, he makes clear that the real stakes are for the character's hearts and in the end their souls. Those looking for a page turner may leave disappointed, but careful readers will surely relish Mr. Carey's singular style and wonderfully drawn characters, all complex and all deeply flawed. Whatever wrong they may commit, each in turn takes a hold of the reader's heart, making this a most satisfying read indeed. Summary: An excellent read Peter Carey is a truly original writer with a wonderful capacity to bring a new and unique perspective to his story telling (Ned Kelly, Oscar and Lucinda etc). He seems to use his subject matter to explore his Australian background and the place of the country in the world, but in a manner that should not alienate readers from other parts of the world. It has been noted that Theft includes a thinly veiled reference to his marital woes. It was refreshing to hear the idiomatic speech of the characters. I personally preferred The Kelly Gang, but this is an excellent book that is well researched and written. My only quibble is that they are more likely to play rugby (First XIII (League) or XV (Union)) than Australian Rules Football (First XVIII) in Bellingen. Summary: Robust, hilarious and dark; a true view of the human heart In robust, antic prose which embodies the characters of his two narrators, Australian author Carey (winner of the Booker Prize for "Oscar and Lucinda" and "True History of the Kelly Gang") recounts a tale of two brothers, a girl and a valuable painting. The brothers are Michael "Butcher" Boone (nicknamed for his father's family business), a once famous and fashionable painter now down on his luck, and his big, brain-damaged brother Hugh, a man subject to passions even less comprehensible than Butcher's. Since the death of their parents, Butcher is Hugh's caretaker. "Sometimes he was so bloody smart, so coherent, at other times a wailing gibbering fool. Sometimes he adored me, loudly, passionately, like a whiskery bad-breathed child. But the next day or the next minute I would be the Leader of the Opposition and he would lay in wait amongst the wild lantana, pounce, wrestle me violently into the mud, or the river, or across the engorged, wet-season zucchini." Butcher and Hugh are in exile at a country estate lent by the painter's biggest collector. Butcher has just been released from prison after a bad divorce (he tried to rescue his paintings from the state of "marital assets") and reversal of fortune. This is his chance to regain his strength and paint, unencumbered by the distractions of the world - other than Hugh. And paint he does in manic scenes reminiscent of Irish writer Joyce Cary's Gulley Jimson at work on his masterpiece at another rich man's unwitting expense. But the world's distractions come to him in the person of Marlene, a slender young woman stranded in her Manolo Blahniks by a torrential storm. She quickly charms Hugh: "And there she was - a type - one of those rare, often unlucky people who `get on with Hugh.'" Butcher is equally charmed, or at least intrigued, especially when it turns out Marlene is the daughter-in-law of Jacques Leibovitz, the painter who inspired Butcher's own career. Turns out Butcher's neighbor owns a particularly valuable Leibovitz and Marlene has come to authenticate it. Or something. Three weeks later the "art police" show up at Butcher's studio, accusing him of having stolen the famous painting from his neighbor. Outraged when the police confiscate his new work to x-ray it in their search for the missing painting, he abandons his new studio and country retreat, returning to civilization to pursue his paintings, his career and eventually Marlene, with reckless abandon. The novel accelerates from Australia to Japan to New York as Carey breathes new life into the old saw "blind ambition." Butcher tricks Hugh into a home so he can have a show in Japan and ride his wave of success on to New York. But he can't quite abandon his brother and Hugh finds himself in New York where he impulsively rescues himself from Butcher's increasingly chaotic life, taking up with Marlene's now former husband, Olivier, the gentle son of Jacques Leibovitz. Hugh, however, has his own brand of guileless shrewdness. Olivier is tormented by love for the treacherous Marlene, who uses him shamelessly. "When he began to cry at breakfast I knew I had chosen the losing side, forgive me, bless me, I wish I was a nicer man. I tried to return to Butcher but he would not answer the bell." The reader's sympathies will lie more with Hugh than his tormented, mostly well-meaning, but fairly venal brother. Hugh is the foil, the innocent voice of reason who often gets things wrong. He's also extremely difficult and one can hardly blame his brother for wriggling out from under from time to time. Hilarity and darkness coexist on every volatile page as Carey beautifully delineates their complex story of brotherly love while producing a wild caper and a slick send-up of the high-end art world. A terrific novel - one of his best. --Portsmouth Herald Summary: |
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The Elements of Color
Publisher: Wiley |
| ISBN: 0471289299 List Price: $45.00 Amazon Price: $34.73 Usually ships in 24 hours |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: so you decided to learn the truth about colors... Itten, himself is one of the greatest color theorist of our century, and the masterful mind behind the Bauhaus School. In this book Itten describes his color theory and the facts of his famous "Color Star", which is one of the most strongest tools for color harmony for designers and alike. Most color books have samples of color harmonies you choose from when you design, or talk about complementary colors, but cant tell you why u use such combinations or so. If you have an analytical approach to design, rather than just copying what others do, you will love this book. You will begin to understand the language of colors. Have u ever heard of "the Seven Color Contrast", if not then it is time for you to get familiar about it. This book is an evaluation of Ittens masterpiece "Art of Color". The chapter on subjective experience of color is very limited in this book. If you are willing to invest more on color matters buy "Art of Color" If you are happy to stay with the basics then this book is adequate for your purposes. Summary: Color from a master Although witten for artists who mix colors for an effect, this small book has a wealth of information for fiber artists and quilters. How do translucent colors interact with other colors? Illusions in color? Which colors can be used in conjunction with other shades and tints? It is all here in this book. Many illustration,color plates,and well written text. Very scientific, but easily readable. Good reference book on color. Summary: Essential Reading for the Serious Colorist I have been a professor for 15 years. "The Elements of Color" has been required reading for many of my courses. It is not only enriching as a color theory document, but it helps expand the artist or designers possibility of using, arranging and conceiving color. Summary: |
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Chasing Vermeer
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks |
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| ISBN: 0439372976 List Price: $6.99 Amazon Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 4 Reviews: Summary: Chasing Vermeer Having taught middle school English in Florida when CHASING VERMEER was on the Sunshine State Recommended Books list for 2005-2006, I read this book in the summer of 2005 and had all my students read it that school year. It has been a year since I've read it, but things about the book resonate still. First off, my inital impression was to be impressed. I figured my high-end students would love it; it was clever and paced well; the characters were relatively unique (perhaps a bit too cartoony, although there was no hint at a tone of comedy). My students liked it, but weren't blown away by it. A year later, what I still remember of it is that it was a bit over-written (to a point of being so intricate and so clever that it eventually became unrealistic). Kids obsessed with math problems and mysterious clues that require decoders probably love CHASING VERMEER, but I found it a little too precocious and lacking in emotional reality. It is fun, but writing a mystery for kids does force plot to follow to where the clues can be found. That forced writing of plot removes the organic feel of writing that flows and can take you anywhere because you have no idea what might happen next. But on the positive side, it makes kids think (and too much information in this case does not hamper the entertainment factor). Kids love a mystery and CHASING VERMEER moves well, stays brilliantly focused, and makes art history fascinating. It deserves a recommendation, but for great a YA mystery novel, there is better out there. Summary: TEACHERS..... read this book. As a teacher, I am always on the look-out for great books to use with my advanced fifth-grade students to get them thinking. This book not only is a fantastic story, but uses art, geometry, patterns, and geography to tell the story. Using this novel alone I can hit on many objectives. I am overjoyed with this book and can hardly wait to use it with my class in the fall; as a matter of fact, I think I'll email my students from last year and suggest it as a summer read. Summary: Strong mystery for the younger set I was in the mood for a quick read this week, but that doesn't mean I wanted a weak story. Blue Balliett's young readers' mystery Chasing Vermeer turned out to be perfect. It's the story of two sixth-graders, Petra and Calder, who get wrapped up in a case of a major art theft and a swirl of untruths that seem to surround the artist of the lost masterpiece, Johannes Vermeer. Everywhere they look they find clues, puzzle pieces and other players in their game, and if they can't solve the crime, a masterpiece may be lost forever. Some of the reviews are calling this a DaVinci Code for kids, in that it uses real-world mysteries as the core of the plot. I don't think that's quite fair -- this is a much better book than The DaVinci Code. The writer has more respect for his readers, doesn't cheat on the clues and creates characters that aren't smugly self-important, but in fact, are very intelligent and very realistic at the same time. In addition to the Vermeer mystery and the clues that surround it, Balliett seems to be making a statement about connections and coincidence. Much of the book relies on happenstance, shared numbers and the lucky application of a game of pentominoes, and although Balliett frequently winks at the audience with the implication that there's some greater underlying truth beneath the coincidence, she never quite attempts to explain that away, and that's probably a good thing. This was a quick, satisfying read that will be quite satisfactory for any child growing into mystery stories. Summary: |
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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Publisher: Aladdin |
| ISBN: 0689711816 List Price: $5.99 Amazon Price: $5.99 Usually ships in 24 hours |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: A Must Read (or Listen) This book is a wonderful story for all ages. We like to take the audio version on car trips as it engages, and is appropriate for, all listeners. Summary: A Good Book I know I'm under 13, but bear with me, please! I am a very avid reader, but this will go down in MY book. It contianed a good amount of excitement and all that other good stuff. If you have started reading semi-classic books and enjoyed them , this is for you. Get it in paperback, too, because its not worth almost doubling the price to get a stronger cover. Great buy! Summary: Half of an exceptional novel Claudia and her brother Jamie run away from home and take up residence at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they investigate the mystery of a statue that may be a genuine Michaelangelo. This book has a lot going for it. The interaction between the siblings is entertaining and believeable, and the details of living in a museum and avoiding detection are interesting. Having established these effective characters and situation, however, author EL Konigsberg failed to come up with absorbing plot developments. I never cared about either the statue or Mrs. Frankweiler. Therefore, I lost interest in the novel about halfway through. Summary: |
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Michelangelo: The Complete Sculpture, Painting, Architecture
Publisher: Beaux Arts Editions |
| ISBN: 0883633310 List Price: $95.00 Amazon Price: This item is currently not available. |
Avg Cusomer Rating: 3 Reviews: Summary: Amazon can't get this book for you I ordered this book as a Christmas gift and never got it. I received several emails from amazon that shipment was delayed, but just found out they're unable to obtain the book. If you want it, save yourself time & trouble and get it from another source. Summary: THE BOOK I NEVER GOT I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU A REVIEW, BUT I NEVER GOT THE BOOK. ALTHOUGH, THIS EMAIL OR YOUR SYSTEM THINKS I DID...I DID NOT. AND I WANT IT. SO SEND IT TO ME PLEASE. Summary: A Visual Excursion through a Genius' Life and Works MICHELANGELO: THE COMPLETE SCULPTURE, PAINTING, ARCHITECTURE is one of those books that would be a generous addition to any art/art history lover's library. This very large scaled volume is meant to be about the visual and not the stuffy, thesis-driven, dry tome words of biography. William Wallace has excellent credentials as a writer and his style of writing is warm, thoughtful, insightful, and informative. He has elected to begin his book with an abbreviated biography, knowing that most people know the general facts about Michelangelo's life, and then presents the artists' output in sections of scultpure, painting, and architecture. It is said that Michelangelo never considered himself a painter, despite his glory in the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. It is his sculpture for which he wished to be known and surely there are few extant examples of heroic sculpture that are in his rarefied league. The reproductions of the frescoes are color correct and the sculptures are captured with excellent photographic drama. For those who wish to know more about the writings and sonnets of Michelangelo as well as the contorversies that colored his life, then look elsewhere among the many books available. But for sheer joy of turning page after beautiful page that document Michelangelo's genius, then look no further. A perfect gift for yourself and for those who care about art. Summary: |
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